My friends and I used to collect the fruit of this tree known as Bagekayi in Kannada and grind it with big stones and make into balls and sun dry them. They used to turn out hard like the professional cricket balls. We used to play with them for some time until something [...]
Filed under: Trees | 3 Comments »
Plant Summary:
Found this creeper growing wild near the steps leading to Pearl Valley. The rare combination of purple petals with bright yellow stamens is eye catching. The common names of this creeper are bittersweet nightshade, bitter nighshade, felon wood, climbing nighshade, blue bindweed, poisonberry, poisonflower, scarlet berry, snakeberry, felon wort, violet bloom, trailing [...]
Filed under: Wild Plant and Flowers | No Comments »
March is the beginning of spring in South India and it is always a stress time for us students cramming for the examinations. The walks during the short breaks in the evening from studies would be relaxing under the various flowering trees like Gulmohar, Yellow Gulmohar, Rain Tree and Jacaranda. Jacaranda! The sight [...]
Filed under: Trees | 1 Comment »
Like any other girl, I would look forward to decorate my hands with Goranti as we called in Kannada for mehendi / henna. My sister would draw big and small circles on my palm using a broom stick dipped in mehendi paste and I would wait impatiently to wash off the mehendi to reveal [...]
Filed under: Goodness of Nature | 2 Comments »
I collected this orchid from, Srinagar, Uttaranchal and my main concern was to transport it safely back home. I feared the worst in Delhi as it was peak summer and we were staying there for a week before heading back to Bengaluru. Yippee! The plant survived to bloom in the next spring.
Filed under: Orchids | No Comments »
I remember my grandmother preparing Kadige / Kajal / Eye liner using the petals of Nandi Battalu flower. She would say the continuous use of this Kadige would be good for the health of the eyes!!
Filed under: Perennials | 2 Comments »
In Kannada and Tamil it is known as Kanakambara. It is very common in South India for the women to decorate their hair with a string of Kanakambara. While tying Jasmine flowers, Kanakambara are also used in between to add color. I used to pluck them in my Mama’s / Maternal uncle’s farm [...]
Filed under: Perennials | 2 Comments »
Plant Summary:
The other common names of this exotic flower are Tiger Claw, Bachnag (Hindi), Agnisikhe (Kannada), Agnimukhi (Sanskrit). Because of the curious shape and colors of the petals of the glory lily the names in different languages link it to snake, tiger claw, fire flames etc. The botanical name is Gloriosa Superba [...]
Filed under: Creepers | 2 Comments »
Picture of Candle Bush photographed in Masinagudi
Plant Summary:
Candle Bush adds an interesting character to the landscape with their waxy yellow spikes of flowers that bear a resemblance to candles. It seems to be a tough perennial plant, as it is seen growing in all possible weather conditions up to 25 feet. [...]
Filed under: Perennials | No Comments »
The most striking part of this evergreen tree is the brilliant big white flowers and the contrasting red fruits hanging on the tree. I noticed this tree for the first time in the temple of Agoreshwara in Ikkeri, Sagar Taluk. A local selling yelakki balehannu / banana and baby pineapples helped me identify [...]
Filed under: Trees | No Comments »
