Identification of Ornamental Trees

Dr. P. Prashanth
Principal Scientist (Hort.)
SKLTSHU, HYDERABAD
 Acacia sp.

Origin: Arid zone of central Australia

Family: Leguminosae

A. arabica, A. fernesiana, and A. modesta

are used to plant in unproductive lands
Leaves – for grazing
A. arabica

A. fernesiana
 A. auriculiformis

Common name: Australia wattle

Planted in garden for its

attractive shape, foliage and
shade
Dwarf tree
 A. cyanophylla

Common name: Golden acacia

Bears golden flowers

Dwarf tree, possess brittle branches
A. Cyanophylla – golden acacia
 Albizzia lebbek

Family: Leguminosae
Origin: Tropical Asia and Africa
Common name: Siris
Quick growing tree, Pinnate leaves of light green
Flowering – April – May, Flowers – pale, greenish yellow
Pods – straw yellow, hangs on tree for long time
Suitable for road side plantation, propagation - seeds
Albizzia lebbak
 Albizzia procera

Origin: Indo Malaya region

Leaves bipinnate of light green

Flowering – July – August,
Flowers - small heads of yellowish white
Suitable – roadside plantation, big parks
Propagation - seeds
 Alstonia scholaris

Family: Apocynaceae
Common name: Devil’s tree/Sapt parni/Satpattia
Origin: Indo-Malayan region

Tall tree, slow in growth in beginning and fast later

Leaves – green shinning in whorls of 5-7
Flowering – July – August, flowers in cluster in greenish white
Suitable – road side planting, specimen in parks
 Araucaria cookii

Family: Coniferae
Common name: Monkey puzzle
Origin: South America
It is pride to have this in the garden
Demand for attractive shape and soft foliage
Branches horizontal on trunk with needle like
soft, dark green leaves

Plants need protection from severe cold in winter

and from scorching heat during summer
Suitable – specimen plant
 Azadirachta indica

Family: Meliaceae
Origin: Indo-Burma
Common name: Neem

Tree is tall with brown stem,

Leaves – pinnate, dark green and bitter in taste
Flowers – small, white and sweet scented,
flowering – April to middle May
Fruits – Drupe, oval in shape and
golden yellow in colour at maturity
Propagation – seeds
Suitable – avenue plantation, shade tree, in hospitals – medicinal plant
 Bassia latifolia/Mahuka indica

Family: Sapotaceae
Common name: Mahua
Origin: India

Tall tree with rounded crown

Leaves – large, fall in April & reappear in bright red colour in May
Flowering – End of April to first fortnight of May
Flowers – light yellow in colour, bloom in night and fall in morning
Propagation – Seeds
Planted in groups or singly in parks for shade
 Bauhinia sp.

Family: Leguminosae
Origin: India

Leaves – peculiar, composed of two oval shaped leaflets united in the centre
Propagation - Seeds
B. variegata

Tall tree, flowers – rose coloured variegated

with red and yellow
Flowering – Mid of March
Suitable – Specimen or in groups, avenue
tree
 B. alba

Medium tree bearing white flowers

Flowering – Middle of March
Suitable – Specimen or group planting
 B. blakeana

Medium tall tree with round top, produces large purple flowers
Flowering – End of Dec – Feb, Propagation – Air layering
Suitable – Specimen and group planting
 Bauhinia sulphureus

Slow growing dwarf to medium tree

Produces yellow flowers during rainy season
 Koelreutaria panniculata

Family: Sapindaceae
Common name: Golden rain tree
Origin: Korea & China

Winter deciduous, medium sized and spreading tree

Emerging leaves – coppery pink
Flowers – small yellow on long panicles in late summer,
followed by development of ball/bladder like red flushed capsules
Propagation – seeds
Suitable – avenue planting, group planting in parks
 Bombax malabaricum
Family: Bombaceae
Common name: Semal, Simbal/Red cotton silk
Origin: Indo-Burma

Scared tree associated with Goddess Kali

Fast growing, tall, upright tree
Deciduous during Feb- March
Trunk with spines, leaves compound
Flowers large, bright red or yellowish red in
colour appears in mid March
Fruits contain silky floss
Propagation – seeds
Suitable – boundary plantation of bigger
compounds, national high ways, parks
 Bombax malabaricum

