Here is a list of trees commonly found in Chennai.

Common
Tamil Name Botanical name Native to
Name(s) Uses
Acacia
Australian Wattle Australia
auriculiformis
Sapota Sapota Achras zapota
Adansonia
Baobab Anaipuliyamaram
digitata
Adenanthera
Coralwood tree Yanai Kunthumani
pavonina
Bel Vilvam Aegle marmelos
Alangium
salvifolium
Siris Vagai Albizia lebbeck India
Anacardium
Cashewnut tree Mundiri
occidentale
Bullock's Heart
Ramapalam Annona reticulata
Tree
Annona
Custard apple Seetaphal
squamosa
Areca-nut palm Paakku Areca catechu
Artocarpus
Jack fruit Pala
heterophylus
Used as safe
Azadirachta
Neem Veppam India and natural
indica
pesticide
Stem is edible,
Bamboo Moongil Bambusa vulgaris China used for
furniture
Barringtonia
Barna Kadappai
acutangula
Butterfly tree / Bauhinia Ornamental,
Nilattiruvatti/Mandarai India
Purple orchid purpurea Shade
Bauhinia
Bauhinia Yellow Mandarai India
tomentosa
Borassus
Palmyra Palm Panai
flabellifer
Flame of the Butea
Palasa India
Forest/Palash monosperma
Caesalpinea
Divi Divi
coriaria
 Peacock Flower Caesalpinea
Mayil Konrai
tree pulcherrima
Callistemom
Bottlebrush tree
citrina
Alexandrian Calophyllum
Punnai India
Laurel inophyllum
Papaya Pappali Carica papaya India Fruits are eaten
Fish tail Palm Koondalpanai Caryota urens India Ornamental
Indian
Sarakonrai Cassia fistula India
Laburnum/Amaltas
Cassia Java Cassia javanica
Cassia Red Cassia marginata
Cassia Burmese
Cassia renigera
Pink
Cassia Siam Cassia siamea
Casuarina
Casuarina Chavukku
equisetifolia
Kapok tree/silk
Ilavanpanji Ceiba pentandra
cotton
Chloroxylon
Satinwood Porasu
swietenia
Star Gooseberry Aranelli Cicca acida
Coconut palm Thennai Cocos nucifera
Cordia
Lasora Mukusheli maram
obliqua/myxa
Geiger tree /Aloe
Cordia sebestena
Wood
Couroupita Flowers used
Cannon ball tree Nagalingam maram South America
guianensis for Shiva puja
Crateva Marvilingam Crataeva religiosa
Ornamental,
Gulmohar Neruppu konrai Delonix regia Madagascar Barks used in
astringents
Dillenia Uuva Dillenia indica
Diospyros
Ebony Karungali/Thumbi
ebenum
Emblica
Indian Gooseberry Nelli
officinalis
Elephant ear pod Enterolobium Central
tree cyclocarpum Mexico Ornamental
Kalyana Murungai, Bark is
Indian Coral Erythrina indica India
Sudukottai antibilious
 Wood Apple Vilam Feronia limonia
Bark is used
Ficus
Banyan Alai India for medicinal
benghalensis
purposes
Java Fig Ficus benjamina
Fig Krishna Ficus krishnae
Gular Ficus racemosa
Religious
Peepal Arasam Ficus religiosa India
significance
Filicium
Fern leaf tree Nirkongu
decipiens
Gliricidia Gliricidia sepium
Tree of Guaiacum
Life/Lignum vitae officinale
Fruits have a
cherry flavour
Bastard Cedar, Guazuma
Thenpuchi Maram South America and dried fruits
West Indian Elm ulmifolia
are used as
Rudrakshas
Hardwickia
Harpharori Aacha
binata
Malai Poovarasam Hibiscus tileaceus
Ixora pavata
Sausage tree Siva Kundalam Kigelia pinnata
Pride of India /
Laegestroemia
Queen's Crepe Poo marudu
speciosa
Myrtle
Lannea
Indian Ash Odhiyam India
coromandelica
Leucaena
Subabul Savundil
leucocephala
Madhuca
Mahua Iluppai
longifolia
Mango Maamaram Mangifera indica India Fruits are eaten
Persian Lilac Malai Vembu Melia azadirach India
Michelia
Champak Shenbagam
champaka
Millingtonia
Indian Cork tree Maramalli India
hortensis
Used for oral
Bullet Wood /
Maghizham Mimusops elengi India hygeine, fruits
Maulsari
are eaten
Ivory Wood / Al Nuna Morinda tinctoria
 Dye
Horse
Radish/Drumstick Murungai Moringa oleifera
tree
Flowers have
Singapore Cherry / Muntingia antiseptic
Nei pazham South America
Jam tree calabura properties,
fruits eaten
Curry leaf tree Karuvepilai Murraya koenigii
Nyctanthes arbor-
Coral Jasmine Pavazhamalli
tristis
Parkia
Gongstick tree Mavukkai
biglandulosa
Peltophorum Ornamental,
Copper pod Iyalvagai Sri Lanka
pterocarpum Cabinet work
Phoenix
Date Palm Verchipalam
dactylifera
Wild Date Palm Ichamaram Phoenix sylvestris
Leaves used
Garden Lettuce Nochikottai Keerai Pisonia alba India for relief in
rheumatism
Pithecolobium
Manila Tamarind Kodukkapuli
dulce
Ashoka / False Polyalthia
Nettilingam India
Ashoka / Mast tree longifolia Ornamental
Oil from seeds
Pongamia
Indian Beech Pungam, Punnai India is used for
glabra/pinnata
Rheumatism
Mesquite Indian Prosopis cineraria
Velikattan/mullu
Mesquite Prosopis juliflora
maram
Fruits are
Guava Goyya Psidium gujava India eaten, bark is
an astringent
Pomegranate Madulai Punica granatum
Putranjiva
Child Life Tree Karupala
roxburghii
Ravenala
Traveller's palm
madagascarensis
Rain tree Thoongumunji Maram Samanea saman Brazil Ornamental
Soapnut Boondikottai maram Sapindus indicus India
Asoka Asoka Saraca indica India
Agasta Agathi Sesbania
 grandiflora
Spathodia
African Tulip tree Pataadi E Africa
campanulata
Buddha's coconut Sterculia alata India
Bark used for
Jungli badam / ropes, timber
Pinari,
Java Olive / Wild Sterculia foetida India for furniture,
Kutiraippitukku
Almond seeds edible
after roasting
Strychnos nux-
Nux-Vomica Yetti
vomica
Java Plum Naval Syzigium cumini India
Tabebuia roseo
White trumpet tree Brazil
alba Ornamental
Tamarindus Tropical Pods used for
Tamarind tree Puliya maram
indica Africa cooking
Yellow Bells Tecoma stans
Used for
Teak Tekku Tectona grandis India
Furniture
Terminalia Ornamental,
Indian Badam Nattuvadumai India
catappa Edible nuts
Myrobalan Terminalia
Kadukkai
Chebulic chebula
Bark and
Thespesia leaves used for
Indian Tulip Puvarasu India
populnea treating skin
diseases
Oleander Thevesia nerifolia
Nochi Vitex negundo
Snowflake tree Paalai Wrightia tinctoria
Indian Jujube Elandai Zizyphus jujuba