Green Power

"Your trending Gond Kateera"

The Kulu tree, also called the Ghost Tree, Tragacanth tree, Karaya Gum tree, and Kateera Gum tree is a very distinctive medium sized deciduous tree species native to India which is drought resistant and can grow very well in a water scarce environment.

It grows excellently well in the dry deciduous forests and rocky hills, typically between 400-800m altitude.

Its trunk is pale, smooth, with a fibrous bark that peels off in flakes according to its name-Ghost tree.

Large leaves are 3-5 loved and clustered at twig tips turning yellow and falling in the dry season (this picture being taken sometime around the fall season). Bears sticky flowers which are polygamous (male, female, bisexual on the same individual) which one maturing gives a star shaped pod with black coloured seeds, surrounded by stinging red hair.

These days, a gum called Gond Kateera is trending in cities but I've been having it since childhood and in many parts of the nation, it is derived from Kulu only. It finds use in food, pharma, cosmetic, and textiles/paper works.
On ingestion, it has a cooling effect, acts as a digestive aid and is anti-inflammatory being rich in soluble fiber.

Do you want to know where to sight this beautiful specimen?
Let me know in the comments below.

Here's a Bistendu, which was taken in 2020 from from which when planted was merely half a foot tall and is growing well today! Considering it is a slow growing tree, 5 years growth can be compared with the cricket pitch pillar in the frame.

Did you know about this tree?

We plant all natives as per the landscaping needed in your locality, school, garden, and farms basis the requirement in and around Delhi NCR.

Friday mood yet?

This striped tiger butterfly is all set to get high and ready for the weekend, drinking on the alkaloids from a Rattlepod plant. He's definitely gonna hit on some 'butt's owing to this drink and have a good time (😉) in the butterfly club!

C'mon, don't be jealous...what are your plans?

A lonely melody!

When was the last time you saw a sparrow?
And do you wish to get them back if they're not there anymore around you? Yes/No?
Comment down your response!

While getting back from morning seva, I saw some sparrows fleetingly as they flew by and was reminded of the haunting song of this little bird, calling out for a love that's lost.
Their homes, destroyed. Their families, torn apart.

We've taken so much from them, leaving only silence and emptiness.

But it's not too late. Let's make a promise to protect these tiny creatures and their habitats.

For the sparrows, for the planet, and for love.

Let's cherish the beauty of nature, and preserve it for generations to come.

Let's create a world where love songs like this one can be sung without fear of loss or loneliness.

Galgal flower!

The Galgal tree, scientifically known as Cochlospermum religiosum, is also called the Buttercup tree. It's a small, deciduous tree with large, palmately lobed leaves and golden-yellow, buttercup-shaped flowers. These flowers bloom between February and April, particularly after the leaves fall. The tree is known for its silk-cotton-like seed capsules and is found in dry deciduous forests.

Rao Jodha, Jodhpur ()
Mar 2025

All Potterheads will know who said these wise words-
"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light."

Amaltas Blooms from

Amaltas (Cassia fistula) is a stunning tree, especially during its flowering season! It typically blooms from April to June, with vibrant yellow flowers that cascade down in long, pendulous clusters. If you're looking out for Amaltas trees:

- Look for the bright yellow flowers that grow in clusters, often covering the entire tree.
- The tree's canopy is usually quite showy during the flowering season, making it hard to miss.

So, will you keep an eye out for these beautiful trees during your city commutes? Their golden hue is truly a sight to behold!

And Miss Silverbill also doesn't shy away from being photo recorded.
It's not only where we live but the surrounding areas too need to be supportive. We can have all the feeders and plants at home but they won't be helpful if the surrounding area is dead.
Apart from planting natives, I've always believed providing water to be a better choice than providing food, if both can't be done. The reason is simple, food they can still fend for but with growing concretisation, having water safely is very difficult. Plus pigeons stay in control.

We know we've been dormant for so long but we're active now and will be here onwards!
Help us reach more people for a good cause.

