About 87% of the southern tropical dry deciduous forest of the Tadoba National Park in India is dominated by teak, bamboo, ain (crocodile bark), bija, dhauda, hald, salai, semal and tendu. The park is also dotted with patches of lush green meadows, and many medicinal climbers and plants which have a lot of value in the herbal and medicinal markets. Some of the common trees and plants in Tadoba tiger reserve are Ain (crocodile bark), Bija, Dhaudab, Hald, Salai, Semal, Shisham, Sisoo, Shivan, Surya, Sirius, Tendu, Beheda, Bel, Chechwa, Dhawada, Kusum, Hirda, Karaya Gum, Mahua Madhuca (Crepe Myrtle), and the Lannea Coromandelica (Wodier Tree). Most of these trees and plants are found inside our wildlife lodge in Tadoba. Red Earth wildlife lodge in Tadoba hosts several species of native vegetation so as to introduce birds and small mammals back into the property in a natural manner!
Ain (Crocodile Bark) – The crocodile bark or Ain as it is popularly known in Maharashtra is a tree which grows to a length of approximately 30 meters in height, and has a trunk diameter of 1 meter respectively. The fruit of the crocodile bark is ovoid. Remarkably, the bark of the tree is fire resistant and the wood is highly coarse, fairly straight grained and dull to somewhat lustrous without any originating smell or taste. The wood of the tree is used for making furniture, cabinetwork, panelling, boat building, railroad cross ties, and for making musical instruments such as acoustic guitars.
Semal Tree (Bombax Ceiba) – The Semal Tree which is also known as the Bombax Ceiba, is a common cotton tree. More specifically, it is often referred to as the Malabar Silk Cotton Tree as it is really popular in the Malabar region. This tropical asian tree has deciduous winter leaves and its trunk is extremely tall growing to a length of 20 meters to 60 meters in wet tropical regions. In the spring season, this tree produces flowers and a capsule which when ripens produces fibre like cotton.
Bija Tree (Pterocarpus Marsupium) – The Bija tree which is also known as the pterocarpus Marsupium tree, Malabar Kino, or the Vijayasar is a medium to large, but highly beautiful tree which is deciduous in nature and 30 meters tall. It is antive to the incredible country of India and is often spotted in the Western Ghats in the Karnataka – Kerala Region and in other forests of Central India also.
Sheesham Tree (Dalbergia Sissoo) – The Sheesham Tree or the Dalbergia sissoo is a remarkable deciduous tree found in both West and East India, and is a medium to large tree which reproduces through the medium of seeds and suckers. It can grow upto a rather tall height of 25 meters and upto 2 to 3 meters in girth, but is generally smaller than that. The Sheesham tree is also known as the North Indian rosewood tree and is used to make furniture, as fuel wood, teeth brushing (as datun twigs of the tree), and as a pesticide as one of the fruits of the tree has an ethanolic extract that acts as a pesticide too.
Kusum Tree (Schleichera) – The Kusum Tree, which is also known as the Schleichera tree is found generally in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The tree grows in dry deciduous forests and in rocky, gravelly, loamy or slightly acidic soil that is well drained. In Marathi, it is known as the Kusum tree. The seeds of this beautiful tree give us Kusum oil, which is very useful in many industries and for personal care as well.
Best time to visit the Tadoba National Park –
An ideal time to visit Tadoba tiger reserve is during the winter season which is between the months of December to February when several animals including the tigers can be witnessed basking in the sun. Another best time to visit Tadoba is right after the monsoon season which is after October when the forest turns lush green. Those interested in tiger sighting can also visit in the summer months, between the months of April and June. During this time, tigers frequently come out in the daytime in search of water and food. Our wildlife lodge in Tadoba is an amazing place to stay at during your visit as you can relax and rejuvenate yourself before your next safari.
