A banyan tree in this village, well over 600 years old (which makes it the oldest in India) has more than 1,100 prop roots and a canopy which covers an area of almost 2.1 hector. It is probably the only tree in the world which is guarded round –the-clock to prevent vandalism. Banyan trees usually live for more than 250 years. They belong to the species of trees with the longest lifespan.

Golconda, near Hyderabad, is home to a 700 year old baobab or monkey-bread tree, which is locally known as `Hathion Ka Jhad’. Native to0 Africa, this tree has one of the thickest trunks of all and its fruit is known as monkey bread. It has hollow, 10.79 square in area, into which 12 people can fit in. there are seven concrete steps which lead to the hollow.

The Malayattur forest in Kerala state, India is home to the world’s largest teak tree. It is well over 400 years old and has a height of 60 meters with a girth of about 8 meters.

Imagine a tree that has lived for over 1,000 years! At Joshimath, in the Chamoli district of Uttarachal state, India is a 1,200 years old mulberry (shah toot) tree that has a circumference of more than 20 meters.

Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are famous for the majestic deodar trees found there. The trees have huge trunks with a circumference of about 12 meters.

The Himalayan death cap’s claim for fame is that it has caused most deaths associated with mushrooms in India. It is the most poisonous mushroom that grows in this part of the world.

How long do you think a leaf can last on a tree?

The leaves of the western Himalayan spruce can remain on its branches for 8 to 10 years.

The bee orchid grows in Hampshire, England. Its flowers closely resemble a species of wasp to such an extent that male wasps are tricked into mating with them, in the process, they accidentally carry from flower to flower.

The only red orchid found in India is the red Vanda. It bears flowers during the months of September-October and grows in Mizoram state.