Within the sprawl of Lalbagh Botanical Garden, amidst hundreds of species of trees, one of the rarest is the ‘Kotimanya’, a wild mango variety that traces its history back to more than 500 years to the time of King Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara empire. The speciality of the mammoth tree is that the fruit is so aromatic that it is a favourite hangout for monkeys. Hence, the name ‘koti’.
The Kotimanya tree was among the first to catch the attention of the ‘Tree Committee for Garden Development and Management’, which was recently constituted by the Department of Horticulture. The committee declared the Kotimanya as a heritage species.
“The committee has been formed to guide officials and map the diversity in nearly a dozen botanical gardens, including Lalbagh and Cubbon Park, in the State,” said A.N. Yellappa Reddy, tree expert who heads the 10-member committee. The committee has a taxonomist, plant physiologist, plant entomologist, and plant pathologist apart from Horticulture Department officials.
Working out of a ₹5 crore budget, the committee has started the process of re-designing parks with fresh landscaping. For instance, in Cubbon Park, a host of Plumaria (Deva Kanigle) were added. “Cubbon Park faces vehicular pollution and Plumeria has the ability to prevent spread of air-borne diseases with the release of a fragrant oil. With more than 300 varieties, this is now the biggest collection in the country,” said Mr. Reddy.
Periodical tree reports had been submitted earlier. “But, forming a tree committee had become essential as it was time Karnataka had a record of all its species, develop the botanical gardens in various districts to educate people about its green labelling, identify and conserve rare, endangered and threatened species, and map the endemic for its gene-mapping, and nativity,” said P.C. Ray, Commissioner, Department of Horticulture.
‘Trees cut for preserving health’
The Tree Committee for Garden Development and Management has been looking at Tree Surgery, wherein dead trees and those infected with fungi had to be rid of to preserve the soil and atmospheric health of the gardens.
There were nearly 70 such trees in Lalbagh and Cubbon Park. “We meticulously diagnose to preserve every tree. These trees could not withstand biotic pressures of wind and storm, or were old or infected by fungi. Their trunks were hollow, and we had to order their removal,” explained A.N. Yellappa Reddy, tree expert.
