Chandigarh Botanical Garden & Nature Park

Background

Chandigarh, the ‘city beautiful’ situated in the foothirlls of Shivaliks is blessed with a climate that is suitable to accommodate number of species of flora of different climatic regions. It is worthwhile setting up a Botanical Garden here with a purpose to conserve the flora of the region as well as those exotic and near extinct species. With this background, Chandigarh Administration has established a Botanical Garden near village Sarangpur. This garden spreads over 176 acres of land. 

The foundation stone was laid on 30th May, 2002 by Lt. Gen. (Retd.) J.F.R. Jacob, the then Administrator, U.T. Chandigarh. This garden has been connected with the nature reserve known as Patiala-ki-Rao forest through a causeway. Patiala-ki-Rao forest spreads over 350 acres of land. Gen. (Retd.) Dr. S. F. Rodrigues, the then Governor of Punjab & Administrator, U.T. Chandigarh, the champion of the cause of environment and keen nature lover, guided the project through his constant inspiration and guidance. H.E. inaugurated the garden on 2nd January, 2007. This garden when fully developed would be one of the biggest in this region.

The garden consists of 15 Botanical Sections. The primary aim of setting up of Botanical Garden is to promote research, education, ex-situ conservation and to spread awareness about our floral heritage. In addition, the garden would help promote eco-tourism in Chandigarh. Various sections in the Garden are:-

Medicinal Plants Garden: Medicinal Plants Garden/ Herbal Garden has been developed over 40 acres of land. More than 75 species of medicinal trees and 55 species of medicinal shrubs, herbs & climbers have already been planted in this section. Tree species like Harar, Bahera, Amla, Neem, Arjun, Maulsari, Bael, Kathal, Sandalwood, Kachnar, Camphor, Lasura, Gular, Rudraksha, Jamun, Sita Ashok, Guggal, Putranjeeva etc. have been planted alongwith about 55 varieties of medicinal herbs like Giloe, Akarkara, Gokhru, Ghritkumari, Ashwagandha, Sarpagandha, Tulsi, Mehndi, Kalmegh, Bhringraj, Mandukparni, Brahmi, Bansa, Vacha etc. The list of medicinal trees, shrubs, herbs and climbers is following :-

Medicinal Trees planted in Chandigarh Botanical Garden (Medicinal Plants Section)

Medicinal Trees

        Botanical name Common name

  • Acacia catechu

  • Adina cordifolia

  • Aegle marmelos

  • Albizzia lebbek

  • Alstonia scholaris

  • Artocarpus heterophyllus

  • Artocarpus chaplasha

  • Artocarpus lakoocha

  • Artabotrys odoratisissimus

  • Anona squamosa

  • Anogeissus latifolia

  • Anogeissus pendula

  • Anthocephlus cadamba

  • Azadirachta indica

  • Bauhinia variegata

  • Boswellia serrata

  • Bombax ceiba

  • Butea frondosa

  • Cassia fistula

  • Caesearia tomentosa

  • Cedrela toona

  • Cinnamomum camphora

  • Cinnamum tamala

  • Cordia dichotoma

  • Cocculus laurifolius

  • Commiphora wightii

  • Crataeva adinsonii

  • Dalbergia sisoo

  • Diospyros Montana

  • Elaeocarpus ganitrus

  • Emblica officinalis

  • Erythrina variegata

  • Eugenia cuspidate

  • Ficus bengalensis

  • Ficus religiosa

  • Ficus glomerata

  • Garcinia indica

  • Ginkgo biloba

  • Gmelina arborea

  • Grewia asiatica

  • Holorhina antidysentrica

  • Kigelia pinnata

  • Lannea coromandelica

  • Madhuca indica

  • Mangifera indica

  • Mesua ferra

  • Melia azedarach

  • Mimusops elengi

  • Mimusops hexandra

  • Moringa oleifera

  • Morus alba

  • Murraya koenigii

  • Oroxylum indicum

  • Pterospermum acerifolium

  • Pithecolobium dulce

  • Pongamia pinnata

  • Prosopis spicigera

  • Psidium guava

  • Putranjiva roxburghii

  • Salvadora persica

  • Saraca indica

  • Salix babylonica(water front)

