KOCHI: Strolling through the quaint streets of Fort Kochi, it’s hard to miss these towering botanical giants with their expansive foliage overhead. Lining the roads, the emerald canopies of the ‘rain trees’ resemble massive umbrellas, creating intricate patterns across the sky.
Much like tapioca, rain trees (Samanea saman or Albizia saman) were once foreigners to this land. As Aswathi Jerome, who runs the popular Instagram page @treesofcochin, explains, “They were introduced as avenue plants by the colonisers. It cannot be pinpointed as to who popularised it on our land – could be the Portuguese, or the British, who used its timber as firewood.”
These trees, with their sizable trunks and delicate pink-and-white flowers, are found in other parts of Kerala, but nowhere as abundantly as in Fort Kochi. The local residents have a curious name for it — ‘urakkam-thoongi maram (sleepyhead tree)’ — because its leaves fold up in the evening. It’s also known as the ‘5-o’clock tree’ for the same reason.
“The leaves of these trees are highly sensitive to light,” Aswathi adds, “which is why they droop in the evening or when it rains. It’s like the leaves are going to sleep.”
She highlights another interesting feature: the leaves of this can retain a lot of water after rain, so they keep dripping long after the shower has stopped, creating an ideal environment for small plants to grow underneath.
“This is why they are called rain trees. Also, the trunks host cicadas and other insects that feed on the sap. Their secretions often come down like a drizzle,” she says.
“Native to Central and South America, these trees are also called monkey-pod trees, as monkeys love to relish the sweet pulp from the pods. These pods turn black as they ripen, attracting animals and birds.”
The rain trees, belonging to the legume family, can be found in Panampilly Nagar as well, says Aswathi, who plans to hold a series of tree walks in December.
“MG Road, too, was once lined with rain trees and copper pods (Peltophorum pterocarpum), a native species with brilliant yellow flowers that carpet the ground. Many of them were cut down for road and metro expansion,” she rues.
Tour guide Shyam Kumar believes that the rain trees were introduced by the Portuguese from Brazil, and later popularised by the British. “They grow quickly. The rain trees in front of the Old Harbour Hotel are among the oldest in Fort Kochi, over 250 years old,” he notes.
Former city mayor K J Sohan emphasises that rain trees are integral to Fort Kochi’s cultural landscape. “They were introduced by the Portuguese to provide shade for soldiers and slaves,” he says. “These trees can be found in most places they colonised. The ones here are 200-250 years old.”
Each rain tree supports a micro-ecosystem, Sohan highlights. “You can see ferns and orchids growing on the trunks,” he says. “Their sturdy branches provide a home for many roosting birds.”
Along with Banyan trees, Sohan notes, the rain trees play a vital role in reducing Kochi’s carbon footprint. “Kochi was once a municipality, with ‘tree keepers’ tasked to care for the rain trees. When it became a corporation, the post ceased to exist,” he recalls.
“Their branches can grow up to 50 metres and lack taproots. These trees should be periodically pruned to maintain balance. There was recently a tree census in Kochi; such measures are essential for preservation. We need a proper tree policy.”