Miyawaki Forest

Miyawaki Forest Miyawaki is a technique pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, that helps build dense, native forests in a short time  It has revolutionized the concept of urban afforestation by turning backyards into mini-forests. This method includes planting trees (only native species) as close as possible in the same area which not only saves space, but the planted saplings also support each other in growth and block sunlight reaching the ground, thereby preventing the growth of weed.  The saplings become maintenance-free (self sustainable) after the first three years.  The approach is supposed to ensure that plant growth is 10 times faster and the resulting plantation is 30 times denser than usual. Miyawaki method helps to create a forest in just 20 to 30 years, while through conventional methods it takes anywhere between 200 to 300 years Miyawaki Process The native trees of the region are identified and divided into four layers — shrub, subtree, tree, and ca...

Family:  COMBRETACEAE Malayalam Name(s):  Adamaram, Badam, Kadappa, Kottakuru, Natu-badam, Oodal, Thalli-thenga, Talintanna English name(s):  Indian almond tree, Badamier, Java Almond, Malabar almond, Singapore almond, Ketapang, Pacific Almond Description:  Trees, to 25 m high, often buttressed; bark brownish to grey, smooth; young shoots rusty or brown tomentose; branchlets brown to reddish-brown, terete with prominent leaf scars, glabrous on ageing. Leaves simple, alternate, densely clustered at the tip of branchlets; estipulate; petiole 8-15 mm long, stout, pubescent; lamina 13-34 × 6-20 cm, obovate, orbicular-obovate, base cuneate, acute or attenuate, apex round, obtuse, retuse or apiculate, margin entire, glabrous above, puberulent beneath, coriaceous; lateral nerves 6-13 pairs, pinnate, prominent, intercostae reticulate, prominent; domatia occasionally present; 2 prominent glands on either side at the base of the midrib beneath. Flowers polygamous, 4 mm across,...

    വട്ടപ്പെരുക്   ശാസ്ത്രീയ നാമം :  Clerodendrum infortunatum കുടുംബം  :  ലാമിയേസി  മറ്റു പേരുകൾ : പെരുകിലം, പെരുവലം, പെരിയാലം, പെരുക്, പെരു, വട്ടപ്പലം, ഒരുവേരൻ തുടങ്ങിയ പേരുകളിലും അറിയപ്പെടുന്നു. ഉപയോഗം :   പുഴുനാശിനിയായി ഉപയോഗിക്കാറുണ്ട്. ഇലയും വേരും ഔഷധയോഗ്യമാണ്. വയറുകടി ,  വയറിളക്കം  എന്നിവയ്ക്ക് തൊലിയും നന്ന്. കൂടാതെ  ഗൊണോറിയ ,  വിഷം  എന്നിവയ്ക്കും. വേര് മോരിലരച്ചുകൊടുത്താൽ ശക്തിയായ വയറുവേദന നിൽക്കും. To Read in English Click here

    Family : VERBENACEAE Malayalam Name(s): Paragu, Perivelam, Periyilam, Perukilam, Peruku, Peruvu, Vattapparuvalam Habit: Shrub to Small Tree Flowering & Fruiting: December-February Medicinal : Yes Habitat: Degraded forest areas and also in the plains Description: Shrubs; young shoots tawny villous. Leaves simple, opposite, 8-17 x 6-12 cm, ovate or orbicular, apex acuminate, base cordate, margin entire or denticulate, villous beneath and tomentose above; basally 5-7 nerved; petiole to 8 cm long. Panicle terminal, 14-20 cm long, villous; bracts foliaceous. Calyx cupular, 0.8-1 cm long; lobes lanceolate, 3-5-ribbed, acuminate at apex, tomentose. Corolla white, tubular; tube 1-1.5 cm long, villous without; lobes 6-10 mm long, oblong, hairy without. Stamens 4; filaments slender, purplish, 2-2.5 cm long; anthers oblong. Ovary globose; style slender; exserted, 2-2.5 cm long. Drupe 6-8 mm across, globose, bluish-black on ripening; fruiting calyx enlarged, pink; seeds 2-4, glob...

