NAKSHATRAVANAM

One living garden, twenty-seven traditions

A plant for every Nakshatra — a botanical record of cultural memory, planted, tended and documented.

SCRIPTURAL

What the texts establish

The twenty-seven nakṣatras and their presiding deities are enumerated in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa (III.1) and the Taittirīya Saṁhitā. Tree pairings come later — through purāṇic tree-planting chapters, the Bṛhat Saṁhitā, and the vṛkṣāyurveda literature culminating in Surapāla. We cite each layer separately and record variant pairings where recensions disagree.

SCIENTIFIC

What the field record establishes

Every species is identified to an accepted botanical name, checked against current nomenclatural authority, and planted only within its documented native range and soil-moisture tolerance. Growth, phenology, pollinator and bird visitation are logged per accession, and the recorded medicinal or ecological properties are referenced to published literature rather than to tradition alone.

How a pairing is validated

01 Enumerate from the text The nakṣatra list and its deities are taken from the Taittirīya recension, not from a modern secondary list.

02 Identify the species Each Sanskrit and vernacular plant name is resolved to a botanical name through the nighaṇṭus and regional floras.

03 Verify nomenclature Accepted names, synonymy and family placement are checked against current taxonomic authority before labelling.

04 Validate in the field Accessions are monitored for survival, phenology and fauna use; the record is published with the collection.

Les vingt-sept

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NAKṣATRA 1 sur 27

Ashwini

Anglais Strychnine tree

Sanskrit Kāraskara / Viṣatinduka

Hindi कुचला — Kuchlā

Scientifique Strychnos nux-vomica

Divinité Aśvins

Famille Loganiaceae

Port et aire Deciduous tree of dry forest; India and SE Asia

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Aśvins as enumerated for Ashwini in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Seeds carry strychnine and brucine; a classical dravya admitted only after śodhana (detoxification).

NAKṣATRA 2 sur 27

Bharani

Anglais Indian gooseberry

Sanskrit Āmalakī

Hindi आँवला — Āṁvlā

Scientifique Phyllanthus emblica

Divinité Yama

Famille Phyllanthaceae

Port et aire Small deciduous tree; northern and peninsular India

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Yama as enumerated for Bharani in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Fruit is exceptionally high in ascorbic acid and tannins; a rasāyana drug in the Caraka Saṁhitā.

NAKṣATRA 3 sur 27

Krittika

Anglais Cluster fig

Sanskrit Udumbara

Hindi गूलर — Gūlar

Scientifique Ficus racemosa

Divinité Agni

Famille Moraceae

Port et aire Riparian tree; Indian subcontinent

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Agni as enumerated for Krittika in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES A keystone fig: the cauliflorous crop feeds fig wasps, bats and hornbills through the dry season.

NAKṣATRA 4 sur 27

Rohini

Anglais Java plum

Sanskrit Jambū

Hindi जामुन — Jāmun

Scientifique Syzygium cumini

Divinité Prajāpati

Famille Myrtaceae

Port et aire Evergreen tree; subcontinent, common along water

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Prajāpati as enumerated for Rohini in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Seed extracts are among the most studied traditional antidiabetic materials; heavy monsoon fruiting.

NAKṣATRA 5 sur 27

Mrigashira

Anglais Catechu tree

Sanskrit Khadira

Hindi खैर — Khair

Scientifique Acacia catechu

Divinité Soma

Famille Fabaceae

Port et aire Dry deciduous tree; northern and central India

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Soma as enumerated for Mrigashira in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Nitrogen-fixing; heartwood yields catechu tannins used in medicine and dyeing.

NAKṣATRA 6 sur 27

Ardra

Anglais Indian sandalwood

Sanskrit Candana

Hindi चंदन — Chandan

Scientifique Santalum album

Divinité Rudra

Famille Santalaceae

Port et aire Hemiparasitic tree; peninsular India

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Rudra as enumerated for Ardra in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Needs a host root system; listed Vulnerable by IUCN, so propagation on site is host-paired.

NAKṣATRA 7 sur 27

Punarvasu

Anglais Giant thorny bamboo

Sanskrit Vaṁśa

Hindi बाँस — Bāṁs

Scientifique Bambusa bambos

Divinité Aditi

Famille Poaceae

Port et aire Clumping bamboo; moist tracts of the subcontinent

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Aditi as enumerated for Punarvasu in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Fastest biomass accumulation in the collection; stabilises bank soil and sequesters carbon rapidly.