  • Santalum album

  • Sapindus mukorossi

  • Schleichera trijuga

  • Shorea robusta

  • Sterculia urens

  • Swietenia mahagony

  • Syzygium cumini

  • Taxus baccata

  • Tecomella undulata

  • Tamarindus indica

  • Terminalia bellerica

  • Terminalia chebula

  • Terminalia tomentosa

  • Terminalia Arjuna

  • Terminalia myriocarpa

Khair

Haldu

Bel

Siris

Sataparna

Kathal

Barhal

Dheu

Hari champa

Sitaphal

Chhal

Dhok

Kadam

Neem

Kachnar

Salai

Red silk cotton tree

Dhak, Palas

Amaltas

Chila

Tun

Camphor tree

Tejpatta

Lasura

Tilpara

Guggulu

Barna

Shisham

Kendu

Rudraksha

Amla

Indian coral tree

Jamoa

Banyan tree

Pipal

Gular

Kokum

Ginkgo tree

Gambar

Phalsa

Kurchi

Balamkhira

Jhingan

Mahua

Mango

Nagkesar

Bakain

Maulsiri

Khirni

Sohanjana

Shahtoot

Curry patta

Pharrai

Kanak champa

Jungli jalebi

Karang

Khejri

Amrood

Putranjeeva

Jal, Pilu

Ashoka

Weeping willow

Sandalwood

Ritha

Kusam

Sal

 

Mahogany

Jamun

Taxus

Rohida tree

Imli

Bahera

Harar

Sain

Arjun

Hollock

Medicinal Shrubs

       Botanical name Common name

  • Abrus precatorius

  • Abutilon indicum

  • Acorus calamus

  • Achyranthes aspera

  • Adhatoda vasica

  • Aloe barbedensis

  • Asparagus racemosus

  • Andrographis paniculata

  • Bacopa monnieri

  • Barleria prionites

  • Barlaria lupiliana

  • Boerhaavia diffusa

  • Cassia angustifolia

  • Calotropis procera

  • Calotropis gigantea

  • Catharanthes roseus

  • Carissa congesta

  • Cassia tora

  • Centella asiatica

  • Clitoria ternatea

  • Coleus barbatus

  • Curcuma longa

  • Cymbopogon citrates

  • Cymbopogon nanus

  • Datura metel

  • Datura alba

  • Eclipta alba

  • Ginger officinal

  • Geranium

  • Glycyrrhiza glabra

  • Gymnema sylvestre

  • Hibiscus robasinensis

  • Iberis amara

  • Jasminum grandiflorum

  • Justicia gendaussa

  • Lawsonia intermis

  • Mentha species

  •  Mimosa pudica

  • Mucuna pruriens

  • Nerium odorum

  • Nyctanthes arbortristis

  • Ocimum basilicum

  • Ocimum grattisimum

  • Ocimum kilimandscharicum

  • Ocimum sanctum

  • Ocimum

  • Piper longum

  • Phyllanthus niruri

  • Plumbago zeylanica

  • Rauwolfia serpentina

  • Ricinus communis

  • Sida cordifolia

  • Solanum xanthocarpum

  • Spilanthes acmella

  • Thevetia nerifolia

  • Tephrosia purpurea

  • Thuja compacta

  • Tinospora cordifolia

  • Tribulus terrestris

  • Tylophora asthmatica

  • Vetiver

  • Vitex negundo

  • Withania Somnifera

  • Woodfordia fruticosa

Rati

Kanghi

Vacha

Apamarg

Vasaka

Ghrit kumari

Satavari

Kalmegh

Brahmi

Kala bansa

Kalabansa

Punurnava

Sena

Aak

Aak

Sadabahar

Karonda

Panwar

Manduparni

Aparajita

Patharchat

Haldi

Lemon grass

Citronela

Krishna datura

Dhatura

Bhringraj

Adrakh

Geranium

Mulethi

Gurmar

Gurhal

Chandni

Chameli

 

