You can order saplings from Tamil Nadu Forest Department nurseries online through the Green Tamil Nadu Mission’s Dial A Tree portal, which now offers home delivery in the Chennai area. When we checked this month, its stock list included native species such as bullet wood (magizham), neem, jamun (naaval), pongam, arjun and Indian gooseberry, alongside fruit trees and some exotics.
With the northeast monsoon under way, October to December is the natural planting season in Chennai: young trees get three months of rain before the dry summer. The harder question is which trees to plant. Here is how to choose species that cope with the city’s salty winds, waterlogged soils and cyclones.
Why native species, and why it matters here
Cyclones keep teaching the same lesson. After Cyclone Michaung in December 2023, about 30 trees fell inside the Vandalur zoo campus alone, DT Next reported, and the city lost far more along its roads. Many of the trees that topple are fast-growing exotics with shallow roots or brittle wood.
Native trees evolved with the coastal plain’s monsoons, drought and poor soil. The best evidence that they last is the list of Chennai’s oldest trees. Of the 57 century-old trees documented by the Green Tamil Nadu Mission, most are native: neem, arjun, tamarind, jamun, mahua, bullet wood, vanni and Indian blackwood. Native trees also feed local birds, bats and butterflies far better than ornamental imports.
Trees that suit Chennai conditions
| Tree (Tamil name) | Good for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Neem (vembu) | Dry, poor soil; shade | Very hardy; several over 200 years old in the city |
| Bullet wood (magizham) | Gardens, avenues | Fragrant flowers; slow, sturdy growth |
| Arjun (marudham) | Low-lying, wet ground | Naturally a riverbank tree; tolerates waterlogging |
| Pongam (pungai) | Coastal areas, poor soil | Salt and drought tolerant; dense shade |
| Jamun (naaval) | Larger gardens, school grounds | Fruit for birds; likes moisture |
| Freshwater mangrove (samudrapazham, Barringtonia acutangula) | Pond edges, flood-prone plots | Grows by water; old specimens survive in Mylapore and Chintadripet |
| Indian gooseberry (nelli) | Small gardens | Compact; edible fruit |
The local forest is another guide. A 2012 survey of Nanmangalam Reserve Forest, one of the last patches of native scrub on the city’s edge, recorded 449 flowering plant species, and the Forest Department’s replanting there has favoured Terminalia, Bauhinia and Syzygium, according to Citizen Matters.
A few popular choices are best avoided. Fast-growing exotic avenue trees can look good within two years but often have shallow roots or soft wood that snaps in strong winds, and Prosopis juliflora, the thorny invasive shrub, is being cleared by the Forest Department from places like Ennore Creek because it crowds out native plants and drinks up groundwater. If a nursery offers a species you do not recognise, ask whether it is native before buying.
Matching the tree to the site
- Near the sea (Besant Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, ECR, Ennore): Pick salt and wind tolerant trees such as pongam and neem. Avoid tall, brittle species near houses.
- Flood-prone streets (Velachery, Mudichur, parts of north Chennai): Arjun, jamun and Barringtonia handle standing water better than most.
- Small plots and apartment setbacks: Choose medium trees such as nelli or bullet wood, and plant at least 3 to 4 metres from walls, sumps and septic tanks.
- Under power lines: Plant only shrubs or small trees, or plant elsewhere.
- Public footpaths: Planting on a corporation footpath or road margin needs the local body’s consent; ask your ward office first.
Getting saplings and planting them
- Order online. Register as a public user on Dial A Tree, search by species or nursery, and check out. The portal lists Annanagar Nursery among Chennai-area nurseries and lets you find others by district or on a map. Stock changes often, so check before you plan.
- Geo-tag it. The portal asks people who buy seedlings to geo-tag the planted sapling and upload the details.
- Plant at the start of the rains. Dig a pit about twice the size of the root ball, fill with a mix of soil and compost, and stake the sapling against wind.
- Protect it. A tree guard keeps out goats and cattle. Water through the first summer.
- Ask for help. The mission’s helpline, 1800-599-7634, handles planting queries, according to its website.
The state mission has set a target of 3.48 crore seedlings for 2026-27, and runs 260 nurseries across 43 forest divisions, its website says.
Quick answers
Where can I buy saplings in Chennai?
From government nurseries through the Dial A Tree portal of the Green Tamil Nadu Mission, which delivers in the Chennai area.
When should I plant trees in Chennai?
At the start of the northeast monsoon, from October to December.
Which trees survive cyclones best?
Deep-rooted natives such as neem, arjun, tamarind and bullet wood generally fare better than fast-growing exotics.
What can I plant near the beach?
Salt-tolerant natives such as pongam and neem.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Dial A Tree nursery portal (Green Tamil Nadu Mission)
- Green Tamil Nadu Mission (Government of Tamil Nadu)
- Heritage tree identification in Chennai: 100-year-old trees of Chennai at a glance (Green Tamil Nadu Mission)
- Angiosperms of Nanmangalam Reserve Forest, an urban forest in Metropolitan Chennai (Check List, 2012)
- Inside Nanmangalam Reserve Forest (Citizen Matters)
- Shut after cyclone’s fury, Vandalur zoo to reopen for public today (DT Next)
