Compiled by Jagat Narain Chaturvedi
Bandhavgarh National Park boasts an exceptional diversity of plant life, making it a haven for both nature lovers and researchers. Its landscape is enriched with towering Sal trees, sturdy bamboo groves, and valuable medicinal plants like Amla, Arjun, and Bahera. These native species not only add to the park’s scenic beauty but also play a vital role in sustaining its vibrant ecosystem. With sacred fig trees and forest products traditionally used in Ayurveda, Bandhavgarh’s flora carries profound ecological, cultural, and therapeutic importance. Explore the rich and colorful plant life that flourishes in this thriving natural refuge.
| S.No. | Common Name | Botanical Name | Hindi Name | Remarks |
| 1 | Sal | Shorea robusta | sal, sarai | Sal butter extracted from the seeds is used in chocolates and also as a cooking agent. |
| 2 | Male Bamboo or Solid Bamboo | Dendrocalamus strictus | Bans  | Used for battens, ‘lathis’ building purposes, bows & arrows, paper pulp, leaves as fodder. |
| 3 | Butter or Wine Flower Tree | Mudhuca indica | Mahua  | The scented, sweetish, fleshy flowers attract bears, deer, and nectar-eating birds. |
| 4 | Red Silk Cotton Tree | Bombax ceiba | Semar  | Used for stuffing pillows, surgical dressings, and folk medicine. Root decoction aids male impotence. |
| 5 | Yellow Silk Cotton or Torchwood Tree | Cochlospermum religiosum | Gabdi, Pila Semar  | Drought/fire-resistant. Gum used in bookbinding, cosmetics, ice cream thickening. |
| 6 | Indian Frankincense Tree | Boswellia serrata | Salai  | Produces Indian frankincense used in Ayurveda for arthritis, asthma, and general wellness. |
| 7 | Indian Ebony or Bidi Leaf Tree | Diospyros melanoxylon | Tendu  | Leaves used for beedis. Medicinal use of seeds, flowers, and bark. |
| 8 | Banyan | Ficus benghalensis | Badh / Bargad  | Massive canopy, worshipped by Hindus. Kolkata tree has 1000 trunks. |
| 9 | Peepal, Bodhi or Bo Tree | Ficus religiosa | Pipal  | Sacred tree where Buddha attained enlightenment. Sri Lanka tree over 2200 years old. |
| 10 | Indian Fig Tree | Ficus recemosa | Gular  | Parts used in traditional healing. Bark lotion treats tiger claw wounds. |
| 11 | White/Spotted Java or Grey Fig | Ficus virens | Pakhad  | Figs are eaten by many birds. |
| 12 | Pakhri | Ficus cupulata | Pakhri  | Leaves not browsed by goats or cattle. |
| 13 | Rock/Crow Fig | Ficus arnottiana | Paras Peepal  | Mistaken for peepal due to similar leaf shape but lacks tail. |
| 14 | Indian Laurel or Chinese Banyan | Ficus microcarpa | Gadasi/Tilman  | Native to Asia; found on Bandhavgarh fort school building. |
| 15 | Gum Karaya | Sterculia urens | Kullu  | Source of gum used in pharma, confectionary, and food industries. |
| 16 | Kamela or Monkey Face Tree | Mallotus philippinensis | Sinduri  | Used for red dye and has medicinal seed oil. |
| 17 | Emblic Myrobalan | Emblica officianalis | Amla  | Richest source of vitamin C; used in pickles and Ayurveda. |
| 18 | Belliric Myrobalan | Terminalia bellarica | Baheda  | Used to treat coughs, eye diseases, leprosy, etc. |
| 19 | Chebulic Myrobalan | Terminalia chebula | Harra  | Used in tanning and medicine for cardiac, gastrointestinal issues. |
| 20 | Arjun | Terminalia arjuna | Kohwa  | Bark used for cardiovascular diseases and other ailments. |
| 21 | Crocodile-Bark Tree or Indian Laurel | Terminalia tomentosa | Barsaja / Saja  | Used for tanning and rearing tussar silkworms. |
| 22 | Button or Axelwood Tree | Anogeissus latifolia | Dhawa  | Native to South Asia, used for various local purposes. |
| 23 | Desert Apple or Indian Jujube | Ziziphus mauritiana | Ber  | Shade tree that bears edible fruit. |
| 24 | Makoi | Ziziphus mauritiana | Makoi  | Known as wild jujube, widely distributed. |
| 25 | Ghothar | Ziziphus xylopyrus | Katbel  | Fruit eaten by animals, used in medicine and alcohol brewing. |
| 26 | Governor’s Plum | Flacourtia indica | Kakai  | Used in folk medicine for snakebites, coughs, diarrhea. |
| 27 | Kadam/Mundi | Mitragyna parviflora | Mundi  | Used medicinally and for timber. |
| 28 | Golden Apple | Aegle marmelos | Bael  | Used as a sherbet and in traditional medicine for digestion and more. |
| 29 | Turmeric Wood or Yellow Teak | Haldina cardifolia | Haldu  | Used in Ayurveda for inflammations and infections. |
| 30 | Tummy Wood/Wild Guava/Slow Match Tree | Careya arborea | Kumbhi  | Native to Asia, used traditionally. |
| 31 | Indian Blackberry | Syzgium cuminii | Jamun  | Used for stomach pain, spleen issues, and urinary retention. |
| 32 | Karhi/Safed Siris | Albizzia procera | Karhi  | Used for rheumatism, stomach aches, and has anti-cancer potential. |
| 33 | Kokko/Black Siris | Albizzia lebbeck | Bansa | Planted widely as avenue tree; named after Egyptian place. |
