Pride of India

Laegerstroemia speciosa is a native tree known also as the Pride of India and Queen's Crape Myrtle. It comes in purple, pink and white . These trees are beginning to display their beautiful flowers in the traffic squares.

The large flowers attract lots of bees and birds.

The leaves of this tree are used to make a tea, which is said to dissolve kidney stones.

The Cutch Tree

THe Cutch tree, Acacia catechu is a medium sized tree with many medicinal and other uses.

The bark of the Cutch tree has anti oxidant and astringent compounds. A decoction made from the bark is given orally to cure diarrhoea and dysentry. It is also used to cure eczema and asthma.

The wood from the Cutch tree is used to make rice pestles, and handles for daggers and swords.

The tree got its name 'Catechu' because of the cat like claws it has. The thorns are quite painful!

The tree is considered very useful in India, but in Australia it is considered to be an obnoxious weed.