Nakshatra is Forever..!

The concept of adoption of a plant is been derived from Indian cultural history. The Indian astrology is based on the concept of Nakshatras (Constellations) and Rashis (as per moon signs). There are in all 27 Nakshatras present in a year and every individual has a Nakshatra assigned to him/her depending on the date and time on which he/she is born (the tithi).

Every Nakshatra has a symbolic tree or plant that defines its connection with eternal nature. In our Indian culture there was a tradition that whenever a baby is born in someone’s home, that person was supposed to plant a tree of the same Nakshatra on which the baby was born. The person was supposed to take care of the tree as his child because it was believed that the more good and healthy the tree will grow, it will prosper more health and happiness to the child.

If these trees have been assigned to the 27 nakshatras by the Vedic Rishis, than it will be worthwhile for us to know which tree belongs to our Janma Nakshatra (Birth Constellation) and to have some idea about its medicinal values or other applications.

So the presence of the complete set of 27 trees directly creates a healthy and sound physical, mental, psychological and spiritual beings; which is the ultimate and absolute bliss to oneself and to the Earth too!

Trees corresponding to Nakshtras and Rashis :

Sr. No. : 1

Nakshatra Name : Ashwini

Moon Sign : Aries

Lord : Ketu

Tree/Plant : Strychnine tree, Poison Nut (कुचला)

Latin Name : Strychnous Nux-Vomica

It is important medicinal tree which has its mention in ancient system of medicine. The seeds of ripe fruit are poisonous, hence the name.  

Sr. No. : 2

Nakshatra Name : Bharani

Moon Sign : Aries

Lord : Venus

Tree/Plant : Amla, Indian Gooseberry (आवळा)

Latin Name : Phyllanthus Emblica

Sr. No. : 3
Nakshatra Name : Kritika
Moon Sign : Aries
Lord : Sun
Tree/Plant : Cluster Fig (औदुंबर)

Latin Name : Ficus Racemosa

The Rashi tree for Aries is Red Sandalwood (Pterocarpus Santalinus/रक्तचंदन). Being a rare species, plantation of this tree has its importance. It has tremendous medicinal properties and is mentioned number of times in Ayurveda. This tree is believed to purify air from toxic substances.

Sr. No. : 4

Nakshatra Name : Rohini

Moon Sign : Taurus

Lord : Moon

Tree/Plant : Jamun, Java Plum (जांभूळ)

Latin Name : Syzygium Cumini

Sr. No. : 5
Nakshatra Name : Mrig
Moon Sign : Taurus
Lord : Mars
Tree/Plant : Cutch tree (खैर)
Latin Name : Acacia Catechu

The Rashi tree for Taurus is Scholar tree (Alstonia Scolaris/सप्तपर्णी). It is an elegant fast-growing evergreen tree. With or without flowering, it is equally beautiful. It has many medicinal properties to its name. It is often planted as an ornament. 

Sr. No. : 6

Nakshatra Name : Ardra

Moon Sign : Gemini

Lord : Rahu

Tree/Plant : Black Ebony, Tendu (टेंभूर्णी, तेंदू)
OR
Krushnagus

Latin Name : Diospyros Melanoxylon
OR
Aquillaria Agalocha 

Sr. No. : 7

Nakshatra Name : Punarvasu

Moon Sign : Gemini

Lord : Jupiter

Tree/Plant : Velu

Latin Name : Bambusa Bambos 

It is basically a fast-growing type of grass which provide shelter place to many small birds. Its medicinal virtues are often neglected by gardeners who consider it as a messy plant. Actually speaking, it provide good quantity of mulch.

The Rashi tree for Gemini is Pala-Indigo tree (Wrightia Tinctoria/काळा-कुडा). Locally, it is also known as Dudhi. It is a small tree with white, fragrant flowers. This attractive tree has many virtues to its name including agroforestry and ayurvedic properties.

Sr. No. : 8

Nakshatra Name : Pushya

Moon Sign : Cancer

Lord : Saturn

Trees/Plant : Peepal, Sacred Fig (पिंपळ)
Latin Name : Ficus Religiosa

Sr. No. : 9

Nakshatra Name : Ashlesha

Moon Sign : Cancer

Lord : Mercury

Trees/Plant : Beauty Leaf tree, Alexandrian Laurel (नागचाफा, उंडी)

Latin Name : Calophylum Inophyllum.

It is an evergreen beautiful tree which tolerates variety of soils. It has fragrant flowers & is often planted for ornamental purpose. The oil extracted from the seeds is used as Biodiesel in USA & Europe.

