Nakshatra Plants, Rashi Plants, Navagraha Plants and Saptarishi Plants
Nakshatra Plants
Vedic astrology divides the ecliptic sky into 27 equal sectors, called Nakshatras. The moon traverses these sectors during its lunar cycle, and the Nakshatra at any time is the sector in which the moon is positioned at that time. The 27 Nakshatras are named Ashwathi, Bharani, Karthika and so on.
Vedic Rishis assigned specific plants to these 27 Nakshatras, may be contemplating the connection between the cosmos and the nature. These are called the Nakshatra plants. Depending on the ‘Janma Nakshatra’ of a person – the position of the moon at the time of his/her birth – every individual has thus a distinct Nakshatra plant. In ancient India, there was a tradition that when a baby is born, the Nakshatra plant of the newborn was planted and maintained to ensure the health, wealth and happiness throughout his/her life.
| Sl. No. | Nakshatra | Malayalam | English | Hindi | Botanical Name |
| 1 | Ashwathi/Ashwani | Kanjiram | Poison nut | Kuchala (कुचला) | Strychnos nux vomica |
| 2 | Bharani/Bharani | Nelli | Gooseberry | Amla (आँवला) | Emblica officinalis |
| 3 | Karthika/Krittika | Atthi | Cluster fig | Audumbar (औदुंबर) | Ficus racemosa |
| 4 | Rohini/Rohini | Njaval | Black plum | Jamun (जामुन) | Syzygium jambolanum |
| 5 | Makayiram/Mrigshirsha | Karingali | Cutch tree | Babool kattha (बबूल कत्था) | Acacia catechu |
| 6 | Thiruvathira/Ardra | Karimaram | Black ebony | Abnus (आबनूस) | Diospyros ebenum |
| 7 | Punartham/Punarvasu | Mula | Bamboo | Baans (बांस) | Bambusa bambos |
| 8 | Pooyam/Pushya | Arayal | Sacred fig | Peepal (पीपल) | Ficus religiosa |
| 9 | Ayilyam/Ashlesha | Nank (Nagapoo) | Beauty leaf tree | Nagchampa (नागचम्पा) | Mesua ferrea |
| 10 | Makam/Magha | Peral | Banyan | Vad (वड, वट) | Ficus benghalensis |
| 11 | Pooram/ Poorvaphalghuni | Plash | Flame of forest | Palash (पलाश) | Butea monosperma |
| 12 | Uthram/ Uttaraphalghuni | Itthi | Indian laurel | Juvvi (जुव्वी) | Ficus microcarpa |
| 13 | Atham/Hasta | Ambazham | Hog plum | Ambara (अम्बाड़ा) | Spondias pinnata |
| 14 | Chithira/Chitra | Koovalm | Golden apple | Bael (बेल) | Aegle marmelos |
| 15 | Chothi/Swati | Nirmaruthu | Arjuna tree | Arjun (अर्जुन) | Terminalia arjuna |
| 16 | Visakham/Visakha | Vaiyyankatha | Governor’s plum | Kaith (कैठ) | Feronia elephantum |
| 17 | Anizham/Anuradha | Ilanji | Bullet wood | Bakul (बकुल), Maulsari (मौलसरी) | Mimusops elengi |
| 18 | Triketta/Jyeshtha | Vetti | Bodh | Semal (काटेसांवर) | Aporusa lindleyana |
| 19 | Moolam/Mula | Vella kundirikkam | White dammar | Kahruba (खरूबा) | Vateria indica |
| 20 | Pooradam/ Purvashadha | Vachi | Indian willow | Bed-laila (बेद लैला) | Salix tetrasperma |
| 21 | Uthradam/ Uttarashadha | Plavu | Jackfruit tree | Katahal (कटहल) | Artocarpus heterophyllus |
| 22 | Thiruvonam/Shravana | Erukku | Crown flower tree | Madar (मदार) | Calotropis gigantea |
| 23 | Avittom/Dhanishtha | Vahni | Indian gum tree | Shami (शमी) | Prosopis juliflora |
| 24 | Chathayam/Shatbhisha | Kadambu | Bur flower tree | Kadamb (कदंब) | Anthocephalus cadamba |
| 25 | Pooruruttathi/ Purvabhadrapada | Mavu | Mango tree | Aam ka ped (आम का पेड़) | Mangifera indica |
| 26 | Uthrattathi/ Uttarabhadrapada | Aryaveppu | Margosa | Neem (नीम) | Azadirachta indica |
| 27 | Revathi/Revati | Ilippa | Butter tree | Mohwa (मोहवा, मोह) | Madhuca longifolia |
Rashi Plants
In Vedic astrology, Rashi astrological signs are the twelve 30 degree sectors that make up moon’s 360 degree orbit around the earth. Rashis are actually constellations of stars, in which the ancient Rishis saw particular shapes such as mesha, simha, kanya and so on, and named after them. Rashi for a person is the sign that is occupied by moon at the time of the person’s birth. In contrast to this, zodiac sign in western astrology is the constellation over which the sun passes at the time of a person’s birth.
