Across the city, trees are wearing beautiful coats of green and delicate pink. Green is the dominant colour of most spring foliage, though many tender leaves show a surprising amount of red, in the heart-shaped leaf of the peepal or the tiny feathery leaves of the Amla. There is even a gold-brown in new mango leaves.
Trees across the city sprout new leaves in spring. According to the net, this bursting of buds is the result of a complex program designed by trees over tens of thousands of years. Dr Krishna M.B., a well-known ecologist, says, “In dry regions, plants and trees generally use the time they are leafless to bear flowers, when they have shed leaves to avoid loss of water. This is a time when the flowers also show up better because the trees are leafless. As the seasonal water and humidity position improves, they start bearing new sprouts.”
Ranjini Kamath who spends a lot of time enjoying the trees in Lalbagh says, “March is great to see not only to see the gorgeous flowering trees but also the new leaves. In the Ashoka Tree, its new leaves dangle down in soft purple, pink, bronze, lemon and gradually turn green as they stiffen and straighten out.”
Uma Kandasarma who lives in Malleswaram says, “All I can say is that the new leaves make everything look very fresh and clean,” while Keerti Ramachandran sees a kaleidoscope of hues, shades one can’t quite describe, but each one distinct from the other. “The champa is parrot green, the deep bottle green of the African tulip, the spears of pale lime green of the bamboo, the bronze of the peepal, the brown of the neem, and of course the blackish green of the Christmas tree all outside my window...”
As you drive around the city in what has become routine traffic jams, don’t let the stress of the traffic get to you. Instead look up at the new coats of green sported by our beautiful trees and relax.
