Explore Plants
Indian plants documented for the way people actually garden — filter by what you want the plant to do, the space you have, the month you can sow and the region you are in. The result count below is live.
Use the filters on the plant archive to narrow by goal, growing space and season. Every record carries a Hindi name, a botanical name, a care note and the months in which to sow.
255 plants match your filters Answer three questions on the home page — your region, your space and your goal — and we will name two plants to sow this month.Filters1 on
Resurrection FernसंजीवनीSelaginella bryopterisThe sanjeevani of the rocks — curls up bone dry, then greens again in an hour of rain.
Chow Chowइस्कुसSechium eduleThe squash that covers a whole roof in one season across the eastern hills.Kodo MilletकोदोPaspalum scrobiculatumThe kodo of the Deccan and central hills — drought-proof and long-storing.Bird’s Nest Fernपक्षी घोंसला फर्नAsplenium nidusA rosette epiphyte that grows on a tree fork or a shaded wall bracket.Silver Fernचांदी फर्नPityrogramma calomelanosA white-backed fern that colonises damp walls and cut slopes on its own.Maidenhair FernहंसराजAdiantum philippenseFan-shaped leaflets on black wiry stalks — the fern of a shaded bathroom window.
Foxtail Orchidद्रौपदी मालाRhynchostylis retusaThe kopou phul of Assam — hanging foxtail sprays, and the flower of Bihu.Water Lettuceजल सलादPistia stratiotesA floating rosette that shades a tub and starves the algae — but a weed if it escapes.VanillaवनीलाVanilla planifoliaA climbing orchid that must be hand-pollinated flower by flower, at dawn.Lotus-leaf PennywortखुरखुरीHydrocotyle sibthorpioidesA tiny creeping mat for the wet edge of a tub — the softest possible ground cover.Black Pepper Vineकाली मिर्चPiper nigrumThe vine that made the Malabar coast; needs a tree to climb and constant humidity.Wild Riceजंगली चावलOryza rufipogonThe wild ancestor of cultivated rice, still standing in eastern wetlands.RiceधानOryza sativaHalf the country’s calories — and a bucket of it on a terrace teaches more than any book.NeelakurinjiनीलकुरिंजीStrobilanthes kunthianaThe shrub that turns the Nilgiri slopes blue once every twelve years, then dies.Malabar Glory LilyकलिहारीGloriosa superbaFlame-red reflexed petals on a climbing lily — the state flower of Tamil Nadu.
Malabar TamarindकुडमपुलीGarcinia gummi-guttaThe souring fruit of Kerala fish curry, dried black and kept all year.
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