Plant library
Explore Plants
Filter by what you want to grow, the space you have and the season you are in.
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Ceylon Ironwoodपुन्नागMesua thwaitesiiA tall wet-evergreen tree of the southern Ghats, red-flushed in new leaf.
Chinese Hibiscusगुड़हलHibiscus rosa-sinensisFlowers nearly all year in a warm city, and sunbirds find it within a week.Copper Podपीला गुलमोहरPeltophorum pterocarpumYellow flower spires and copper seed pods; the summer partner to the gulmohar.IronwoodनागकेसरMesua ferreaGlossy drooping new leaves in pink, then white flowers with a gold centre.Rain Treeविलायती सिरसAlbizia samanAn enormous umbrella crown of ferny leaves that folds shut before rain.CasuarinaसरूCasuarina equisetifoliaThe coastal shelterbelt tree of the east and south — fast and salt-proof.Palmyra Palmताड़Borassus flabelliferTamil Nadu’s state tree — sap, fruit, leaf and timber from one palm.Toddy Palm FishtailमारीCaryota urensFishtail palm of the Ghats and the north-east, tapped for sap and sago.RattanबेंतCalamus tenuisThe cane of eastern furniture — a spiny climbing palm of wet forest.Wild Bananaजंगली केलाMusa balbisianaThe wild banana of the north-east — seedy fruit, but flowers and stem are food.Mangrove AppleकीराSonneratia caseolarisA Sundarbans mangrove with night flowers that bats pollinate.Grey MangroveअवीसीनियाAvicennia marinaThe pioneer mangrove of Indian coasts, first to colonise new mud.SundariसुंदरीHeritiera fomesThe tree the Sundarbans is named for, now under pressure from rising salinity.Nipa PalmगोलपाताNypa fruticansA creeping tidal palm of eastern deltas, roofing houses and sweetening sap.Screw Pine CoastalकेतकीPandanus tectoriusA stilt-rooted coastal pandan that holds sand against the sea.Indian AlmondबादामTerminalia catappaTiered branches and huge leaves that turn red before falling — a coastal shade tree.Not sure where to start?
Answer three questions on the home page — your region, your space and your goal — and we will name two plants to sow this month.
How the library is organised
By regionEach entry notes where the plant grows well across India, from the Gangetic plain to coastal soils.
By seasonSowing windows for every month, so you never plant a winter green in May.
By spaceWindowsill, balcony, terrace or ground — filtered so you only see what will survive with you.
Checked by a botanistNames and facts are reviewed before publication; traditional uses are labelled as traditional.