Nakshatra Trees: The Tree for Every Birth Star and Pada
Long before anyone talked about carbon footprints, Tamil tradition linked every nakshatra to a tree. The idea is simple and beautiful: plant and care for the tree of your birth star, and you are nourishing something that grows alongside you. Many temples in Tamil Nadu still have a sthala vruksham, a sacred tree, and some newer temples have planted complete nakshatra gardens.
There are two common lists. The shorter one gives one tree per nakshatra. The detailed list used in many Tamil almanacs gives a separate tree for each of the four padas (quarters) of every star, 108 trees in all. We share the detailed list here, because it is the one people usually ask about.
How to Use This List
- Find your birth nakshatra and pada from your free horoscope report. The pada is shown next to the Moon's position.
- Look up the tree for your pada below.
- If that tree is hard to find or does not suit your soil or climate, plant any tree from the same nakshatra, or the tree of the first pada.
- Plant it in a temple, a school, a public space or your own garden, and look after it. Tradition places more value on caring for a tree than on simply planting one.
The 108 Nakshatra Pada Trees
Names are given as commonly used in Tamil, with English names where they are well known.
| Nakshatra | Pada 1 | Pada 2 | Pada 3 | Pada 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashwini (Aswini) | Etti (strychnine tree) | Magizham (Bakul) | Badam (Indian almond) | Nandanchu |
| Bharani | Atthi (cluster fig) | Manjal kadambu | Vila (wood apple) | Nandhiyavattai |
| Krittika (Karthigai) | Nelli (amla) | Manipungam | Ven thekku (white teak) | Nirivengai |
| Rohini | Naaval (jamun) | Sivappu mandharai | Mandharai | Nagalingam (cannonball tree) |
| Mrigashira (Mirugaseerisham) | Karungali (khair) | Aacha | Vembu (neem) | Neer kadambu |
| Ardra (Thiruvathirai) | Sengarungali | Vellai maram | Vellerukku | Vellerukku |
| Punarvasu (Punarpoosam) | Moongil (bamboo) | Malai vembu | Adappa | Nelli (amla) |
| Pushya (Poosam) | Arasu (peepal) | Aacha | Irul | Nochi |
| Ashlesha (Ayilyam) | Punnai | Musukkattai | Elanthai (jujube) | Pala (jackfruit) |
| Magha (Magam) | Aalamaram (banyan) | Muthila | Iluppai (mahua) | Pavazhamalli (night jasmine) |
| Purva Phalguni (Pooram) | Pala (jackfruit) | Vaagai | Rudraksham | Pala (jackfruit) |
| Uttara Phalguni (Uthiram) | Aalasi | Vatha narayanan | Etti | Pungam (pongamia) |
| Hasta (Hastham) | Aathi | Thennai (coconut) | Odhiyan | Puthirasivi |
| Chitra (Chithirai) | Vilvam (bael) | Purasu (palash) | Kodukkapuli | Thanga arali |
| Swati (Swathi) | Marudhu (arjuna) | Puli (tamarind) | Manjal kondrai | Kozhukkattai |
| Vishakha (Visakam) | Vila (wood apple) | Simsupa | Poovan | Thoongumoonji (rain tree) |
| Anuradha (Anusham) | Magizham (Bakul) | Poomarudhu | Kongu | Thekku (teak) |
| Jyeshtha (Kettai) | Pala (jackfruit) | Poovarasu | Arasu (peepal) | Vembu (neem) |
| Mula (Moolam) | Maraa | Peru maram | Senbagam (champak) | Aacha |
| Purva Ashadha (Pooradam) | Vanji | Kadal konji | Santhanam (sandalwood) | Elumichai (lemon) |
| Uttara Ashadha (Uthiradam) | Pala (jackfruit) | Kadukkai | Sara paruppu | Thaazhai |
| Shravana (Thiruvonam) | Vellerukku | Karungali (khair) | Siru nagappoo | Paakku (areca) |
| Dhanishta (Avittam) | Vanni | Karuvelam | Seetha (custard apple) | Jathikkai (nutmeg) |
| Shatabhisha (Sadhayam) | Kadambu | Parambai | Ramseetha | Thilagam |
| Purva Bhadrapada (Poorattathi) | Thema (mango) | Kungiliyam | Sundara vembu | Kanni mandharai |
| Uttara Bhadrapada (Uthirattathi) | Vembu (neem) | Gulmohar | Serangottai | Sem maram |
| Revati | Panai (palmyra) | Thanga arali | Sen santhanam (red sandalwood) | Manja pala |
Why Trees and Stars Are Linked
The siddhas and village astrologers who kept these lists were close observers of nature. Many of the trees on the list are medicinal (neem, amla, bael, arjuna), many are temple trees (peepal, banyan, vilvam, vanni), and many give food or shade. Linking each one to a birth star was a practical way of making sure people planted a variety of useful native trees, and kept planting them across generations.
There is also a spiritual idea behind it. A tree gives oxygen, shade, fruit and shelter for decades without asking for anything back. Caring for one is seen as a form of punniyam (merit) that supports you through difficult periods in your chart.
Practical Tips
- Check the space. Banyan, peepal and jackfruit grow huge. Plant them in temple grounds or open land, not near a house foundation.
- Choose native. If your exact tree is unavailable, a native tree from the same nakshatra is better than a decorative imported one.
- Involve children. Planting a child's star tree on their birthday is a lovely family tradition and teaches care for nature.
- Visit temple gardens. Several temples in Tamil Nadu have nakshatra vanams where you can offer water to your star tree.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don't know my pada. Which tree should I plant?
Plant the first-pada tree of your nakshatra, or any tree listed under your star. Your horoscope report shows the pada if you know your birth time.
Can I keep my star tree in a pot?
Small plants like lemon, nochi or nandhiyavattai can live in large pots. Big trees should go in the ground.
Is there a separate tree list for rasis?
Some traditions list trees for rasis and planets as well. The nakshatra list is the one most widely followed in Tamil Nadu.
Related Reading
About This Article
Written by: the Chanakya Astro editorial team, Madurai. We write our astrology and devotional guides from classical sources and from what we see in everyday practice, and we update them when facts change.
Sources: Traditional Tamil panchangam practice (Vakya and Thirukanitha almanacs) and the experience of our Madurai team.
Last reviewed: November 2026. Found an error? Please tell us through our contact page. Read more about us.
Note: Tree lists vary slightly between almanacs and regions. This list follows a widely used Tamil tradition.
അഭിപ്രായങ്ങൾ
ഇതുവരെ അഭിപ്രായങ്ങൾ ഇല്ല. ആദ്യം നിങ്ങൾ പങ്കിടൂ.