The Department of Horticulture on Monday initiated steps to save the trees that are infested with Loranthus, a parasitic plant, at the Government Botanical Garden in Udhagamandalam.
Loranthus grows on the branches of woody trees sucking mineral and water from the host tree, besides blocking sunlight. It eventually leads to the death of the tree.
Many trees at the garden are infested with the parasitic plant.
Joint Director of Horticulture, Nilgiris district, N Mani, said, “Loranthus is harmful for trees in the garden as it will suck nutrients and water from the host tree. We systematically remove these parasitic plants to ensure that the trees in the garden can survive,” he said. Workers at the botanical garden said that it would take more than a week for the parasitic plants to be removed from the trees.
Preparations on
for Rose Show
Preparations for the 15th Rose Show, to be held at the Government Rose Garden, began here on Monday.
G.K.Uma Rani, Deputy Director of Horticulture, said that there are more than 4,000 varieties of rose plants, and 30,000 individual plants in the garden. The Nilgiris District Collector, P. Sankar, inaugurated the pruning operations on Monday.
The Rose Garden, which was thrown open to public in 1995, is being maintained by the Department of Horticulture.
