Plants of Punjab

Aak Bush आँकड़ा Leptadenia pyrotechnica A leafless broom-like desert shrub that fixes sand and feeds camels. Ajwain अजवाइन Trachyspermum ammi A winter annual of the north-west, grown for the thyme-scented seed. Ajwain Leaf अजवाइन पत्ता Plectranthus amboinicus Thick scented leaves on a succulent stem; one plant fills a windowsill pot for years. Amaltas अमलतास Cassia fistula Yellow chandeliers in May, when the city most needs something to look at. Amaranth चौलाई Amaranthus tricolor The monsoon green that grows itself — heat-proof, rain-proof, ready in a month. Amaranth Grain रामदाना Amaranthus cruentus Grown for seed rather than leaf; magenta heads over the whole monsoon. Amla आमला Phyllanthus emblica Feathery-leaved and drought-hardy; one grafted tree feeds a household through winter. Apricot खुबानी Prunus armeniaca Ladakh and Himachal fruit — blossom in March, fruit in June, dried for winter. Arabian Jasmine मोगरा Jasminum sambac A pot by an open window does more for a summer evening than any air freshener. Arjun अर्जुन Terminalia arjuna A riverbank giant with pale bark — a campus or park tree, not a pot. Arjuna अर्जुन Terminalia arjuna A riverbank giant with pale bark — a tree for a campus or a colony park, not a… Ashwagandha अश्वगंधा Withania somnifera Drought-tolerant root herb for a hot sunny corner; needs almost nothing once established. Babool बबूल Vachellia nilotica Thorny, nitrogen-fixing and useful on land nobody else will plant. Bael बेल Aegle marmelos A slow, tough native tree for a hot courtyard, with fruit that makes the summer sherbet. Baheda बहेड़ा Terminalia bellirica The third triphala fruit, from a broad-crowned tree of dry deciduous forest. Balsam गुलमेहंदी Impatiens balsamina A monsoon annual of verandah pots, with seed pods children cannot leave alone. Bans Kaban कबान बांस Dendrocalamus strictus The dry-country bamboo of central India, solid-stemmed and drought-hardy. Banyan बरगद Ficus benghalensis The tree that becomes a grove; only for parks, campuses and village greens. Barleria कटसरैया Barleria prionitis A spiny yellow-flowered shrub of dry scrub, unbothered by heat or thin soil. Bathua बथुआ Chenopodium album The winter weed worth sowing — mineral-rich leaves through the cold months. Beetroot चुकंदर Beta vulgaris Roots below, usable leaves above, and it tolerates a container better than carrot. Ber बेर Ziziphus mauritiana The fruit of the dry west, cropping where irrigation is impossible. Bhringraj भृंगराज Eclipta prostrata A low monsoon weed of wet ground, gathered for hair oil for as long as anyone remembers. Bhumi Amla भूमि आमला Phyllanthus niruri A tiny monsoon herb that appears in every wet pot, with fruit strung under the leaf. Bitter Gourd करेला Momordica charantia A tough climber that fruits through the worst humidity of the year. Black Gram उड़द Vigna mungo A short monsoon pulse, sown between crops as much as for the dal. Bottle Brush चील Callistemon citrinus Red brushes of stamens on drooping branches; a hardy naturalised garden tree. Bottle Gourd लौकी Lagenaria siceraria A monsoon climber that will roof a terrace in eight weeks given a frame. Bougainvillea बोगनवेलिया Bougainvillea glabra Thrives on being ignored — the more you neglect it, the harder it flowers. Brahmi ब्राह्मी Bacopa monnieri A creeping marsh herb happy in a wide bowl of wet soil — the one plant you cannot… Brinjal बैंगन Solanum melongena A long-season crop that rewards a big pot and steady feeding. Buckwheat कुट्टू Fagopyrum esculentum A Himalayan pseudo-grain that flowers white and feeds every bee for miles. Carrot गाजर Daucus carota Needs depth more than width — a 30 cm trough of loose soil beats a wide bed. Cattail पटेरा Typha angustifolia Brown flower spikes over strap leaves; the reed that cleans a village pond. Chameli चमेली Jasminum grandiflorum The Spanish jasmine of the perfume trade, grown widely in the north and west. Champa चम्पा Plumeria rubra Grows from a bare cutting pushed into dry soil; scents a whole terrace. Cheura चिउरा Aesandra butyracea The Himalayan butter tree, giving cooking fat and an enormous honey flow. Chickpea चना Cicer arietinum A winter pulse that also gives the sour green leaf of the north. Chinese Hat Plant टोपी फूल Holmskioldia sanguinea A sub-Himalayan scrambler with brick-red bracts through the cool months. Chinese Hibiscus गुड़हल Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Flowers nearly all year in a warm city, and sunbirds find it within a week. Chir Pine चीड़ Pinus roxburghii The resin pine of the lower Himalaya, and the needle litter that makes those fires. Clitoria अपराजिता Clitoria ternatea Blue butterfly pea — a light climber that fixes nitrogen and makes blue tea. Cluster Beans ग्वार फली Cyamopsis tetragonoloba Drought-hardy bean of the west — fixes nitrogen and crops where little else will. Cluster Fig गूलर Ficus racemosa Figs in bunches straight off the trunk, feeding birds, bats and monkeys. Cockscomb लाल मुर्गा Celosia argentea Velvet crested heads that hold colour for weeks, in sun or half shade. Common Reed नरकुल Phragmites karka The tall reed of Indian riverbanks, and the standard plant for a reed-bed filter. Coral Jasmine Vine कुंद Jasminum multiflorum A soft-haired jasmine that flowers through the cool months on a low wall. Coriander धनिया Coriandrum sativum Bolts in heat, thrives in the cool months. Sow every fortnight for a steady supply.