The banyan tree is the most familiar and famous shade-giving tree in our country India. Interestingly, it originated in India itself. These Indian trees have the largest canopy coverage in India. Not many people know but the banyan tree is also the national tree of India. 

The leaves look like those of a fig tree. If you pluck a leaf, a white sticky liquid is visible.

It is grown in both tropical and sub-tropical regions. Neem has endless medicinal properties and that’s what makes it popular in India. It is used to control pests and deal with poxviruses. Neem is a major ingredient in soaps and shampoos and is healthy for our skin. It is one of the best trees to plant near the house in India.

It is slightly difficult to spot the real neem tree because the chinaberry tree looks quite similar to it. It has a strong smell and its flowers are pale white in colour, and grow from March to May. Its leaves grow in pairs along a long common stem.

The peepal tree falls in the category of dry season deciduous or semi-evergreen tree. This is one of those rare trees of India that release oxygen both in the day and the night.

The leaves of this tree are heart-shaped with an extended drip tip.

Arjuna tree is generally found around river beds. It is not difficult to spot one. Arjuna exhibits yellow flowers from March to June. It has a woody fibrous fruit that appears between September and November.

The woody fruit has five wings and is possibly the most unique looking fruit. If you see it, you can guess this Indian tree’s name easily.

Sal is one of the largest deciduous trees in India. The tree is native to the Indian sub-continent. The sal tree is hardly leafless. It is said that the tree provides good quality timber. Interestingly, the sal tree is worshipped by Hindus and Buddhists.

The leaves of the sal tree are ovate-oblong in shape. Their texture is rough and they have a peculiar shine on their upper surface.

Gulmohar is most famous for its pretty looking flowers. In India, its flowering season is between April and June. Spotting this Indian tree is quite easy as it grows in dry as well as tropical conditions. This shade-giving tree expands and offers a dense canopy. The flowers of this tree are large and orange-red in color.

Its leaves are doubly pinnate. Each leaf is approximately 40 cm long and has 20-40 pairs of primary leaflets that are feathery in appearance and bright, light green in colour.

In India, these trees are mainly found in Thattekkad Wildlife Sanctuary, Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary and Corbett National Park. The trunk of this tree is used to make furniture and musical instruments.

The tree is generally 30-40 feet in height. Its fruit resembles a large greenish capsule and its wood is red-brown in colour.

The curry tree is a tropical to the sub-tropical tree and is native to India and Sri Lanka. Its leaves are widely used in south Indian dishes because of their strong aroma.

It is a small tree growing up to 6 metres. Its leaves are pinnate and have 11-21 leaflets. The plant produces small white flowers that self pollinate and produce small black berries.

Ashoka tree is a rain-forest tree and is abundantly found in the central areas of the Deccan plateau and in parts of the Western Ghats. This tree is an evergreen one and is known for its foliage and fragrant flowers. Its leaves are dark green in colour and grow in bunches.

Its leaves grow in dense clusters and are pointed from the top. The flowering season is February to April. The flowers grow in heavy bunches as well. They are bright yellow and orange in color.

Top 9 Trees That Grow In India