All rituals for Hindus begin and end with flowers. Our temples (especially in India) have a Sthala Vriksha or Sacred temple tree. Huge trees like the Banyan and the Pipal are commonly honored in temple precincts. Fragrant flowers like Jasmine and Chrysanthemum are also temple ‘trees’ in some places. The common flowers used in rituals and prayers are the Jasmine varieties. Wearing of flower in the hair is part of the Indian culture. Fragrant flowers like the Jasmine Chrysanthemum, Champaka, Sampangi are favourite among woman. The rose, another favourite flower was introduced to India in the later days by the Muslim invaders. Not only flowers but some shoots and even grasses are used in rituals and for prayers and thus are to be grown in the temple garden.

Here are two lists of plants that a traditional temple should have in its garden:

List #1

Nerium oderum

Jasminus samboo

Calotropis gigantea

Hibiscus rosa sinensis

Ocimum sanctum

Vitex negundo

Xanthium strumarium

Solanum melonginum

Chrysanthemum sp

Lecus aspera

Viviveria zizanoides

Terminalia arjuna

Ocimum basilicum

Sesamum indicum

Jasminum grandiflorum

Thevetia nerifolia 

Paparis cylanica

Cassia angustifolia

Piper betel

Nilumbium speciosum

Veronia sinneria

Aegle marmelos

Cassia fistula

Mirabilis jalapa

Michelia champaca

Delonicus pregia

Calophyllum inophyllum

Anthocephalas cadambu

Ficus racemosa (globerata)

Nyctanthes arbor tritis

Pithecolobium saman

Crataeva religiosa

Morinda tinctoria

Feronia elephantum

Phyllanthus emblica

Eugenia jambolana

Zizyphus jujuba

Artocarpus integrifolia

Citrus aurantifolia

Citrus medica

Punica grantum

Musa paradisiaca

Ficus bengalensis

Ficus religiosa

Pithecolobium saman

Azadirachta indica

Mangifera indica

List #2

1.   Citron (Citrus medica L.)

2.   Beli/Bilvam T. (Aegle marmelos L.)

3.   Woodapple E. Vilvampalam T. (Limonia acidimus L.)

4.   Nelli T. (Emblica officinalis  L.)

5.   Marimangai T. (Spondia pinnata L.)

6.   Atthi T. (Ficus carica L.)

7.   Pomegranate E. Madalankai T. (Punica granatum L.)

8.   Illuppai T. (Madhuca longifolia L.)

9.   Murungai T. (Moringa oleifera)

10. Camphor  tree E. ( Cinnamomum camphora L.)

11. Cannonball tree E. Sivalingam, Nagalingam T. (Couroupita guianensis) L.)

12. Kamuku,Pakku T. (Areca catechu L.)

13. Cinnamon E. Karuva, Kurunthu T. (Cinnamomum zeylanicum L.)

14. Tiruvatthi T. (Bauhinia tomentosa L.)

15. Orchid tree E. (Bauhinia variegata L.)

14. Cotton tree E. ( Gossampininus malabaricum L.)

15. Konrai T. Laburnum E. (Cassia fistula L.)

16. Mullumurukku T. (Erythrina indica, Erythrina variegata L.)

17. Tabebuia rosea L.

18. Bo tree E. Arasa maram T. (Ficus religiosa L.)

19. Manchavarna T. (Morinda tinctoria  L.)

20. Asokam T. (Saraca indica L.)

21. Kachadai T. (Careya coccinea L.)

22. Lemon-scented Verbena E. (Aloysia triphylla L.)

23. Agatthi T. (Sesbania grandiflora L.) (we planted it in 2015, for cow feed, gift from Balarama family)

24. Chincona E. (Chinoa sp. L.)

25. Parijatham (Nyctanthes arbortristis)

26. Erruku sacred to Ganesha and Hanuman is (Calotropis procera and C gigantea)

27. True Indigo (Indigofera tinctoria)

28. Bakula (Mimusops elengi)

29. Henna (Lawsonia inermis)

30. Jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum)

31. (Jasminus samboo)

32. Fragrant screwpine (Pandanus odoratissimis)

33. Aloeswood (Aquilaria agallocha)

34. Kadamba (Anthocephalus cadamba)

In the Sangam period of Tamil Nadu, Murugan of the Tirupparankundram hill of Madurai was referred to as a centre of nature worship. He was in the form of a spear under a Kadamba tree.[7]. Vellaikadambu (Tamil

35. Parijatham (Nyctanthes arbortristis)

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