Putting what I learnt from books, from , from mother nature and my own mother to practical use.

From life bustling in 2020 to an almost dead biodiversity in the following years to slowly regaining the liveliness back, we feel we got success.

Zebra Blue in my balcony, Gr.Noida. May'25






Do you want to invite life in your garden too?

The Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus) is a common Nymphalid butterfly found in Delhi NCR.
This is emetic as its larvae feed on the Milkweed plants ( Calotropis procera and C. gigantea, common here in Delhi) and so it is avoided by predators.
Will share the photograph of its larval stage and pupal stage too, in some time.
The bright colouration is to warn predators that it is toxic. This defense mechanism is known as Aposematism.

The female Danaid eggfly (Hypolimnas misippus) mimics the appearance of the Plain Tiger to avoid getting predated. This defense mechanism is known as Batesian mimicry.

Plain tiger male
Asola butterfly Park, ABWLS, Delhi.
03/09/20

अक्टूबर २०२० में अर्थलिंगस् ट्रस्ट शेल्टर, असगरपुर, नोएडा में तितलियों के लार्वल होस्ट प्लांट्स का पौधरोपण किया गया था जिसमें BNHS- CEC Delhi के सेंटर मैनेजर श्री सोहेल मदान जी के दिल्ली बटरफ्लाई कौरीदोर (Delhi Butterfly Corridoor) प्रोजेक्ट के अंतर्गत पौधे लगाए गए थे। हमेशा की तरह श्री सोहेल मदान जी ने बहुत सहयोग दिया एवं अपने तजुर्बे एवं इस प्रोजेक्ट को scroll.in एवं Eco India की एक डॉक्यूमेंटरी के माध्यम से साझा किया जिसका लिंक निम्न है:

https://scroll.in/tag/butterfly-park

देखिए एवं समझिए शहरों में तितलियों को वापस लाने के लिए क्या-क्या किया जा सकता है इस डॉक्यूमेंटरी के माध्यम से।
सारे पौधे श्री सोहेल मदान जी द्वारा उपलब्ध कराए गए थे।

On World Environment Day on June 05 2021, a plantation drive was conducted at Abhaydaanam Shelter, Village Sunpura, Greater Noida and the children from the village participated in the drive with great enthusiasm.
As always, our aim was to plant native saplings which are the host plants for butterflies, and fruit bearing natives which will be beneficial for the birds as well. We would like to thank Mr. Gaurav Jain for his support in the drive.

जून ०५ २०२१ को पर्यावरण दिवस के उपलक्ष्य में अभयदानम शेल्टर, ग्राम सुनपुरा, ग्रेटर नॉएडा में देसी पौधों का पौधरोपण किया गया जिसमे गांव के बच्चों ने बड़े उत्साह से भाग लिया।
हमेशा की तरह इस बार भी हमारा मक़सद देसी पौधों को लगाना था जो की तितलिओं के लारवल होस्ट प्लांट (जिनपर तितलिआं अंडे देती हैं) हैं एवं पक्षिओं के लिए भी फल फूल उपलब्ध करा सके। इस कार्यक्रम के लिए हम धन्यवाद देना चाहेंगे श्री गौरव जैन जी का।

इस श्रृंखला में निम्न लगभग ५० (around 50) पौधे लगाए गए:

जामुन ०४ (04)
जंगल जलेबी ०३ (03)
अमरुद ०५ (05)
सिरिस ०४ (04)
बेलपत्र ०४ (04)
टेकोमा ०२ (02)
आंवला ०२ (02)
अर्जुन ०४ (04)
बहेड़ा ०४ (04)
पिलखन ०२ (02)
नींबू 0१ (01)
इमली ०३ (03)
शहतूत ०१ (01)
अरंड ०६ (06)
कचनार ०२ (02)

इनके अलावा वज्रदंती ०१ (01) एवं ग्वारपाठा ०४ (04) भी लगाए गए।

:=This was a self funded drive. Contributions (Not donations) are always helpful and welcome.