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Flower

It is Green All Around

The effect of Spring season is different on different species of trees. Some are in great hurry and begin to change their habits at the earliest. Some are very patient and wait on and begin to sprout the beautiful transparent light colored leaves when the leaves of the early starters have already become dull and dark green. Banyan trees are different. I saw them shed copious quantities of the dry leaves daily with the help of strong breeze. When they became almost skeletons, new copper colored leaves come out all over the tree. The trees look to be made of… Read More »It is Green All Around

Bottlebrushes in Bloom

In March spring season heralds here. The nature awakens from its hibernation of freezing cold and there is a thaw in the season. The plants and trees after shedding the old leaves adorn themselves with fresh light green leaves. Within days the skeleton branches are covered with leaves. The days are becoming longer and hot. Soon it will become very hot and unbearable. The weather in India are not uniform and almost every 3 months weather changes. This is why the natives here are in continuous struggle with the weather. There are extremes of weather in North India. This gives… Read More »Bottlebrushes in Bloom

Hibiscus: Showy Red Flowers

These days Hibiscus shrubs are in full bloom and laden with bright red color flowers. Many people are seen plucking them for offerings before the Gods in their homes and temples. They think Gods are confined to the places where we have placed them and cannot go out and watch and appreciate their own creation themselves. I think They won’t recommend plucking the flowers. These shrubs bear flowers almost all the year round except in the biting winter. But in summers, there is a glut of flowers on the shrubs. Anyway, as usual I went for walk slightly late. It… Read More »Hibiscus: Showy Red Flowers

After Amaltas it is the turn of Gulmohars

Though golden blooms on Amaltas (cassia fistula) trees have begun to fade, they are still hanging there. The flowers are loosing their hue steadily and once where only flowers were hanging all over the trees, thick green foliage has begun to appear on the trees. Perhaps, they are feeling too much heat and are unable to withstand it and are withering away. I have pictures of them when they were in full glory. Below is the one. So, you can see the beauty of the nature, expressed in the golden flowers of Amaltas tree. But alas! now it is almost… Read More »After Amaltas it is the turn of Gulmohars

Short but Beautiful Life

It is not necessary that a long age is always full of eventful life. Sometimes a short life can be eventful and spread happiness within a short span. One such case is the flowers of Barringtonia tree. These trees bear red colored jellyfish like tiny flowers in bunches from the racemes. There are about ten trees near our home and in every morning a great spectacle unfolds. These flowers have a very short lifespan. They are on the branches for 4-5 hours only. They bloom in the night. The buds bulbs swell in the evening and flowers come out. By… Read More »Short but Beautiful Life

When When?

A Poem on Heralding of Spring Season: Though Spring season is far off, I wrote these lines based on my experience of the past. After the rains, there would be unsettled weather tending towards cooling. Finally, the Winter shall set in. This shall be real winter which I shall experience after a long stay in the moderate weather of Mumbai. When the winter shall thaw, there will be the riot of colors all around. Flowers shall bloom. Butterflies, honeybees  and wasps shall dance around the flowers. This will be the Spring. Lo & Behold, the spring is here again.With riot… Read More »When When?

Golden Flowers: Amaltas

Amaltas is a tree which blooms during the onset of summer. It is called Cassia Fistula in the botanical language. The trees hardly bear any leaves when the plant flowers. From the skeletons of the branches hang the beautiful bunches of golden colored flowers. Before becoming the full fledged flowers, the buds are like “Ghungroos” of gold. Normally maximum flowers are seen in the spring season when the winter is slowly receding giving way to the most pleasant season of spring which transits to the hot weather. In fact with each passing day, the heat is building up and vegetation… Read More »Golden Flowers: Amaltas

Cannonball tree

Whenever I see these trees in my neighborhood, I am surprised by their odd features. These are Cannonball Trees. They are very upright and very tall trees. There are four or five trees in our area at Panvel near Mumbai. There are big ball like fruits of khaki color hanging just below the main canopy, very near to the beginning of the trunk. Some of them are as big as muskmelons. I am sure that if it hit someone who happens to be under the tree, it may cause a grievous injury. Ants gather on these fruits. Big shoots come… Read More »Cannonball tree

Devil’s Tree

There are rows of these trees in our colony. Tree is called Devil tree, Alstonia Scholaris. These are in prime condition, quite tall. They become very much noticeable during flowering season. The flowers have very strong scent. It becomes very difficult to breath because of intense fragrance. Fragrance of flowers from so many trees is so overwhelming that many children develop the breathing difficulties. This elegant evergreen tree is found in most parts of India. The generic name commemorates the distinguished botanist, Prof. C. Alston of Edinburgh, 1685-1760. The species name scholaris refers to the fact that the timber of… Read More »Devil’s Tree

Flowers Parade

As soon as the winter went away and yielded its place to Spring season, the nature which has been lying  dormant, has put up the best show in the form of flowers of all colors. In fact, there is a riot of colors. Plants, shrubs and trees, none of them wants to be left behind in bearing beautiful flowers and contribute to the show. Flowers of contrasting colors, shapes and sizes. The trees flower slowly and till late when here in India till the sweltering summer sets in. One thing, I noticed about the pattern of blooming was that trees… Read More »Flowers Parade

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