AVENUE PLANTING :

Diversity, Medicinal and

Environmental importance
• Avenue, or allée, is
traditionally a straight
path or road with a line of
trees or large shrubs
running along each side
• Latin venire ("to come")
indicates, to emphasize
the "coming to," or arrival
at a landscape or
architectural feature.
Where should we make avenue planting?

No tress or shrubs on the inside of cut-slopes

around curves
No trees or shrubs on the inside curve of an
embanked road construction
 Criteria for selection
Tree species shall preferably be:
– Unpalatable or fenced
– evergreen or remain green over most of the year
– tolerant of seasonal drought and insect and pest harms
– deep rooted to resist wind power and don’t damage road
– fast growing
– not invasive
– shall have one or more of social and economic values such as
medicinal (antimalarial trees), food, fuel wood, feed, shade, etc
• The trees should not have spreading crowns that might
obstruct the growth of trees in the opposite row.
• Trees on the two sides of the road should not be opposite
each other; they should be planted alternately.
• Fuel-wood species and fodder species should not be
chosen for the roadsides
• The root system of the trees should be neither very
spreading nor very shallow. On the other hand, trees with
shallow root system, like Millingtonia hortensis (mahanim),
topple over in storms and obstruct traffic. Thus trees with
deep root systems should be selected.
• Trees like Ficus benghalensis (bat or barghad) have hanging aerial roots, which would
obstruct traffic and pedestrians, so they should not be selected.
• Soft-wooded and brittle trees like Albizia lebbek, Cassia siamea, Eucalyptus spp.,
Eugenia jambolana, Ficus glomerata, Millingtonia hortensis and Sygyzium cumini should
not be planted along roadsides, for they tend to break in storms and block traffic.
• During summers and rainstorms, protection from sun and rain are most needed, so
trees that shed their leaves during these periods should not be planted. Moreover,
fallen leaves in the rainy season make the road slippery and block the drainage system.
• Various species of Acacia, Zizyphus, etc., which are prickly or thorny, should not be
planted because the fallen prickles or thorns cause trouble for pedestrians, animals and
people and may also damage the tires of cycles and vehicles.
• The trees should have the ability to withstand winter lopping, when little shade is
required.
• Too many species should not be mixed within short distances, particularly on roads
away from cities and towns
 Benefits
1. Reduced soil erosion: holds soils in place
2. Remove dust and other pollutants from the air,
protecting crops and road-side communities
3. Wind break
4. Flood control: slow and absorb
• Dust is affecting the health of people living
along the road and crop productivity
• Identified as main problem from unpaved
roads (47% of people in survey)
•Roadside plantations must have some porosity to allow the wind pass
through the plantation and increase the filtering effects. Optimal porosity: 35-
50%.

above: closed element (eg dense hedge)

SMALL FILTERING EFFECTS

middle: porous element (eg half open hedge or

row of trees with undergrowth.)
GOOD FILTERING EFFECTS

below: incomplete element (eg line of trees

without undergrowth)
 Retaining dust with roadside vegetation:
Porosity
• To acomplish a good degree
of porosity, roadside
plantations should be
approximately 5-20 meters
wide consisting of tall trees
with a bush layer underneath.
• In order to generate sufficient
capture a certain degree of
porosity is required.
 List of avenue tree species
• Azadirachta indica
• The bark - malaria, stomach and intestinal ulcers,
skin diseases, pain, and fever. The flower is used
for reducing bile and treating intestinal worms.
• Neem oil and the bark and leaf extracts have
been therapeutically used as folk medicine to
control leprosy, intestinal helminthiasis,
respiratory disorders, constipation and also as a
general health promoter. 
• Neem seed cake, a residue after extraction of
the oil is valued as a fertilizer and repellent for
insects. It contains more sulphur than any
other cake. 
• Neem has emerged as an ideal source of
pesticides and insecticides.
 Fastigiata Hornbeam
(Carpinus betulus)

• Tonic made
from hornbeam was
said to relieve
tiredness and
exhaustion
• Improve body
natural defense
• Dietary supplement
 Grevillea robusta
(Silver oak)

– Firewood, charcoal, timber

(furniture), poles, fodder
(leaves), bee forage, shade,
ornamental, soil conservation,
windbreak.
– Tree grows well with food crops
if managed to reduce shade.
Grevillea spp. were used traditionally to treat
pathogenic illness and are rich in
phytocompounds with antibacterial activity.