The Rashi tree for Cancer is Palash (Butea Monosperma/पळस). It is a multi-purpose and decorative tree with beautifully attractive flowers and unique leaves. Being a very sacred species, this hardy tree is usually used to stabilie field bunds and to control soil erosion. It flowers in two distinct varieties - bright crimson orange coloured and yellow coloured.

Sr. No. : 10

Nakshatra Name : Magha

Moon Sign : Leo

Lord : Ketu

Trees/Plant : Banyan (वड, वट)

Latin Name : Ficus Benghalensis

Sr. No. : 11

Nakshatra Name : Poorva Phalguni

Moon Sign : Leo

Lord : Venus

Trees/Plant : Palash, Parrot tree (पळस)

Latin Name : Butea Monosperma

Sr. No. : 12

Nakshatra Name : Uttara Phalguni

Moon Sign : Leo

Lord : Sun

Trees/Plant : Payari

Latin Name : Ficus Arnottiana 

The Rashi tree for Leo is Indian Jujube, Indian Plum (Ziziphus Mauritiana/बोर). It is fast growing tree with sweet delicious fruits. The tree is a excellent agroforestry species with numerous uses to its name.

Sr. No. : 13
Nakshatra Name : Hasta
Moon Sign : Virgo
Lord : Moon
Trees/Plant : Jaai
Latin Name : Jasminum Grandiflora

Sr. No. : 14

Nakshatra Name : Chitra

Moon Sign : Virgo

Lord : Mars

Trees/Plant : Bael, Golden Apple (बेल)

Latin Name : Aegle Marmalos

The Rashi tree for Virgo is Mango (Mangifera Indica/आंबा)

Sr. No. : 15

Nakshatra Name : Swati

Moon Sign : Libra

Lord : Rahu

Trees/Plant : Arjun (अर्जुन)
Latin Name : Terminalia Arjuna

Sr. No. : 16

Nakshatra Name : Vishakha

Moon Sign : Libra

Lord : Jupiter
Trees/Plant : Nagkesar (नागकेसर) OR Wood Apple (कवठ, कैट)

Latin Name : Mesua Ferrea OR Limonia Acidissima

The Rashi tree for Libra is Indian Medler (Mimusops Elengi/बकुळ). It is a very beautiful evergreen tree with creamy white sweet-odoured flowers. The flowers hold on their fragrances for many days even after fall from the tree.

Sr. No. : 17

Nakshatra Name : Anuradha

Moon Sign : Scorpio
Lord : Saturn
Trees/Plant : Nagkesar (नागकेसर)

Latin Name : Mesua Ferrea

Sr. No. : 18

Nakshatra Name : Jyeshta

Moon Sign : Scorpio

Lord : Mercury

Trees/Plant : Semal, Red Silk-Cotton Tree (सावरी)

Latin Name : Bombax Ceiba

The Rashi tree for Scorpio is Indian Catechu (Acacia Catechu/खैर)

Sr. No. : 19

Nakshatra Name : Mool
Moon Sign : Sagittarius
Lord : Ketu
Trees/Plant : Salai

Latin Name : Boswellia Serrata

Sr. No. : 20
Nakshatra Name : Poorvashadha
Moon Sign : Sagittarius
Lord : Venus
Trees/Plant : Rattan Cane
Latin Name : Calamus Pseudotenuis (वेत)
It is a strong climber which has clustered stems. It usually need a support to climb.

Sr. No. : 21

Nakshatra Name : Uttarashadha

Moon Sign : Sagittarius

Lord : Sun

Trees/Plant : Jackfruit (फणस)

Latin Name : Artocarpus Heterophyllus

The Rashi tree for Sagittarius is Peepal (Ficus Religiosa/पिंपळ).

Sr. No. : 22

Nakshatra Name : Shravan

Moon Sign : Capricorn

Lord : Moon

Trees/Plant : Crown Flower (रुइटी, आक)

Latin Name : Calotropis Gigantea

Sr. No. : 23

Nakshatra Name : Dhanishtha

Moon Sign : Capricorn

Lord : Mars

Trees/Plant : Indian Mesquite, Khejri tree (शमी)
Latin Name : Prosopis Cineraria

The Rashi tree for Capricorn is Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia Sissoo/शिसम).

