Indian Siris:
A pall of gloom descended on Kumaradevam gram panchayat, located in the East Godavari district, after the death of the century-old Indian siris tree.
- Indian Siris, also known as Albizia lebbeck, is a tropical tree native to India and Southeast Asia.
- It belongs to the Fabaceae family and is a deciduous tree with a wide range of uses.
- They require a warm and humid climate and can be grown in a variety of soil types, including clay, loam, and sandy soil.
- It grows up to a maximum height of 15-20 meters and has a wide-spreading, umbrella-shaped canopy.
- The tree trunk is typically straight, with a diameter of up to 1 meter.
- Its leaves are green and fern-like and can grow up to 25 cm long.
- It has a moderate to dense branching pattern, with branches that spread outwards and upwards from the trunk.
- It produces small, white and fragrant flowers in clusters.
- The tree is capable of fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere, which helps to enrich the soil and support other plant species.
- The extensive, shallow root system makes it a good soil binder and suited to soil conservation and erosion control.
