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PEEPAL TREE - It is also known as the Aswatha tree. Scientists have found that oxygen is produced in large amounts by the leaves of this tree and it is found in high concentration under the branches, probably due to the thick foliage. Hence it is considered very healthy to circumambulate this tree in the morning. Probably it is for this reason that it is considered a sacred tree and is worshiped in India. It is usually found near temples or temples are erected near Peepal trees. It has a very long life and can survive for centuries. It is prohibited from being cut. However, it is not suitable near a house, since it has far spreading roots which can affect the foundation of the building.
NEEM TREE - This tree has great medicinal value and its extract is used in pesticides. Its twigs are used to brush teeth and neem oil is used in physiotherapy. Since neem leaves are very bitter, a mixture of neem leaves, tender green mango and jaggery is eaten on Ugadi or the New Year in South India, as a symbolic gesture, that one is prepared to face the sweet, sour and bitter experiences of the coming year with equanimity. Therefore, this is a good tree to have in a house garden.
ANGO TREE – Most parts of the mango tree have medicinal 
value. It’s leaves are used as a pesticide, and its twigs are used for brushing teeth. Its leaves are used for puja purposes. It is considered very auspicious if the dead are cremated using ma ngo tree fire-wood. Then of course, mango fruit is the king among fruits and very tasty. The raw mangoes are used for making pickles and as a vegetable. Mango trees also have a very long life and can survive for 400-500 years. Obviously, this is also a very useful tree to have in your garden.
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ACK-FRUIT TREE - Like the ‘mango tree, the jack-fruit tree also produces very tasty, seasonal, fruit in large numbers. The yellow juicy kernels inside the jackfruit are used to make different types of sweets and halvas. The raw fruit kernels are cut into strips and made into tasty jackfruit chips, a speciality of Kerala. The Jack-fruit’s seeds are also nutritious and are used like a vegetable in South India. The beautiful yellow coloured wood from this tree is used to make furniture, doors, windows etc. Its leaves are considered auspicious and are used for puja. Therefore, it is useful and can be planted in your garden.
BANANA TREE – The tender saplings of the banana tree are used for dec
orating doors of houses, pandals etc, during functions and festivals as they are symbols o f prosperity and wealth. . Almost every part of the plant has some sort of economic or medicinal use. Bananas are available through the year and are very nutritious. Banana fruit is the best source for instant energy and are rich in potassium. Raw bananas are cooked and eaten like a vegetable. Banana leaves are used for eating traditional meals as they can be used and thrown and so are considered hygienic. The skin of the fruit is used in dyeing. The sap contains tannin and is used as marking ink. From the dried leaf stalks, fibres can be made and they can form a sound kind of string and are also used for tying fences, etc. A lot of illnesses can be treated with concoctions made from the roots, stem, flowers, and leaves of the tree. As far as usefulness is concerned, only one other plant can compete with the `Banana Tree` and that is the coconut. So this is a must-have in your garden.
COCONUT TREE - Every part of this tree is useful. The tender coconut water is a very healthy, cool, low fat drink. The coconut flesh is used in South Indian cooking in large amounts and gives it a distinctive flavour. The oil extracted from coconut is used in cooking as well as a hair oil. Coir is a very useful by-product which is used in making mats, carpets etc. The leaves of the coconut tree are weaved and used as roofing for huts by the poor. Its dry leaves are also used as fire-wood. It has a long life of about 100-150 years and is prohibited from being cut. Due to its usefulness it is considered a sacred tree. Hence it is considered a must, in every one’s garden.
SANDAL WOOD TREE- Sandal wood is very expensive as it is used to make exquisite handicrafts, and its oil is very fragrant. Sandalwood paste when applied on the forehead, cools the head, and so is used in temples and in hot places like Kerala. The sandalwood is used to make incence sticks. It is very rare to find sandalwood trees and hence there have been so many instances of robbers cutting down trees in the middle of the night, if found in any house compound. If you like this fragrant tre, it is a good idea to try and grow one- but you may need to secure it!Smaller shrubs- may be planted on the East or North sides, but no trees should be planted in the North-East corner as they block the useful morning sun rays.
