Plants of Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Areca Nut सुपारी Areca catechu Slim palm of the wet south-west and north-east, grown in dense stands. Areca Palm सुपारी Areca catechu The slender betel-nut palm of the wet coasts, grown in dense shaded gardens. Banana केला Musa acuminata A single sucker in a corner gives shade, cooking leaves and, in time, fruit. Bilimbi बिलिम्बी Averrhoa bilimbi Sour fruit straight off the trunk, in constant supply on the wet coasts. Bird’s Nest Fern पक्षी घोंसला फर्न Asplenium nidus A rosette epiphyte that grows on a tree fork or a shaded wall bracket. Black Pepper काली मिर्च Piper nigrum The vine that made the Malabar coast; needs a tree to climb and constant humidity. Black Pepper Vine काली मिर्च Piper nigrum The vine that made the Malabar coast; needs a tree to climb and constant humidity. Breadfruit सीमा कटहल Artocarpus altilis Big lobed leaves and starchy fruit; a coastal tree of Kerala and the islands. Cashew काजू Anacardium occidentale A coastal tree that fruits on poor laterite where almost nothing else does. Casuarina सरू Casuarina equisetifolia The coastal shelterbelt tree of the east and south — fast and salt-proof. Ceylon Ironwood पुन्नाग Mesua thwaitesii A tall wet-evergreen tree of the southern Ghats, red-flushed in new leaf. Champa चम्पा Plumeria rubra Grows from a bare cutting pushed into dry soil; scents a whole terrace. Chinese Hibiscus गुड़हल Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Flowers nearly all year in a warm city, and sunbirds find it within a week. Cinnamon दालचीनी Cinnamomum verum Coppiced for its inner bark; the leaf is a spice in its own right. Clove लौंग Syzygium aromaticum A slow evergreen of the wet south-west, harvested as unopened flower buds. Coconut नारियल Cocos nucifera The tree the coasts are built on — water, kernel, oil, thatch and shade. Copper Pod पीला गुलमोहर Peltophorum pterocarpum Yellow flower spires and copper seed pods; the summer partner to the gulmohar. Firecracker Flower अबोली Crossandra infundibuliformis The abolí of southern flower markets — orange fans, picked daily. Frangipani White गुलचीन Plumeria alba The white frangipani of temple gardens, tougher than the pink and just as scented. Giant Taro मान कचु Alocasia macrorrhizos Enormous upright leaves for a wet shaded corner — architecture rather than a crop. Grey Mangrove अवीसीनिया Avicennia marina The pioneer mangrove of Indian coasts, first to colonise new mud. Gulmohar गुलमोहर Delonix regia The flame tree of Indian summers; fast, spectacular and shallow-rooted. Hibiscus गुड़हल Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Flowers nearly all year in a warm city, and sunbirds find it within a week. Indian Almond बादाम Terminalia catappa Tiered branches and huge leaves that turn red before falling — a coastal shade tree. Indian Coral Tree पंगारा Erythrina variegata Scarlet flowers on bare branches in spring; grows from a stuck-in cutting. Ironwood नागकेसर Mesua ferrea Glossy drooping new leaves in pink, then white flowers with a gold centre. Ixora रुग्मिनी Ixora coccinea Compact evergreen with flower heads butterflies work all morning. Jackfruit कटहल Artocarpus heterophyllus One tree feeds a street. Green for sabzi, ripe for the sweetest fruit there is. Kaffir Lime कागज़ी नीम्बू Citrus hystrix Double-lobed aromatic leaves used across the north-east and the far south. Kokum Butter Tree कोकम Garcinia gummi-gutta Malabar tamarind — the sour rind of Konkan and Kerala cooking. Malabar Nut Flower अडूसा Justicia gendarussa A dark-stemmed shrub of the wet coasts with traditional joint-pain uses. Mangrove Apple कीरा Sonneratia caseolaris A Sundarbans mangrove with night flowers that bats pollinate. Nipa Palm गोलपाता Nypa fruticans A creeping tidal palm of eastern deltas, roofing houses and sweetening sap. Nutmeg जायफल Myristica fragrans Two spices from one fruit — nutmeg and mace — on the wettest coasts. Palmyra Palm ताड़ Borassus flabellifer Tamil Nadu’s state tree — sap, fruit, leaf and timber from one palm. Papaya पपीता Carica papaya Fruit inside a year from seed — the fastest fruit a household can grow. Pomelo चकोतरा Citrus maxima The biggest citrus, tolerant of humidity and common in eastern gardens. Rain Tree विलायती सिरस Albizia saman An enormous umbrella crown of ferny leaves that folds shut before rain. Rattan बेंत Calamus tenuis The cane of eastern furniture — a spiny climbing palm of wet forest. Sapota चीकू Manilkara zapota Evergreen, wind-firm and cropping twice a year on the coasts. Screw Pine Coastal केतकी Pandanus tectorius A stilt-rooted coastal pandan that holds sand against the sea. Screwpine केवड़ा Pandanus odorifer The kewda of Odisha — spiny leaves and a male flower distilled for scent. Star Fruit कमरख Averrhoa carambola Ribbed yellow fruit several times a year on a compact tree. Sundari सुंदरी Heritiera fomes The tree the Sundarbans is named for, now under pressure from rising salinity. Tamarind Plum कोकम Garcinia indica The kokum of the Konkan — a slim tree with fruit that makes the summer drink. Tapioca कसावा Manihot esculenta The southern staple root — a stem cutting in June is a meal by March. Toddy Palm Fishtail मारी Caryota urens Fishtail palm of the Ghats and the north-east, tapped for sap and sago. Vanilla वनीला Vanilla planifolia A climbing orchid that must be hand-pollinated flower by flower, at dawn.