Mehendi

Mint varieties

Lajwanti

Kaunch

Kaner

Harshringar

Kali tulsi

Ram tulsi

Kapur tulsi

Tulsi

kilimandscharicum ,Kapur tulsi

Pippali

Bhui amla

Chitrak

Sarpagandha

Ayarnd

Mahabala

Kantkari

Akarkara

Pili kaner

Sarpunkha

Mayur pankh

Giloe

Gokhru

Anatamul

Khus

Nirgundi

Aswagandha

Dhatki

Bambusetum: 22 species of bamboos and 3 species of canes have been planted along two seasonal nallahs passing through the Botanical Garden. A few fern species have, however, been included and planted in shade.

Ficus Grove: 18 species of Ficus have been planted in this section. Adequate space has been left to include more species in future. The list of species is following :-

List of Ficus species planted in Botanical Garden [Ficus Grove Section]

      Botanical name Common name

  • Ficus religiosa

  • Ficus infectoria

  • Ficus krishnae

  • Ficus glomerata

  • Ficus retusa

  • Ficus benjamina

  • Ficus nuda

  • Ficus elastica (ordinary)

  • Ficus elastica (Black prince)

  • Ficus panda

  • Ficus palmata

  • Ficus variegated

  • Ficus lyrata

  • Ficus mysorensis

  • Bur variegated

  • Ficus sterlight

  • Ficus tseila

Peepal

Pilkhan

Krishna Peepal

Gullar

 

Weeping fig

 

 

 

 

Anjiri

 

Fiddle leaf tree

Arboretum: This section consists of more than 90 species of different kinds of trees. About 70 more species of trees could be included in this section in future.

Tree species planted in Arboretum

       Botanical name Common name

  • Acacia tortilis

  • Acrocarpus fraxinifolius

  • Adina cordifolia

  • Aegle marmelos

  • Aesculus indica

  • Ailanthus excelsa

  • Alnus nepalensis

  • Alstonia scholaris

  • Annona squamosa

  •  Anthocephalus cadamba

  • Artocarpus lakoocha

  • Artocarpus heterophyllus

  • Ashok pendula

  • Ashok serpantina

  • Azadirachta indica

  • Betula alnoides

  • Bischofia javanica

  • Bombax ceiba

  • Boswellia serrata

  • Canarium resiniferum

  • Cedrela toona

  • Celtis australis

  • Chukrasia tabularis

  • Cordia dichotoma

  • Couroupita guianensis

  • Dalbergia latifolia

  • Desmodium tilifolium

  • Diospyros embryopteris

  • Diospyros montana

  • Dillenia indica

  • Dipterocarpus macrocarpus

  • Elaeocarpus ganitrus

  • Erythrina indica

  • Eugenia cuspidata

  • Ficus cunia

  • Gmelina arborea

  • Grevillea robusta

  • Hardwickia binata

  • Heterophragma adenophyllum

  • Holoptelia integrifolia

  • Jatropha gossypifolia

  • Kigelia pinnata

  • Lannea coromandelica

  • Leucaena leucocephala

  • Litchi chinensis

  • Madhuca indica

  • Magnolia

  • Mangifera indica

  • Melia azadirachta

  • Mesua ferrea

  • Mimusops elengii

  • Mimusops hexandra

  • Moringa oleifera

  • Morus alba

  • Murraya koenigii

  • Oroxylum indicum

  • Pithecolobium saman

  • Platanus orientalis

  • Polyalthia longifolia

  • Pterospermum acerifolium

  • Putranjiva roxburghii

  • Quercus incana

  • Salix tetrasperma

  • Sapindus mukorossi

  • Sapium sebiferum

  • Schleichera trijuga

  • Shorea robusta

  • Sterculia alata

  • Sterculia urens

  • Swietenia mahagoni

  • Syzygium cumini

  • Tamarindus indica

  • Taxodium

  • Tectona grandis

  • Terminalia bellerica

  • Terminalia myriocarpa

  • Thespesia populnea

  • Trewia nudiflora

  • Vitex negundo S

  • Zizyphus mauritiana

Vilayati kikar

Pink Cedar

Haldu

Bael

Indian Horse Chestnut

Mahanim (tree of heaven)