    മുഞ്ഞ ശാസ്ത്രീയ നാമം :  Premna serratifolia കുടുംബം  :  ലാമിയേസി ആവാസവ്യവസ്ഥ :    .  ഇലപൊഴിയും കാടുകളാണ്  സ്വാഭാവിക ആവാസവ്യവസ്ഥ . ഹാബിറ്റ് :   കുറ്റിച്ചെടിയാണ്. ഉപയോഗം :   ആയുർവേദത്തിൽ ദശമൂലത്തിൽ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നതിനു പുറമേ സന്ധിവാതത്തിനു പ്രതിവിധിയായി മുഞ്ഞ ഉപയോഗിക്കാറുണ്ട്.  ദഹനക്കുറവ്, പനി, ജലദോഷം, മുഴകൾ, ത്വഗ്‌രോഗങ്ങൾ തുടങ്ങിയവയ്ക്കും മുഞ്ഞ ഔഷധമായി ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നു. കുട്ടികളിലെ പലരോഗങ്ങൾക്കും മുഞ്ഞ ഔഷധമാക്കി ഉപയോഗിക്കാവുന്നതാണ് മലേഷ്യൻ ഇന്തോനേഷ്യൻ പ്രദേശങ്ങളിൽ ഈ ചെടി ഭക്ഷണമായി ഉപയോഗിക്കാറുണ്ട്, ഒപ്പം അവിടങ്ങളിൽ ശ്വാസതടസ്സം മാറാൻ ഇലയും വേരും കഴിക്കുന്നു. To Read in English Click here

  Family: VERBENACEAE Malayalam Name(s): Appel, Munja, Kozhichedi English name(s): Headache tree Habit: Shrub to Small Tree Flowering & Fruiting: May-November Medicinal : Yes Habitat: Moist sandy soil and scrub jungles along seacoasts and mangrove forests  Description: Large shrub to small trees, to 7 m high. Leaves simple, opposite, estipulate; petiole 4-14 mm, slender, pubescent, grooved above; lamina 2.5-8.5 x 2-7.2 cm, elliptic, elliptic-oblong, base acute, obtuse, subcordate or rounded, apex acuminate, mucronate, obtuse, margin entire or subserrate, glabrous above except along the appressed midrib, chartaceous; lateral nerves 3-5 pair, pinnate, prominent, puberulous beneath; intercostae reticulate, obscure. Flowers bisexual, greenish-white, in terminal corymbose panicled cymes; bracts small; calyx small campanulate, 2 lipped, 5 lobed; corolla tube short, villous inside, lobes 5; stamens 4, didynamous, inserted below the throat of the corolla tube; anther ovate; ov...

  Family: COMBRETACEAE Malayalam Name(s) : Karimaruthu, Kuramaruthu, Matthi, Thembavu English name(s): Black murdah, Indian laurel Habit: Tree Flowering & Fruiting: April-May Habitat: Moist and dry deciduous forests Description: Deciduous trees, to 30 m high; bark 15-20 mm thick, surface grey-black, very rough, deeply vertically fissured, horizontally cracked, forming tessellated, thick flakes; blaze red. Leaves simple, opposite to subopposite, exstipulate; petiole 10-20 mm long, stout, grooved above, glabrous; lamina 13-20 x 5-13 cm, oblong, oblong-ovate, elliptic-oblong or elliptic-ovate; base oblique; apex acute, round, or obtuse, margin entire or crenulate, glabrous, coriaceous, midrib with 2 stalked glands near the base beneath; lateral nerves 10-20 pairs, parallel, prominent, intercostae scalariform, prominent. Flowers bisexual, dull yellow, 2-3 mm across, in terminal and axillary paniculate spikes; peduncle tomentose; bracteoles 1-2 mm long, linear or subulate; calyx ...