Please correct me if I'm wrong, but is this called Ixora too, or is Ixora a shrub, unlike Asoka?
The color also reminds me of Gulmohar ( a tree I'll never see where I live).
latAjI, you're right. Ixora is a shrub and its flowers also have four petals.
But aSoka is a huge tree. In fact, even in India the tall mast tree which is
generally planted in the campuses and has mango-like leaves, but curvy, is
mistaken for the aSoka tree. The tall mast tree is so called because its wood is
used as a tall mast in ships. The gul mohr is called the flame of the forest
and my favourite too. We used to have a lot of those trees both in the Bangalore
IISc where I studied and in Madurai University where I worked. Interestingly,
gulmohr can shed all its leaves before putting forth new flowers. Again kAlidAsa
somewhere mentions that in those days, the most beautiful women used to put the
first sod when the aSoka was planted!
Regards! - mOhana
Excellent!
-Srenithy
Srenithy, thanks! You've developed beautiful beauty-spotting eyes :-)
Regards! - mOhana