Colonial Era Trees Dominate Indian Roads And Parks – 75+ Years After Independence

In order to maintain their power over India, the British Colonialists projected themselves as superior and Indians as inferior. They focused on many areas to drive home this point. One of them was Ornamental plants and landscape in public places. They also wanted to put their European or Colonial standard plants and Trees wherever possible at Indian tax payers expense.

They chose plants that looked good from abroad while eliminating good ones from India. It reinforced the mindset that good things only come from abroad and there is nothing good in India – India means just substandard.

In ancient India public spaces plants/trees in India prioritized medicinal use, so the material was available to treat people abundantly. The British colonialists by removing and discouraging the medicinal use trees/plants from public places which they controlled as rulers. They made the medical treatment via Ayurveda more remote and less accessible publicly. This is continuation of strategy of Macaulay who had already removed all public support for native education from 1835 itself.

Even today, the public spaces in India including avenues and public gardens are full of colonial era – plants and trees with miniscule support for traditional plants and trees. India has a strong tradition of aromatic plants – even those don’t find space in the avenues and public gardens.

There is neither any effort nor any sustained initiative to bring back the native plants, trees and landscape. Mechanically, the various experts connected with this area keep continuing the colonial era standards, protocols and list of plants, trees as well as landscape formats.

Below is a comparative table of 25 colonial-era ornamental trees widely planted in Indian cities and 25 native Indian substitutes better suited for biodiversity, Ayurveda-linked traditions, and climate resilience. Many of the indigenous species are documented in classical botanical knowledge preserved in texts such as the Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita.

The aim is gradual replacement in future plantings, especially in roads, parks, campuses, and heritage sites.

Foreign Trees Imposed By British In Colonial Era:

Further Reading:

Why Indian Trees Prefereable? | Indian Trees For Public Places | Less Common Colonial Trees 

You may also like to read:

• Reclaiming Landscape in Indian Public Spaces from British Colonialism and Macaulayism
• Why These Indian Trees Are Preferable
• Indian Trees For Public Places
• Criticizing British Colonial Rule For Introducing Foreign Plants In Public Spaces
• The Need To Decolonize Public Landscapes In India
• How Does Continuing Colonial-Era Planting Reflect Coloniality And Ignore Ancient India’s Botanical Knowledge?
• Reviving Ancient Hindu Garden Traditions In Protected Monuments