Week and Your Plants – April 01 to April 07
Zodiac sign : Pisces / Meenam
Ficus benghalensis (പേരാൽ) – Moraceae
This is the popular Banyan tree with spreading crown. The plant usually begins life as an epiphyte. The tree produces aerial roots from the spreading branches that eventually become new trunks and allow the crown to spread even further. The fruits are eaten by birds and arboreal animals. They have medicinal importance too as Nalpamaram. It also yields timber and fodder. The tree is considered sacred by different religions.
April 01, Monday : Moolam : Vateria indica(വെള്ളപ്പൈൻ) - Dipterocarpaceae
Tall trees. The dammar resin obtained from bark of the tree is used for the treatment of cough, asthma, leprosy, skin eruptions, crack and wounds. Resin from the bark is also used as an incense in India and as an Ayurvedic medicine.
April 02, Tuesday : Pooradam : Salix tetrasperma (ആറ്റുവഞ്ചി) - Salicaceae
A medium sized tree of riverbanks and wetlands. Its bark has been used in traditional medicine in many countries to alleviate pain, fever, and inflammation. The non-medicinal applications of the plant include the use as fodder, soil binder on embankments and fuel and in making baskets, agricultural tools, sports articles, furniture and roofing material.
April 03 , Wednesday : Uthradam : Artocarpus heterophyllus (പ്ലാവ്) – Moraceae
Large evergreen trees with milky white exudate and are cultivated. Fruits are edible,large agrregate (sorosis) with yellowish-green conical tubercles.
April 04, Thursday : Thiruvonam : Calotropis gigantea (എരുക്ക് ) - Apocynaceae
Shrubs with opposite broad thick leaves. Calotropis is used for conditions such as digestive disorders, toothache, cramps, joint pain, and many others like swellings. Spiritually significant as the flowers in Shiv pooja.
April 05, Friday : Avitam : Prosopis cineraria (വഹ്നി ) - Fabaceae
Thorny trees of costal and dry zones providing fodder, fuel for timber, and shade, as well as affecting soil improvement and sand dune stabilization. Known to be used for Treatment of various ailments like leprosy, dysentery, asthma, leucoderma, dyspepsia and earache etc.
April 06, Saturday : Chathayam : Neolamarckia cadamba (കദംബം ) - Rubiaceae
Tall fast-growing trees. Timber and manufacturing paper. Additionally, the sweet-scented flowers are used to make perfume. The paste prepared from the bark of stem and leaf of Kadamba is useful to treat pain, redness and itching due to insect bite.
April 07, Sunday : Poororutathi : Mangifera indica (മാവ് ) - Anacardiaceae
A large evergreen tree of multiple utility. For wood, fruit, medicine and more. The fruits are sweet and delicious with high market demand. An infusion of leaves and bark is used as an astringent, and it is applied as a mouth wash for toothache, sore gums, sore throat, and similar affections. The trees are of significance in spiritual functions.