NAKṣATRA 8 sur 27

Pushya

Anglais Sacred fig

Sanskrit Aśvattha

Hindi पीपल — Pīpal

Scientifique Ficus religiosa

Divinité Bṛhaspati

Famille Moraceae

Port et aire Large deciduous fig; subcontinent

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Bṛhaspati as enumerated for Pushya in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Asynchronous fruiting makes it a year-round frugivore resource; unusual night stomatal activity.

NAKṣATRA 9 sur 27

Ashlesha

Anglais Ceylon ironwood

Sanskrit Nāgakesara

Hindi नागकेसर — Nāgkesar

Scientifique Mesua ferrea

Divinité Sarpas (Nāgas)

Famille Calophyllaceae

Port et aire Slow evergreen; Western Ghats and NE India

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Sarpas (Nāgas) as enumerated for Ashlesha in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Very dense timber; the aromatic stamens are the nāgakesara of the classical nighaṇṭus.

NAKṣATRA 10 sur 27

Magha

Anglais Banyan

Sanskrit Vaṭa / Nyagrodha

Hindi बरगद — Bargad

Scientifique Ficus benghalensis

Divinité Pitṛs

Famille Moraceae

Port et aire Spreading fig; subcontinent

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Pitṛs as enumerated for Magha in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Prop roots build a multi-stemmed canopy supporting among the highest bird diversity of any Indian tree.

NAKṣATRA 11 sur 27

Purva Phalguni

Anglais Flame of the forest

Sanskrit Palāśa

Hindi ढाक / पलाश — Ḍhāk

Scientifique Butea monosperma

Divinité Bhaga

Famille Fabaceae

Port et aire Deciduous tree of dry forest; subcontinent

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Bhaga as enumerated for Purva Phalguni in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Nitrogen-fixing; late-winter flowering is a critical nectar source before the general bloom.

NAKṣATRA 12 sur 27

Uttara Phalguni

Anglais Indian bat fig

Sanskrit Plakṣa

Hindi पिपरी — Piparī

Scientifique Ficus amplissima

Divinité Aryaman

Famille Moraceae

Port et aire Evergreen fig; peninsular India

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Aryaman as enumerated for Uttara Phalguni in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Peninsular endemic; dense shade and small figs taken by bulbuls and barbets.

NAKṣATRA 13 sur 27

Hasta

Anglais Needle-flower jasmine

Sanskrit Yūthikā

Hindi जूही — Jūhī

Scientifique Jasminum auriculatum

Divinité Savitṛ

Famille Oleaceae

Port et aire Scrambling shrub; peninsular India

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Savitṛ as enumerated for Hasta in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Night-scented; the flower oil is a documented source of methyl anthranilate used in attar.

NAKṣATRA 14 sur 27

Chitra

Anglais Bael

Sanskrit Bilva

Hindi बेल — Bel

Scientifique Aegle marmelos

Divinité Tvaṣṭṛ

Famille Rutaceae

Port et aire Thorny deciduous tree; dry subcontinent

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Tvaṣṭṛ as enumerated for Chitra in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Fruit mucilage and marmelosin underlie its long-recorded use in intestinal disorders.

NAKṣATRA 15 sur 27

Swati

Anglais Arjun tree

Sanskrit Arjuna / Kakubha

Hindi अर्जुन — Arjun

Scientifique Terminalia arjuna

Divinité Vāyu

Famille Combretaceae

Port et aire Large riparian tree; subcontinent

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Vāyu as enumerated for Swati in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Bark arjunolic acid is the subject of a substantial modern cardiological literature.

NAKṣATRA 16 sur 27

Vishakha

Anglais Spanish cherry

Sanskrit Bakula

Hindi मौलसरी — Maulsarī

Scientifique Mimusops elengi

Divinité Indrāgni

Famille Sapotaceae

Port et aire Evergreen tree; peninsular India and the Deccan

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Indrāgni as enumerated for Vishakha in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Persistently fragrant flowers; bark long used as a dentifrice, with documented antimicrobial activity.

NAKṣATRA 17 sur 27

Anuradha

Anglais Rayan

Sanskrit Kṣīriṇī

Hindi खिरनी — Khirnī

Scientifique Mimusops hexandra

Divinité Mitra

Famille Sapotaceae

Port et aire Hardy evergreen; dry peninsular India

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Mitra as enumerated for Anuradha in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Extremely drought-tolerant; the sweet berries are an important famine and wildlife food.