| Sl. No. | Rashi | Malayalam | English | Hindi | Botanical Name |
| 1 | Medam/Mesha | Raktha chandanam | Red sandalwood | Lal chandan (लाल चंदन) | Pterocarpus santalinus |
| 2 | Edavam/Vrishabha | Ezhilampala | Devil tree | Saptaparni (सप्तपर्णी) | Alstonia scolaris |
| 3 | Midhunam/Midhuna | Dandappala | Pala indigo | Indrajau (इन्द्रजौ) | Wrightia tinctoria |
| 4 | Karkidakam/Karkata | Plash | Flame of the forest | Palash (पलाश) | Butea monosperma |
| 5 | Chingam/Simha | Ilantha | Chinese date | Bada ber (बड़ा बेर) | Zizyphus jujuba |
| 6 | Kanni/Kanya | Mavu | Mango tree | Aam ka ped (आम का पेड़) | Magnifera indica |
| 7 | Thulam/Tula | Ilanji | Bullet wood tree | Bakul (बकुल), Maulsari (मौलसरी) | Mimusops elengi |
| 8 | Vrishchikam/ Vrishchika | Karingali | Cutch tree | Babool kattha (बबूल कत्था) | Acasia catechu |
| 9 | Dhanu/Dhanush | Arayal | Sacred fig | Peepal (पीपल) | Ficus religiosa |
| 10 | Makaram/Makara | Kariveeti | Indian rose wood | Kala shisham (काला शीशम) | Dalbergia latifolia |
| 11 | Kumbham/Kumbha | Vahni | Indian gum tree | Shami (शमी) | Prosopis juliflora |
| 12 | Meenam/Meena | Peral | Banyan tree | Vad (वड, वट) | Ficus benghalensis |
Navagraha Plants
According to Vedic astrology, Navagraha are nine heavenly bodies and deities that influence human life on the earth. These are (1) Surya (2) Chandra (3) Mangala (4) Budha (5) Brhaspati (6) Shukra (7) Shani (8) Rahu (ascending node of the moon), and (9) Ketu (descending node of the moon). (Earth, Uranus and Neptune are not included in the Navagraha.)
| Sl. No. | Graham | Malayalam | English | Hindi | Botanical Name |
| 1 | Surya (Sun) | Erukku | Crown flower tree | Madar (मदार) | Calotropis gigantea |
| 2 | Chandra (Moon) | Plash | Flame of the forest | Palash (पलाश) | Butea monosperma |
| 3 | Mangala (Mars) | Karingali | Cutch tree | Babool kattha (बबूल कत्था) | Acasia catechu |
| 4 | Budha (Mercury) | Kadaladi | Prickly chaff flower | Apamarg (अपामार्ग) | Achyranthes aspera |
| 5 | Brhaspati (Jupiter) | Arayal | Sacred fig | Peepal (पीपल) | Ficus religiosa |
| 6 | Shukra (Venus) | Atthi | Cluster fig | Audumbar (औदुंबर) | Ficus racemosa |
| 7 | Shani (Saturn) | Vahni | Indian gum tree | Shami (शमी) | Prosopis juliflora |
| 8 | Rahu | Karuka pullu | Bermuda grass | Durva (दुर्वा) | Cynodon dactylon |
| 9 | Ketu | Darbha pullu | Sacrificial grass | Kusha (कुशा) | Imperata cylindrica |
Saptarishi Plants
In ancient Indian astronomy, the asterism Big Dipper, which is part of the constellation of Ursa Major, is called Saptarishi. (Asterism is a group of stars smaller than a constellation.) The seven stars in Saptarishi represent seven rishis.
| Sl. No. | Rishi | Malayalam | English | Hindi | Botanical Name |
| 1 | Jamadagni | Karuka pullu | Doob grass | Durva (दुर्वा) | Cynodon dactylon |
| 2 | Vasishta | Vahni | Indian gum tree | Shami (शमी) | Prosopis cineraria |
| 3 | Gouthama | Ummam | Thorn apple | Safed Dhatura (सफ़ैद धतूरा) | Datura metel |
| 4 | Kashyapa | Thulasi | Basil | Tulsi (तुलसी) | Ocimum tenuiflorum |
| 5 | Agastya (Atri) | Agathi | Vegetable hummingbird | Agasti (अगस्ति) | Sesbania grandiflora |
| 6 | Viswamitra | Koovalam | Golden apple | Bael (बेल) | Aegle marmelos |
| 7 | Bharadwaja | Kadaladi | Prickly chaff flower | Apamarg (अपामार्ग) | Achyranthes aspera |