Sr. No. : 24
Nakshatra Name : Shatatarka
Moon Sign : Aquarius
Lord : Rahu
Trees/Plant : Kadam, Common Bur Flower (कदंब)

Latin Name : Neolamarckia Cadamba

Sr. No. : 25

Nakshatra Name : Poorvabhadrapada
Moon Sign : Aquarius
Lord : Jupiter
Trees/Plant : Mango (आंबा)

Latin Name : Mangifera Indica

The Rashi tree for Aquarius is Indian Mesquite (Prosopis Cineraria/शमी)

Sr. No. : 26
Nakshatra Name : Uttarabhadrapada
Moon Sign : Pisces

Lord : Saturn

Trees/Plant : Neem (कडुनिंब)
Latin Name : Azadirachta Indica

Sr. No. : 27

Nakshatra Name : Revati

Moon Sign : Pisces

Lord : Mercury

Trees/Plant : Mahua, Mohwa (मोह, मोहवा)

Latin Name : Madhuca Latifolia

The Rashi tree for Pisces is Banyan tree (Ficus Benghalensis/वड).

It is believed that the tree of Nakshatra in which the person is born gives strength to him. I don't say that it should be believed, or for that matter astrology as such, but Nakshatra Vana (forest) is an attractive idea and a way to encourage growing trees.

May we all believe in astrology or not, we will definitely agree to one simple thing that this concept of plant adoption was one of the very smartly planned conservation strategy by our ancestors. Today looking at our 'selfish' and 'just consume' attitude towards the whole-n-sole of our life - Mother Nature, we find it really necessary to rejuvenate and spread this concept of adopting at least one plant per person..!

We and Trees : Faunal Association

A garden which is not inhabited by birds, bees or animals is a waste one. This might happen if these creatures are not used to have food or shelter from trees, shrubs in that garden. Some call it a green desert, but I personally, don't like the terminology; as even a desert is a good habitat for number of flora and fauna.

With the bad experience from the introduced trees, we started planting natives. And we were amazed to see that how nature finds her way. If one chooses the flora wisely, fauna has to be attracted to the place; even in the midst of a concrete jungle.

Here are few photographs of our neighbours... :)

Urbanites usually fell Babool, Ber trees, if any in their residential area; but these trees attracts wide number of bird species. We have to keep in mind that these are our native trees which are since ages, serving not only birds & animals, but serving us also.

One habit urbanites have, which they assume good & tidy. They never allow the soil beneath trees to breath. I mean, they usually cover it with tiles or concrete. Nowadays, unlike villages, every inch of the land is covered up. So they prefer pots for plantation or if they happen to plant one in the ground, they leave hardly any space around the tree. And then, every morning they have to clean the 'garbage' of dried or shed leaves from the tree. Is this at all make any sense?!

We need to understand that, every small-sized planted tree should have area of at least 2 by 2 feet. That way, the shed leaves will fall on the soil and will help enriching it giving all the nutrients the tree will ever need. The leaves will attract insects, insects in turn will attract birds & reptiles. Also during monsoon, the soil will help in increasing the ground water level. There is always a balance in every sector of Nature. But somehow, this balance is tampered by us only, isn't it?!

We and Trees : Seeds of Hope

Hope You liked the last post! As You know, just two seeds of Indian Coral tree have lead to the foundation of Gifting Trees. And after witnessing the growth of tiny, delicate buds from seeds, it eventually became my habit to collect seeds, pods or fruits of Native trees wherever I go. It not only helped me in learning nursery techniques but in identifying various tree species also!

The world of seeds is very fascinating. It’s really wonderful to see or witness how a dead-like tiny seed transfers into a sapling and then into a large tree! As an amateur, I was unaware of different seed treatments that have to be done prior sowing to increase the germination percentage. With trial and error, I am still learning the interesting aspects of seeds.

With time we also realized that it is much easier and cheaper to make the seeds germinate and grow your own saplings for plantation. It's better to sow the seeds in poly-bags first and not directly at planting site as the young saplings need to be taken care of. For poly-bags, there are number of commercial products which comes in poly-bag packaging. One can reuse them for Green purpose!

There are seeds which do not require any pre-sowing treatment. Just keep them on the soil and they will germinate. For example, seeds of Mango, Pongam, Palash, Mahua etc are very easy to germinate.

Few seeds do not respond to mere sowing and watering. They require hot water or cold water soaking or scratching before sowing for germination. For example, seeds of Wild Date Palm, Semal, Babool etc should be immersed in the cold water & kept overnight before sowing for better germination. In Gifting Trees’ trees-related posts, I made it sure to mention the seed treatment whenever necessary. It might be helpful for those who want their own grown saplings.

Here are few photographs our own saplings..

                         Saplings of Neem and Puple Orchid tree 

                                          Saplings of Palash

                                           Saplings of Mango

The saplings should be at least one year old before they are destined to the plantation site. This helps in preventing the mortality.

Seeds come in number of shapes, colors and sizes. A few small seeds have the power within them to feed a family; a fistful of seeds, the whole community. Our future depends on saving the traditional diversity of seeds around us..! Its amazing what a seed can grow! Only there is need to visualize a tree or plant in it.