 

Devil’s tree

Sitaphal or Sharifa

Kadam

Deophal or Lakooch

Kathal

Ashok

Ashok

Neem

 

Red cedar

Semul

Salai

Dhuna

Tun

 

Chukrasia

Lasura

Cannon Ball tree

Indian Rose Wood

 

Ghab

Kandu, Pasendu

Chilta

Hollong

Rudraksha

Coral tree

Jamoa

Khunia

Gamari

Silver Oak

Anjan

Maror-phalli

Pahari Papri

Lal Bharenda

Balam Khira

Jhingan

Ku-babul or White Babul

Litchi

Mahua

Magnolia

Aam

Bakain

Naagkesar (Nahar)

Moulsari

Khirni

Sainjna

 Shehtoot

Currypatta

 Pharrai (Dehradun, Saharan-pur (Medicinal)

Raintree

Chanaar

Ashok

Kanak champa

Jiva putra

Oak tree (Baanj)

Indian willow

Ritha

Makhan tree

Kusum

Sal

Budha’s coconut

Budha’s coconut

Mahagony

Jamun

Imli

Taxodium

Teak (Sagwan)

Bahera

Hollock

Tulip tree

Trewia

ambhalu

Ber
 

Ornamental/ Flowering Tree Section: More than 35 species of ornamental trees like Acacias, Lagerstroemia, Cassias and Bauhinias etc. have been planted in this section. The list of trees is following :-

 

 

ORNAMENTAL/FLOWERING TREES PLANTED IN CHANDIGARH BOTANICAL GARDEN (ORNAMENTAL SECTION)

       Botanical name Common name

  • Acacia auriculiformis

  • Acacia farnesiana

  • Acacia nilotica

  • Albizzia lebbek

  • Albizzia procera

  • Artabotrys odoratissimus

  • Barringtonia acutangula

  • Bauhinia alba

  • Bauhinia purpurea

  • Bauhinia tomentosa

  • Bauhinia variegata

  • Bauhinia blackiana

  • Bauhinia sulpharai

  • Bauhinia accuminata

  • Butea frondosa

  • Cassia fistula

  • Cassia javanica

  • Cassia nodosa

  • Cassia renigera

  • Cassia siamea

  • Callistemon lanceolatus

  • Chorisia speciosa

  • Delonix regia

  • Erythrina indica

  • Erythrina blackei

  • Jacaranda mimosifolia

  • Koelreuteria apiculata

  • Lagerstroemia thorelli

  • L.flos reginae

  • Millettia ovalifolia

  • Murraya paniculata

  • Nyctanthes arboritis

  • Peltophorum ferrugineum

  • Plumeria alba

  • Plumeria rubra

  • Robinia pseudoacacia

  • Saraca asoka

  • Tecoma argentea

  • Tecomella undulata

  • Terminalia myriocarpa

Australian Kikar

Vilayati Kikar

Kikar

Siris (Kokoo Tree)

Safed Siris

Hari Champa

Samudraphal

Safed Kachnar

Geranium tree/ Kachnar

Yellow Kachnar

Kachnar

Kachnar

Kachnar

Kachnar

Dhak, Flame of the Forests

Amaltas

java-ki-Rani

Pink-mohur

Pink-Cassia

Kassod

Bottle Brush

Mexican-Silk Cotton tree

Gulmohar

Indian Coral tree

Shrub

Nili Gulmohar

Koelreuteria

Queen’s Flower

Pride of India

Rosewood

Satin Wood

Haar Shringhar

Yellow Flame tree

Pagoda

Pagoda

Black locust (Kashmiri Kikar)

Sita Ashok

Tecoma tree

Lahura

Hollock

 

Pinetum: 12 coniferous species including pines have been planted in this section and few more will be added in future.

Palmatum: This section consists of 20 species of Palms and cycads. A part of this section has been devoted to include pseudo-palms too.