Flowers large, bright red or yellowish red in colour & appears in mid March
 Butea monosperma

Family: Leguminosae
Common name: Flame of
Forest/Dhak/Palas/Tesu
Origin: India

Tall tree but does not look attractive due to crooked and distorted stem
Leaves are large, trifoliate, used to prepare plates
Blooms at the of March in deciduous condition
Entire tree is covered with scarlet orange crescent shaped flowers
From distance it appears as Fire
 Butea monosperma

Scarlet orange crescent shaped flowers

Leaves are large and trifoliate

 Callistemon lanceolatus

Family: Myrtaceae
Common name: Bottle Brush
Origin: Australia

Drooping branches are symbol of welcome

Leaves dark green, lanceolate
Flowers bright red colour,
Flowering – End of March to middle of April
Propagation – Seeds
Suitable – group planting, screening, shrubbery specimen tree, near water
bodies
Callistemon lanceolatus
 Callistemon salignus

Common name: White bottle brush

Small tree, with thin branches and fragrant

Narrowly lanceolated pale green leaves
Propagation – seeds/air layering
Suitable – small compounds, specimen,
group planting
Callistemon viminalis
 Cassia fistula

Family: Leguminosae
Common name: Amaltas/Golden laburnum
Origin: India

Tall tree with white stem

Leaves - pinnate leaflets, colour of emerging leaves vary from
copper red to light yellow
Flowers – earlier type is deep yellow while in latter light yellow
Flowers – arranged on long drooping rachis
Flowering – May – July
Suitable – Specimen tree, avenue tree, group planting
Propagation - Seeds
C. fistula
C. fistula
 Cassia nodosa

Common name: Pink Cassia

Origin: Indo-Malaya

Tree medium height, with spreading branches

Leaves compound and light green in colour
Tree sheds leaves during April and May and clothed with pinkish white flower
Flowering – Middle of May to July
Suitable – Specimen tree, avenue plantation, group planting
Cassia nodosa
C. nodosa
 C. javanica

Origin: Java, Malayasia

Common name: Java cassia

Medium tree with spreading branches, leaves compound

Flowers deep pink to rose pink
Suitable – specimen, avenue, group planting
C. javanica
 C. siamea

Origin: Indo- Malaya

Common name: Kassod tree

Ever green tree, large columnar to spreading crown

Leaves compound and olive green colour
Flowers – Yellow, from July to January
Suitable – boundary plantation, avenues,
Propagation - seeds
C. siamea
 Casuarina equsietifolia

Family: Casurinaceae
Origin: Australia, Burma, Malaya
Common name: Beefwood, Jangli saru, Farash

Tall, upright evergreen and fast growing tree

It has rough bark, spreading branches
Leaves are needle like
Tolerant to saline soils,
Suitable – screening purpose, planted
closely and trimmed as tall hedge
Propagation - Seed
Needle like leaves
Casuarina equsietifolia
Bonasi - Casuarina
 Cedrella toona

Family: Meliaceae
Common name: Toona/Indian Mahagoni
Origin: Australia

Large, quick growing tree with shinning compound leaves

Flowers are small, white and appear in middle of April
Suitable – Group planting for shade, avenue plantation
Propagation - seeds
 Cupressus sempervirense

Family: Coniferae
Common name: Saru
Origin: West Asia, South Europe

Tree of tomb due to its dull green leaves

Tree with erect branches, sometimes branches appear, should be removed
Planted in rows along the side of water canal
Propagation - seeds
Cupressus sempervirense
 Delonix regia

Family: Leguminosae
Common name:
Gulmohar/Peacock/ Flamboyant
Flower
Origin: Burma

Fast growing tree, limbs are spreading and

form an umbrella
Leaves compound, leaf lets are small with
round apices
Orange, red, scarlet to salmon flowers
Flowering in May- June
Suitable – big parks, shade tree
Propagation - seeds
Delonix regia
Delonix regia
 Erythrina variegata var. orientalis

Family: Leguminosae
Common name: Pangra tree/ Parrot
flower
Origin: India

Tall tree with spines on trunk

Leaves trifoliate,
tree sheds leaves in Feb – March
Suitable – Specimen, group planting,
Propagation - Cuttings
Suitable – Specimen, group planting
 Erythrina variegata var. orientalis

Flowering – April in leafless condition, Tree produces scarlet flowers which are
produced at the end of branches
 Eucalyptus sp.