Tall trees- like Coconut can be planted in the South-West, West sides but should should not be too close to a building as they block the sunlight completely. A tree should be planted such that it’s shadow should not fall on the house, at least between 9.A.M to 3P.M.
Large trees- like Peepal, Banyan should not be located too near the house as their roots can damage the foundation and compound wall. Also, the large trees absorb most of the sunlight, meaning these positive rays will not be received by the building.
Good trees- that can be planted in a house compound are useful trees like coconut, neem, betel, sandalwood, lemon, pineapple, bilva, almond, jackfruit, pomegranate, mango, amla, and katha.
Trees with insects, worms, honey bees, bumble bee, owls, serpents, should be avoided for obvious reasons.
If a tree must be removed because it is inauspicious or for other reasons, the day before cutting the tree, one should express regret to the tree, and it must be removed from its rooting. A new tree should be planted in its place within the next three months. This is a way of conserving nature.
ACCORDING TO VASTU SHASTRA, WHICH PLANTS ARE TO BE GROWN IN THE HOUSE GARDEN?
TULASI (BASIL) - It is also known as holy Basil and it is always good to grow a Tulasi plant on one’s property. Tulasi should be located on the North, North-East, or East sides of the house, or in front of the house. Tulasi is a medicinal plant and is used extensively in Ayurvedic medicines. It purifies the blood and improves the digestive system. It is believed to be useful in treating many types of diseases. Hence it is recommended to eat a few leaves every day. Its probably for this reason, that it is considered a sacred plant and used in daily worship.
JASMINE - In general, plants with sweet smelling flowers like jasmine, red lotus, blue lotus etc are good in the house compound as they give out a pleasant perfume, and can also be used in daily worship. Flowers like the Jasmine are stringed together and used as a decoration on the hair by Indian ladies. Moreover, as these flowers are produced round the year, they are always available.
THORNY PLANTS - Thorny plants should not be planted near the house. Cactus should not be planted at all. Thorny plants other than roses have a negative energy. Ideally all thorny plants should be pulled up and destroyed. The reason could be that the thorns can hurt you when you brush past them.
CREEPERS – Creepers or other plants should not be grown using the building or compound wall as a support as their clingers will slowly creep into tiny cracks in the walls and gradually widen them as they grow, causing damage and seeepage of water through the walls. Creepers should only be grown in a garden, and they should have their own independent supports. A creeper like a money plant can be grown within the house but should not be grown outside, using a tree for support.
LAWNS AND WATER BODIES- Lawns should be in the East or the North. A small water-fall of three to four feet or a water body can be constructed in the East or the North leaving the North-East corner. If there is a swimming pool in the garden, it should be in the North or North-East direction, so that the people using the pool benefit from the sun rays and also, the water will get purified by the U.V rays of the Sunlight.
BENCHES - Benches are useful in big gardens and can be placed in the open space in the East and the North direction so that people sitting in these directions, can benefit from the useful sun rays.
This post was about the Vastu guidelines regarding the useful trees and plants that can be planted in a House garden. One passes through the front garden to reach the front Verandah and it is adjacent to the Car Porch. Read about the Vastu guidelines for these spaces, here:
Related Topics:
- VASTU SHASTRA
- VASTU SHASTRA FACTORS
- VASTU SHASTRA PRINCIPLES
- VASTU GUIDELINES | SELECTION OF SITE
- VASTU GUIDELINES | DESIGN OF A HOUSE
- VASTU GUIDELINES | STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION
- LOGIC BEHIND SUPERSTITIONS
January 3rd, 2009 at 6:41 pm
very very informative and useful
January 10th, 2009 at 2:03 am
Thank you Ritu and Vineeta, for your encouraging comments. As an Architect practicing in Bangalore, I want to share my knowledge and experience in Vastu, in a scientific way, so that you will understand why Vastu is so popular and meaningful even today. However, this site is still under construction and it may take some time for me to put up all the information that I want to. So kindly bear with me.