Sacred Grove: This section has been developed in the form of a Cosmic tree/ ‘Sarva Dharma Vriksha’. This ‘tree’ comprises 11 branches and each branch represents a specific religious Vatika. The Vatikas are :-

  • Ram Vatika
  • Krishan Vatika
  • Guru-ke-Bagh Vatika
  • Kurani Vatika
  • Christian Vatika
  • Navgraha Vatika
  • Shiv Vatika
  • Vishnu Vatika
  • Brahma Vatika
  • Jain Vatika
  • Budh Vatika

In these Vatikas, the trees associated with various religions have been planted.

Cactus & Succulent Section: More than 100 varieties of Cactus & Succulent plants have been collected from different sources to develop this section. A beautiful water body and water channel adds to its aesthetic value. Furthermore, a poly-house, poly-carb house and a glass-house are being added.

Aquatic Plants Section: This section will have more than 30 aquatic plant species.

 Rare Plants Section: An area of about 3 acres have been allocated to this section. The collection will include rare plants from India & abroad.

Tropical Rain Forest Section: A number of tree species specific to rain-forest have been planted in this section. This section would be enriched further with more such species and also matching features.

Bulbous Garden: This section will be developed over 2 acres of land. It will consist of a variety of Bulbous plants of this region.

Japanese Garden: This section is under development over 5 acres of land. The garden will have various Japanese features.

Nutrition garden: This section include fruit species suitable for temperate, tropical and sub tropical region. More than 15 fruit species have already been introduced in this section. Few more will be added in future.

Other salient features of the Botanical Garden:

Office-cum-Nature Interpretation Centre: The office building near Gate No.1 has been constructed as Nature Interpretation Centre. The exhibits related to medicinal plants and other kind of flora and wildlife will be displayed here to create awareness amongst the masses about the nature, environment, medicinal plants, forests & wildlife. A Conference Hall with a capacity to accommodate more than 100 persons would be utilized to educate the students, farmers, NGOs and other interested groups. Workshops & other activities related to environment education will also be carried out in the Conference Room.

 

There is a small Library with books on medicinal plants, forestry, wildlife, environment and set of magazines related to ecology and environment. The visitors/ tourists will have free access to the library.

Roads and Pathways: To go round the garden, a five km. cycle track has been laid. The department will provide ‘bicycle’ on a nominal rent to the visitors. A network of cement concrete pathways of 6 km. length criss-crossing the entire length & breadth of the garden has also been constructed to have close access to each section of the Botanical Garden.

Lake: 2 lakes have been developed along Patiala-ki-Rao and in Botanical Garden covering 15 & 8 acres of land respectively. These have been so designed as to harvest rain water. These aesthetically designed water bodies will also act as a percolation tanks. Few boats will also be provided to promote eco-tourism.

Water bodies: In addition to the lake, 5 more water bodies have been developed inside the garden. These water bodies will also harvest the rain water and add to the beauty of the garden. Besides, the purpose here too is to recharge the underground water aquifers.

Meditation Huts-cum-Rain Shelters: Two Meditation Huts have already been erected and 4 more will be added in due course.

Nursery-cum-Research Block: An exclusive nursery for Botanic Garden has already been developed over 2 acres of land. It consists of a green shade net-house and a poly-house too. Saplings of medicinal plants are already being distributed to the individuals/ organizations for the promotion of medicinal plants/ herbal gardens in U.T. Chandigarh.An area of 1½ acre has been kept reserved for Herbarium and the Research Block.

Public Utility services: There is a provision of Toilets and water posts all along cycle tracks and pathways.

Cafeteria: An area of about an acre has been kept reserved for construction of a Cafeteria overlooking the lake in the garden.

Nature Reserve/ Nature Park:-

The Nature Reserve i.e. Patiala-ki-Rao forest which is connected with the Botanical Garden by a causeway has 3 km. of Nature Trail. A lake (water hole) spreading over 15 acres of land has been developed in Patiala-ki-Rao forests. This lake will act as a water hole for the wildlife present in the Patiala-ki-Rao forests and will also promote eco-tourism in the city.