Family: Myrtaceae
Common name: Safeda/Blue gum
Origin: Australia

Tall upright, fast growing tree

It attains conical shape to round crown
Bark is smooth and of shining colour
peels off in long flakes
Leaves are simple, lense shaped,
upper side is shining and lower side is
dull
Flowers – greenish white, Flowering in
April

Planted for quick effect of green vegetation on boundaries and on roadsides

 Ficus sp

Family: Moraceae

F. religiosa

Common name: Pipal or Bodhi tree

Origin: India

Associated with Brahma, Vishnu, shiva and Lord Buddha – Scared tree
Huge tree with spreading branches
Leaves - Cordate and shinning
Propagation - seeds
 F. benghalensis
Common name: Banyan tree/Bor/Bargad

Scared tree, symbol of fertility

Huge tree, Planted in big parks for shade
 F. elastica

Origin: Tropical Asia

Common name: Indian Rubber Plant

Quick growing, tall (15 m) tree

Leaves – Large (10-30 cm long and
7-15 cm broad), leathery smooth
and shinning
Grows best in heavy rainfall areas
Propagation – Air layering
Leaves – Large (10-30 cm long and 7-15 cm
broad), leathery smooth and shinning
Young leaves remain enclosed in a pinkish
stipule giving the plant an ornamental look
 Peltophorum inerme/ P. ferrugineum

Family: Leguminosae
Origin: Australia
Common name: Yellow Gulmohar
Telugu: Kondachinta

Quick growing, handsome tree with spreading crown

Foliage is bipinnate and fern like
Flowering: Feb-May and Sep-Nov, flowering in large panicles
Pods – copper coloured
Suitable – avenues, parks, and gardens
Planted with Gulmohar forms good contrast
Propagation - Seeds
 Yellow flowers

Copper pods
Dalbergia sissoo

Family: Leguminosae
Origin : Bengal (India)
Common name: Sissoo

Most common tree in India

Plant can withstand drought and
submerged condition
Propagation - seeds
Dalbergia sissoo
Grevillea robusta
Family: Proteaceae
Origin: Eastern Australia
Common name: Silver Oak

Tree grows upto 15-30m

Evergreen tree with finely
divided fern like leaves twice
incised pinnate
Flowers – golden yellow (April-
May)
Propagation – seeds
With stand drought
Suitable – avenues, specimen
Grevillea robusta
 Heterophragma adenophyllum

Family: Bignoniaceae
Native: Indo- Malaya
Common name: Maror phali/monkey tail

Tall, evergreen, quick growing tree

Leaves compound having large leaflets
Flowers are large, yellow in colour
Flowering – Feb-March
Propagation –seeds
Road side plantation
 Heterophragma adenophyllum

Flowers are large, yellow in colour

 Jacaranda acutifolia

Family: Bignoniaceae
Native: Brazil
Common name: Nili Gulmohar

Medium in height, quick growing, winter deciduous tree

Leaves compound, leaflets are small with acute apex
Flowers- large, trumpet shaped, blue in colour
Flowering - April
Propagation - Seeds,
Suited – group planting, road side
Leaves compound, leaflets are small with acute apex
Flowers- large, trumpet shaped, blue in colour
Flowering - April
 Juniperous chinensis

Family: Conifereae

Slow growing unbranched, elegant shape

Evergreen
Suited – formal planting, specimen and
group planting
Propagation – Seeds, stem cuttings
 Kigelia pinnata

Family:Bignoniaceae
Native: Tropical Africa
Common name: Sausage tree/ balam Khira

Tall, evergreen tree

Leaves are compound and leaflets are large and rough
Flowers – big, trumpet shaped, crimson colour
Flowering – May-June on long pendulous rachis
Propagation – seeds
Suited – large parks and road side
Flowers – big, trumpet shaped, crimson colour
Flowering – May-June on long pendulous rachis
 Lagerstroemia speciosa

Family: Lythraceae
Native: India
Common name: Queen’s flower/Pride
of India/Jarul

