Trees are easily identified by their flowers and March is blessed to be a flowering season for many plant species. And now, crossing the culvert and walking across to the opposite bank of the Kasavanahalli lake, you first see the striking Yellow Bells (Tecoma stans), also called the Yellow Elder. They are shrubs planted along the lakeside and the yellow colour instantly brightens up the surroundings.

As you walk along you can see nests on the overhead branches apparently made by gluing leaves together. And who resides in these nests !? Red ants; it’s the weaver ants that make these nests with a white sticky substance with which they attach the leaves together. The ant bites are extremely painful and it’s advisable to keep a safe distance. There is a Gordon Ramsay video for National Geographic where they make a red (weaver) ant chutney ! The nest is seen made of young green leaves and even when the leaves turn brown, the nest still holds. If you look up, some trees are bare, but you can see a lone ant nest still standing among the branches.

The Singapore cherry tree (Muntingia calabura) is seen as always, profusely growing and providing a umbrella like canopy for the walkway 👉Morning at the Kasavanahalli Lake, Bangalore 🌳🌤 (Part 𝟙). The shade is a welcome relief from the March sun, if you are out for a late morning walk 🚶🏻‍♀️🚶🏻‍♂️.

A striking tree seen at odd intervals is the Silk Cotton tree. There are couple of things that make you notice this tree – first it’s the fruit, they are green in colour, thick in the middle and long, hanging from leafless branches; the trunk and branches are a striking green (normally we are used to seeing to brown, grey and silvery trunks on trees). On some trees, the fruits have ripened into brown and split open, bursting with the white floss.

Further down, there are a few Silk Cotton trees with the leaves in their last leg before dropping off, the palmately compound leaves with seven leaflets in beautiful yellow and red shades on branches bearing their characteristic green fruits.

A particularly notable tree you are going to see here is the Mysore Fig tree. No fruits seen on it, but there are other fig trees here that have borne fruits. The Mysore Fig tree seen here has a large canopy supported by a cluster of trunks arising from the base.

While on the subject of fig trees that are bearing fruits in March; you can’t miss the large Goolar tree (Ficus racemosa) also called the Cluster fig. It’s pretty unique, you can see for yourself 👇

The figs still green (fruits) are seen growing in clusters from the tree’s trunk and the main branches 👆. There are two trees seen at the lakeside with silvery grey bark (above) and one with a pinkish brown bark (below) which has ripe figs pinkish red in colour👇.

Walking along, you can’t miss the wild date palms – short and tall ones. The tall ones are a majestic sight ! You tend to see lumps formed at the base of the date palm’s trunk just above the soil, no harm done, they are the exposed rootlets and not some disease.

There are many other varieties of trees about; but identifying a tree without its fruit or flower is a struggle. Leaves of trees are unique too; but they need an expert eye. But that’s a good thing, because every month there will be a new bloom and a new tree recognised and added to the trail; and hence the walk each day becomes interesting. Crossing another small culvert marked by benches to sit and enjoy the breeze and view plus two colours of the peacock flower also called poinciana (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) – red and yellow👇; and we reach the eucalyptus grove.

The grove of eucalyptus trees tall, stately with their smooth grey barks are an enchanting sight. The grey barks are seen peeling revealing a beige underbark. The leaves are long, narrow with a distinctive curve. People often slow down here; you can see a leaf twirling in the breeze as it floats to the ground. And if you crush a green leaf, you can get characteristic smell (axe oil).

The ground lowers to the water level here and people get off the walkway to get closer to the water’s edge. It’s quiet and peaceful here, all you can here is the swish of the leaves in the breeze and the crunch of dried leaves underfoot.

Dried bamboo grooves are also seen on either sides of the walkway. Recently many eucalyptus trees have been cut down, the remnants of the trunks remain ! The walk still continues…

Till next post, take care !!