Thursday, August 13, 2009

False Ashoka Tree -- Mast Tree


At this month's tree walk i learnt that the tree that i've always known to be the Ashoka isn't the ashoka after all! It really is the mast tree or the false ashoka, known to the botanically enlightened as the polyalthia longifolia. It is a really tall tree that can grow up to 30ft in height. It is pollinated by bats and is the host tree for the tailed jay butterfly. I must pay more attention to the ashoka trees .. oops false ashokas in my neighborhood to see if i can catch a glimse of either.

The leaves come in many different shades of green and have really pretty wavy edges.


2 comments:

Unknown said...

I am very angry with the people of Tamilnadu as they are calling the netilingam tree as ashoka tree as my name is ashokha. now i see your article and happy. please visit
http://saraca-asoca.blogspot.com/2009/10/asoka-and-nettilingam.html
and enjoy

Unknown said...

http://saraca-asoca.blogspot.com/2009/10/asoka-and-nettilingam.html