India is a country with major diversifications no matter where you go. Our country is home to an estimated 50,000 species of plants, some of which are also rare and ethnically popular. It is also no wonder that some of these plants and trees are considered very auspicious and worth protecting. Some of these plants and trees are even recognized by the government of India, as the national plants and trees of our country.
In this article by Elitech Drip, we take a look at the various National Plants that represent India at a global scale and why they are considered to be our National plants.
Banyan tree
Ficus Benghalensis is the scientific name of the banyan tree. It is the national plant of India. The height of the banyan tree comes around at twenty meters tall, having foliage which is in shape of a crown and occupies a very large portion of land area.
The banyan tree has aerial roots that tend to grow till they reach the ground. These roots are mainly originated from the branches of the tree itself. Birds are largely attracted to this tree when it starts to bloom and bear fruit.
The Banyan provides cool shade around its surroundings hence they are planted in areas where it is easier for travellers to locate and seek shade from the hot sun. The tree is also used as a specimen plant so they can also be grown on parks as well.
The plant is grown by making a stem of wood cutting mostly during the rainy season to increase its growth. One of the oldest Banyan trees can be found in Kolkata – this tree is more than two hundred and fifty years old. It occupies a land area of nearly four acres and is branded as one of the largest specimens in India.
Famous poets like Rabindranath Tagore have also quoted banyan trees and have praised the excellence of these divine sends from god. The statement goes as “To study a Banyan tree, you not only must know the main stem in its soil but also trace the growth of its greatness in the further soil. For then you can know the true nature of its vitality”.
Growing Tips
While planting this tree in your house, it will be required that you have moist soil but also make sure that it is well-drained at the same time.
The banyan plant also needs to be saturated during the intervals at which the plant is watered.
It is also important to note that when the plant is to be grown, the water doesn’t stagnate at the plant because this will result in making the leaves yellow and cause the plant growth to slow down at the same time.
Benefits
The Banyan plant has many numbers of medicinal benefits also. The leaves of this plant are used as a treatment for disorders like diarrhoea and urine disorders.
The wood of the banyan tree is also used to make all the rooms panels and other furniture items.
Lotus Flower
This belongs to the family of Netumbonaceae and is the national flower of India. The lotus is mainly known for its attractive looks and attracts many passionate plant enthusiasts and lovers. They are pink in colour and have risen stalks that are white-tipped at their ends. They can grow to a maximum of 30cm in length. Learn more about Brahma Kamal
This pretty flower blooms mainly during the summer. And the propagation is mostly done by cutting off the stems which are also known as Rhizomatous, in other words, the bulbs. Germinating the seeds can also be a good idea to grow these types of plants. The germination process of using seeds usually involves using pans. It is also advised to not let a newly growing plant be sown in deep waters because this is not good for the growth of the plant.
A fact about lotus seeds is that they always can be viable for even thousands of years. A seed was discovered in the year 1994 for the divine lotus and through research, it was found to be 1300 years old and still, germination was successful in this process.
The Bhagavad Gita – which is considered to be the holy book of Hindus – has mentioned the purity of the lotus plant. This is why the lotus plant is considered to be so divine in Indian history up to this day.
The revelations in the Holy Book go as follows “One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus is untouched by water”. See lucky plants for home
Growing Tips
A Lotus plant needs to be exposed to the sun as much as possible since these plants grow and bloom to their best only when they have exposure to the sun and having the temperature of about 75 degrees (Fahrenheit).
Potting of this plant can make the lotus grow and reach a height of up to five feet.
Benefits
Lotus plant, since the olden days, has been used for many medicinal treatments as a medicine and a remedy to many disorders like diarrhoea and homeostasis.
By extracting the rhizome, it can be used as an antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory as lotus plants have asteroidal triterpenoid within them. this is also used as an astringent and diuretic.
Mango
Also known as Magnificera Indica scientifically, mango is the national fruit of India. Mangoes are considered as the king of all the fruits not only because of the social value they give but also because of the rich taste and the distinct presence in dishes they possess.
It is also the only fruit which happens to be the most significant one in India. The value of mangoes in India is astonishingly high. The fruit has more than 100 varieties and all of them are grown in India.
Ancient Indians valued this fruit as well because of the religious and sentimental reasons. It is believed that the emperor of the Mughal Empire for a time, known very well as Akbar, had planted so many trees in Darbhanga like around one lakh trees and created an orchard of mangoes.
Growing Tips
To make your mango plant grow at a faster rate, it is suggested that you see to it that it has a conducive environment and water these trees as much as two to three times when they are first grown so that it can make the tree flooded surrounding the trunk to boost its growth.
Having your tree fertilized by using nitrogen as food for the plant can make the plant grow at a higher rate too.
Benefits
For treating diabetes, mango leaves are the most essential way of keeping the insulin level under control. It also helps in regulating the amount of blood pressure and keeping it under control. This can be the best way to treat respiratory problems and the leaves can be used to heal burns at the same time.
The tree is used as a supporting agent for heart diseases and also to boost the immunity of your body.
So those were the national plants of India, that have been recognized by the world as a symbol of pride and respect. If you liked this article, be sure to check out Elitech Drips’ blog where we talk about all things related to gardening and equipment.
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