In the transitory phase between spring and summer, forests in Adilabad don uniquely beautiful colours. It is not the flowering trees which make the forest attractive but the generous sprinkling of the bright yellow of the leaves of mahua or ippa (Madhuca indica, M. latifolia) and the red leaves of the pusugu tree (Schleichera oleosa) among the abundant grey of dried up trees of other species, chiefly teak.
While the ippa trees will shed their leaves completely in another 10 days, the red colour on the leaves of the pusugu trees can be seen for a fortnight more before they turn green. The ippa trees will start getting new leaves by the end of April, which is also the time for other trees to sprout fresh leaves.
The neem trees, which abound the dry deciduous forests of Adilabad are also flowering, the flowers being dull white in colour. The neem tree flowers in time for the Ugadi celebrations as the flowers are used to prepare Ugadi pachadi.
The drive on NH-44 from Nirmal to Adilabad will reveal the myriad colours in the forests of Adilabad. The colourful trees can also be found in the jungles located deep inside tribal territory in the mandals of Sirpur (U), Jainoor, Narnoor and Kerameri.