Medium sized tree, light green

smooth bark
Leaves – large, elliptic, shed in
April
Flowers – Mauve purple or pink
Flowering – April to August
Propagation – Seeds
Suitrd – Specimen tree, group and
road side
Lagerstroemia speciosa
 Magnolia grandiflora

Family: Magnoliaceae
Native: USA
Common name: Bara Champa

Medium tree with upright growth

Leaves simple, large, shinning greenuish red
upper side and dull yellow lower side
Flowers – white, fragrant
Flowring – April – May
Suited - Specimen
Leaves simple, large, shinning greenuish red upper side and dull yellow lower side
Magnolia grandiflora

Flowers – white, fragrant

 Melia azerdarch

Family: Meliaceae
Native: Persia
Common name: Persian Lilac or Dharek

Fast growing tree with grey bark

Round crown
Winter deciduous
Leaves – compound, dark green colour
Flowers – Lilac colour
Flowering – April , golden yellow fruits
Propagation – Seeeds
Suited – Boundary planting for shade
 Melia azerdarch

Leaves – compound, dark green colour

Flowers – Lilac colour
Flowering – April , golden yellow fruits
 Michelia champaka

Family: Magnoliaceae
Native: India
Common name: Swaran Champa
or Sona Champa

Tree tall, with brown bark

Leaves – simple, large, light green
Flowers – fragrant, light yellow
Flowering – Second week of May
Propagation – seeds
Suited –Shade, fragrance
 Leaves – simple, large, light green
Flowers – fragrant, light yellow

Michelia champaka
 Millingtonia hortensis

Family: Bignoniaceae
Native: Burma-Malaya
Common name: Akash neem/cork tree/tree
jasmine

Fast growing, tall, upright tree

Trunk – straight, branches emerge vertically
Leaves – compound, hand some of dark
green foliage
Flowers – white, highly fragrant
Flowering – April-June
Propagation – Root suckers, cuttings, seeds
Suited – boundary plantation, road side
 Mimuspos elengi

Family: Sapotaceae
Native: Indo-Malaya/Srilanka
Common name: Molsari

Slow growing, evergreen, tall, umbrella shaped tree

Bark brown colour
Leaves – simple, dark green and shinning
Flowers – Dirty white, highly fragrant
Flowering – May – August
Propagation – seeds
Suited – big parks for shade
Leaves – simple, dark green and shinning
Flowers – Dirty white, highly fragrant
 Morus sp.

Family: Moraceae
Native: Western Asia
Common name: Mulberry

Quick growing, winter deciduous, tall with upright branches

Bark is brown
leaves simple, cordate with serrated leaf margin, sheds in Dec’
New leaves in March
Propagation – cuttings
Suited – Sahde and for fruits
 Anthocephalus cadamba

Family: Rubiaceae
Native: Indo-china
Common name: Kadam tree

Tall, evergreen, straight and long trunk

Ball shaped flowers, produced in Aug- Sep
Propagation – Seeds
Suited – Shady tree for parks, road side
 Parkinsonia aculeata

Family: Leguminosae
Native: America
C N: Jerusaleum thorn/vedi Bathal

Tree – medium tree with thorns

Leaves - compond, leaflets are thin, numerous,
oblanceolate and short
Flowers – yellow
Flowering – April – May
Propagation - Seeds
Suited – along roads
 Plumeria acutifolia

Family: Apocynaceae
Native: Mexico and Guatemala
C N: Pagoda or temple tree

Tree – winter deciduous, medium tree

Branches are dichomatous,
trichomatous
Leaves - simple, large, dark glossy
green with acute apex
Flowers – light yellow
Flowering – May – sep
Suited – specimen tree, along roads
P. rubra

Plumaria alba
 Polyalthia longifolia

Family: Annonaceae
Native: Srilanka
C N: Ashoka

Tree – tall, evergree, conical crown

Branches spread horizontally form
straight trunk
leaves – simple, alternate shinning
green with wavy margin
Flowers –April
Propagation – Seeds
Suited - temples, road side
Polyalthia longifolia
 Pongamia pinnata

Family: Leguminosae
Native: Burma - Indonesia
C N: Karaj or Sukh Chain

Tree – medium with spreading habit

leaves – compound, leaflets are round and
shinning green
Flowers – purple coloured
Flowering – May
Propagation – Seeds
Suited - Shade tree
 Putranjiva roxburghii

