City shows love for bottle palms

LUDHIANA: Bottle palm trees - which dot posh localities like Gurdev Nagar, Rajguru Nagar, Maharaj Nagar, Sarabha Nagar, BRS Nagar and Model Town - have become a favourite with Ludhianvis over the last decade. While residents have been planting the ornamental trees outside their homes and in lawns to add beauty and give their place a grand look, the trend has been helping the city get a greener environment.
Sharanjeet Singh, head of department of social sciences at Kundan Vidya Mandir, Civil Lines, and resident of BRS Nagar's G Block said, "My whole family, including my mother Ajmail Kaur, my wife Poonam Grewal and my son Jaswant Singh, is very fond of greenery so about 10-15 years ago we planted a bottle palm at our house. Besides making the house look awesome, the tree makes the whole area greener. The beads-like fruit add to the tree's beauty."
Businessman Sachin Ahuja said he has two bottle palms in his garden. "My wife Kriti, daughters Arahana (5) and Ruhani (1) and I really like the look of these trees. My elder daughter enjoys playing around the tree. I also like the fact that it makes the whole area green,'' he said.
Bottle palm trees, which dot posh localities, have become a favourite with Ludhianvis over the last decade.
Another resident, Sukhbir Singh, a businessman and resident of Sarabha Nagar, said people have been growing the trees in large numbers because though its roots don't spread much, they are very strong.
Grown in Andhra
A 4-feet high sapling costs Rs 100 and a 7-8 feet plant costs Rs 250-300. The sapling is mostly grown in Andhra Pradesh and then sold across the country. The plant grows in all types of weather.