The G. juncifolia and G. robusta extracts were

good inhibitors of the growth of both gram-
positive and gram-negative bacteria yet were
completely ineffective against all fungal species
tested.
Liquidambar styraciflua / Sweet gum
• Their fruit is effective against
rheumatic pain.
• The bark has
astringent properties and
addresses dysentery and
diarrhea. 
• Gum resin from the trees has
anti-inflammatory and
expectorant properties and
has been used to treat
bedsores
• Sweetgum is primarily used for lumber,
plywood, slack cooperage, railroad ties, fuel
and pulpwood.
• Its wood is used for veneer, furniture, interior
trim, and wooden ware, in addition to
pulpwood for fine papers.
• Recreation and Beautification: It is used as a
specimen plant, shade tree, and street tree.
 Platanus hispanica / London Plane

The wood used to be popular for making veneers, as it is an attractive

golden brown colour with dark brown flecks.
• The leaves are astringent and vulnerary.
• The fresh leaves are bruised and applied to
the eyes in the treatment of ophthalmia.
• A decoction is used to treat dysentery and a
cream made from the leaves is used to heal
wounds.
 Quercus palustris / Pin Oak / Swamp Oak

Pin oak is the most commonly used

landscaping oak along with northern
red oak due to its ease of transplant, relatively
fast growth, and pollution tolerance

An infusion of the inner bark has been used to

treat intestinal pains
. Any galls produced on the tree are strongly
astringent and can be used in the treatment of
haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery
etc
 Tilia / lime
Promotes good respiratory health by
fighting off bacteria that can cause
infections of the respiratory system,
• Large-leaved Linden (Tilia
such as a flu, cough, sore throat, platyphyllos)
asthma and bronchitis.
alleviate indigestion by soothing • Lime (Tilia cordata) small
stomach cramps, gas, bloating and
diarrhea.
leaved lime
flower tea has been used for many • Silver Lime (Tilia tomentosa)
centuries as an antidote to fever in
cold and 'flu sufferers. • Crimean Lime (Tilia x
euchlora)
Interesting fact: during the
• Avenue of 50 cm Lime (Tilia
war lime blossom was used to cordata)
make a soothing tea
 Fagus sylvatica / Beech

• The harvested timber is used

for rough lumber, flooring,
plywood, and railroad ties.
• Beech wood is also used
to make tool handles,
baskets, veneer, and novelty
items.
• The soft, reddish tinge of
the wood makes it desirable
for furniture, and its naturally
clean odor makes good food
storage containers
 Lagerstroemia speciosa
giant crepe-myrtle, Queen's crepe-myrtle, or pride of India

•  Leaves have been used

to treat diabetes
mellitus  and serve as
diuretic and
decongestant.
•  Theravada Buddhism,
this plant is said to
have been used as the
tree for achieved
enlightenment
 Koelreuteria paniculata
Golden rain tree

• state flower of Kerala.

• The golden-rain tree is resistant to
air pollution and does well on
crowded urban boulevards. 
• This tree is a good choice as a
specimen plant for medium-size
gardens. It makes a good street or
shade tree where space is limited.
• The flowers are ophthalmic. They
are used in the treatment of
conjunctivitis and epiphora.
 Caryota urens 
Fishtail Palm

• Ayurveda recommends
the use of Caryota urens for
seminal weakness and urinary
disorders, the juice is applied on
the forehead for hemicranias.
• In traditional medicine porridge
prepared from Caryota
urens flower is used to treat
gastric ulcer, migraine
headaches, snake bite poisoning,
as well as rheumatic swellings.
 Asuarina equisetifolia
• Australian pine tree is the most
common seashore tree in India,
planted for windbreak and
known for cone like fruits.
• Hill tribes of New
Guinea use Casuarina in rotation
to restore nitrogen to the soil.
•  Root extracts are used for the
treatment of dysentery,
diarrhoea and stomach-ache
• contained carbohydrates,
alkaloids, proteins
 Alstonia scholaris
• state tree of West Bengal 
• The milky juice of Alstonia scholaris has been
applied to treat ulcers.
• The bark of the  is used in Ayurvedic medicine
to treat fever, malaria, troubles in digestion,
tumors, ulcers, asthma.
• The leaves and the latex are applied
externally to treat tumors.
 Red Bottle Brush Callistemon

• Jamaica, decoction used as

“hot tea” treatment of
gastroenteritis, diarrhea, and
skin infections.
• Indigenous people of Australia
used the  flowers as a natural
energy drink. 
•  essential oil is used to
harmonize a room or house
bringing tranquil healing
vibrations.
 Royal palm
Roystonea regia

• The seed is used as a

source of oil and for
livestock feed. Leaves
are used for thatching
and the wood for
construction
 Indian Tulip Tree/African Tulip Tree

• Thespesia populnea
• commonly found in South
India, otherwise known as
Portia Tree.
• flower, is one of the most
popular and cultivated as
an ornamental plant for
gardens and also marketed
as a hedge plant.
 Polyalthia longifera (false Ashoka)

  planted to reduce noise

pollution
The plant has been
commonly used in traditional
system of medicine for the
treatment of fever, skin
diseases, diabetes,
hypertension and
helminthiasis.
 Saraca indica

It is used as analgesic, improves complexion of

the body, digestive problems, used in excessive
thirst, bacteriostatic, anti-inflammatory and
also as anti-depressant.
Ashoka has been traditionally used in Indian
Ayurveda as a uterine tonic and has been
indicated in menstrual irregularities
Ashoka happens to be a uterine stimulant and
increases uterine contractions.
It also stimulates the ovarian tissue.
 Delonix Regia 
(Gulmohar)
Used in various ailments such
as chronic fever, antimicrobial,
constipation, inflammation,
arthritis,, piles, boils,, scorpion
bite, bronchitis, asthma