January 11th, 2009 at 1:26 am
Very informative. I further wish to know where should we plant bamboo trees in our industrial compound. Someone said they should not be directly visible. Please advise
April 12th, 2009 at 9:42 am
I don’t usually comment on blog posts… but this was a good post.. keep up the good work
May 14th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
I just feel like commenting. Good stuff!
September 16th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Dear Sir/Mam and hello every one
My House is north facing, and land is also facing north to the road. I would like to plant a Mango tree in souch or South East direction,
I have planted a small Banana Tree in my house, some one is suggesting me to remove the plant immediately. What should I do now. Your suggestions is highly appreciated.
Dear Mr Krishna,
It is advisable to have more trees on the south, west and south-west sides, to serve as a buffer to the afternoon heat. It is better to keep the north and east sides more open as it will allow the useful morning sunlight into the house. as far as I know, useful trees like banana, mango, jackfruit, flowering shrubs etc are worth having in any house garden.
Admin
September 29th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
what plants can i keep in my house and in what direction
October 4th, 2009 at 8:35 am
I want tp plant Bilva Tree in my farm house.can you plaese suggest me where it should be planted. ( which direction and which position. Behind the House or infront of House. Or away from house any where within the farm . There is Villa with swimming Pool in the South west direction of Farm House. The swimming Pool is bacyard of the Villa that is to the south of the Villa. The Villa is contructed as per Vastu.
Please guide
December 22nd, 2009 at 1:17 pm
I really like your writing style, its not generic and extremly long and tedious like a lot of blog posts I read, you get to the point and I really enjoy reading your articles! Oh, and merry Christmas!
February 17th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
I admire the time and effort you put into your blog. I wish I had the same drive
March 17th, 2010 at 3:56 am
I really liked your blog! great
May 4th, 2010 at 6:28 am
Precisely tips that i had been searching for. Very well put too.
May 4th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
Sir/Ma am,
Is it good to have moeny plant in house according to vastu shastra? Please let me know It’s in my florida room. It is good place for it or not?
Hi Sumit,
Living, healthy plants in a house symbolize life and vitality and they add colour to your space. Use plants that are vibrant, healthy and lush. They should be placed in the eastern parts of the house since they will be flooded with morning sunlight. Place a money plant in the eastern section of the main room, namely the living room.
Regards,
Admin
May 19th, 2010 at 11:46 pm
I just posted this article on facebook. it is an interesting read for anyone.
June 4th, 2010 at 12:02 am
I can guess the hard work it must have been needed to research for this post.All what i can say is just keep providing such post we all love it.And just to bring something to your notice,I have seen some blog providng your blog as source for this information.
June 4th, 2010 at 3:19 am
Quite informative
But specifically would like to know more about bamboo trees in the house garden…
some say it isnt good to have a bamboo at home according to hindu tradition, but its so pleasant to see the colors of the bamboo…. could anyone throw light on this topic
Hi Mr Praveen,
Vastu is interpreted differently in various regions and by different practicioners. So you may have heard conflicting opinions on having a bamboo tree in your garden.
But if I apply logic and reasoning, I think it is not a good idea to have a bamboo plant because it is a very fast growing, tall plant with lot of foliage and very invasive as it spreads by running rhizomes. So a single bamboo plant could transform into a forest in very short time and block off most of the light and air to a house. But like you say, it looks very aesthetic with its yellow trunks hiding between the long, green leafy blades. So maybe if you have a large plot like a farm, you can have a clump of bamboo basically from an aesthetic point of view.
Of course in feng shui, it is considered an auspicious plant as it is a symbol of long life and strength – basically because it is a highly evolved grass that has withstood time. But if you notice, even in feng shui only small bamboo shoots are encouraged to be used in jars in the house.
Admin