NAKṣATRA 18 sur 27

Jyeshtha

Anglais Chir pine

Sanskrit Sarala

Hindi चीड़ — Chīṛ

Scientifique Pinus roxburghii

Divinité Indra

Famille Pinaceae

Port et aire Himalayan pine, 500–2000 m

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Indra as enumerated for Jyeshtha in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES The only montane species in the collection; grown in a raised, freely drained cohort.

NAKṣATRA 19 sur 27

Mula

Anglais Sal tree

Sanskrit Śāla / Sarja

Hindi साल — Sāl

Scientifique Shorea robusta

Divinité Nirṛti

Famille Dipterocarpaceae

Port et aire Dominant forest tree; eastern and central India

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Nirṛti as enumerated for Mula in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Forms near-monodominant forest; its resin (dhūnā) is the classical incense of the region.

NAKṣATRA 20 sur 27

Purva Ashadha

Anglais Rattan cane

Sanskrit Vetra

Hindi बेंत — Bent

Scientifique Calamus rotang

Divinité Āpas

Famille Arecaceae

Port et aire Climbing palm; wet peninsular India

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Āpas as enumerated for Purva Ashadha in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES A wetland indicator species — it marks the garden's permanently moist swale.

NAKṣATRA 21 sur 27

Uttara Ashadha

Anglais Jackfruit

Sanskrit Panasa

Hindi कटहल — Kaṭhal

Scientifique Artocarpus heterophyllus

Divinité Viśvedevas

Famille Moraceae

Port et aire Evergreen tree; Western Ghats origin

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Viśvedevas as enumerated for Uttara Ashadha in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Cauliflorous; the largest tree-borne fruit and a significant regional carbohydrate staple.

NAKṣATRA 22 sur 27

Shravana

Anglais Crown flower

Sanskrit Arka

Hindi मदार / सफ़ेद आक — Madār

Scientifique Calotropis gigantea

Divinité Viṣṇu

Famille Apocynaceae

Port et aire Shrub of open wasteland; subcontinent

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Viṣṇu as enumerated for Shravana in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Principal larval host of the plain tiger butterfly; cardenolide latex used in classical preparations.

NAKṣATRA 23 sur 27

Dhanishta

Anglais Khejri

Sanskrit Śamī

Hindi खेजड़ी — Khejṛī

Scientifique Prosopis cineraria

Divinité Vasus

Famille Fabaceae

Port et aire Desert tree; Thar and the dry northwest

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Vasus as enumerated for Dhanishta in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Nitrogen-fixing with a deep taproot; measurably raises crop yield in agroforestry trials.

NAKṣATRA 24 sur 27

Shatabhisha

Anglais Burflower tree

Sanskrit Kadamba

Hindi कदम — Kadam

Scientifique Anthocephalus cadamba

Divinité Varuṇa

Famille Rubiaceae

Port et aire Fast-growing deciduous tree; moist subcontinent

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Varuṇa as enumerated for Shatabhisha in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Globose inflorescences; among the fastest-growing native hardwoods, used in canopy restoration.

NAKṣATRA 25 sur 27

Purva Bhadrapada

Anglais Mango

Sanskrit Āmra

Hindi आम — Ām

Scientifique Mangifera indica

Divinité Aja Ekapāda

Famille Anacardiaceae

Port et aire Evergreen tree; Indo-Burma origin

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Aja Ekapāda as enumerated for Purva Bhadrapada in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES The subcontinent's most cultivated fruit tree; several hundred named landraces are documented.

NAKṣATRA 26 sur 27

Uttara Bhadrapada

Anglais Neem

Sanskrit Nimba

Hindi नीम — Nīm

Scientifique Azadirachta indica

Divinité Ahirbudhnya

Famille Meliaceae

Port et aire Evergreen tree; dry subcontinent

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Ahirbudhnya as enumerated for Uttara Bhadrapada in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Azadirachtin is a well-characterised insect antifeedant, now used in registered biopesticides.

NAKṣATRA 27 sur 27

Revati

Anglais Butter tree

Sanskrit Madhūka

Hindi महुआ — Mahuā

Scientifique Madhuca longifolia

Divinité Pūṣan

Famille Sapotaceae

Port et aire Deciduous tree of central Indian forest

ATTESTATION TEXTUELLE Presiding deity Pūṣan as enumerated for Revati in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa III.1; the tree pairing follows the nakṣatra-vṛkṣa lists of the later purāṇic and vṛkṣāyurveda compilations.

DONNéES SCIENTIFIQUES Corolla is a major tribal food and fermentation crop; flowering supports large bee populations.

Where recensions assign different trees to the same nakṣatra, the variant is recorded rather than resolved; where a claimed property has no published support, it is listed as traditional usage only.