Family: Euphorbiaceae
Native: Indo-Burma/Srilanka
C N: Jiva Putra

Tree – evergreen, small trunk with brown stem

Branches are slender and drooping
leaves – simple, short, petioled, ovate, lanceolate ,
shinning, dark green with wavy margin
Flowers – light yellow not showy
Flowering – March - April
Propagation – Seeds
Suited - Specimen, roadside, paths, effective for
ponds or lake planting
 Ravenala madagascariensis

Family: Scitmineae
Native: Madagascar
C N: Travellers tree

Tree – unique shape resembling like dancing peapock

Tall evergreen tree
Leaves – resemble like banana, arranged on thick
succulent stem in one plane giving appearance of gigantic
fan
20-24 leaves, having 2 meter long leaf stalks
Propagation – seeds or suckers
Suited – Specimen, plant east-west
Ravenala madagascariensis
 Salix babylonica

Family: Salicaceae
Native: China
C N: Weeping willow

Tree – tall, winter deciduous, brown bark

Branches – thin, drooping
leaves – long, dark green, shed in Dec-Jan and appear
in March
Propagation – Cuttings in winter
Suited - specimen near lakes or ponds, along walks
and paths in parks
Tree requires higher moisture content in soil
Salix babylonica
 Saraca asoca

Family: Leguminosae
Native: Srilanka
C N: Sita Ashoka

Tree – medium to tall, evergreen

leaves – shinning green
Flowers – scarlet red flowers
Flowering - April
Propagation – Seeds
Suited - Shade tree
 Spathodea companulata

Family: Bignoniaceae
Native: Tropical Africa
C N: Fountain Tree

Trre – evergreen, tall with upright growth

Leaves – compound, dark green, leaflets elliptical in shape
Flowers – bell shaped of scarlet red and yellow colour
Flowering – Late April
Propagation – seeds, root suckers
Suited - avenue tree,
Spathodea companulata
Spathodea companulata
Spathodea companulata
Flowers – scarlet red flowers
Flowering - April
 Tabebuia rosea

Family: Bignoniaceae
Native: Mexico
C N: Mauve tabebuia

Tree – medium sized tree

leaves – compound with 3-5 leaflets, elliptic oblong
Flowers – Mauve colour, funnel shaped
Flowering - oct’ – Nov,
Propagation – Seeds
Suited - specimen, group planting
Tabebuia rosea
Tecoma argentiana

Family: Bignoniceae

Tree – medium tree

Leaves – long elliptic,
Flowers – sulphur yellow trumpet
shaped
Flowering - End of March - middle
of April
Propagation – Seeds
Suited - group planting, specimen
 Tecoma stans

Family: Bignoniceae

Tecoma stans The tree has flowers and

fruits year round
Semi deciduous shrub or small tree,
fast growing to 12 feet (3.6 m), 6 feet
wide (1.8 m)
Propagation: Easy by seeds, semi-
hardwood cuttings
 Terminalia arjuna

Family: Combretaceae
Native: India/ Srilanka
C N: Arjun Tree

Tree – Evergree, tall, columar growth

Bark – whittish or pinkish grey
Leaves – opposite, oblong elliptic, shed
in March – April,
Flowers – Yellow
Flowering - May - July
Fruits – Five winged
Propagation – Seeds
Suited - group planting for shade and
Road side
Tree – Evergree, tall, columar growth
Fruits – Five winged
Bark – whittish or pinkish grey
Terminalia catappa

Family: Combretaceae
Native: India
C N: Badam/Indian almond

Tree – tall, columar growth

Bark – greyish brown
Leaves – rough and turn to red
in Feb’ and Sep.
Flowers – white
Flowering - May
Propagation – Seeds
Suited - group and Road side
Leaves rough and turn to red in Feb’ and Sep.
Thespesia populnea

Family: Malvaceae
Native: India
C N: Pahari Pipal

Tree – Medium ht., round crown

Bark – light grey, long fissures
Leaves – Cordate shape,
shinning
Flowers – Yellow change to
cinnamon red
Propagation – Seeds
Suited - Road side
 Thespesia populnea

Leaves – Cordate shape, shinning

Flowers – Yellow change to cinnamon red