Vizag's new marvel: Uppa Trees bring pink blossoms and serenity to Paderu

Visakhapatnam: Vizag isn’t just about the beaches or hill stations; thanks to the influencers of Visakhapatnam, the public is getting to know about the lesser-known but awesome attractions.

Uppa Trees: A new hit in Vizag forests

Now! Have you ever heard about Uppa Trees? It’s now the viral spot everyone wants to go in the agency area.

Spread in around 16 acres, Uppa Trees are located in Bangaram Garuvu, Uppa Village of Hukumpet Mandal, about 130 km from Visakhapatnam. The trees are scientifically called Mesua Ferrea. Also known as Indian rose chestnut, the Uppa Trees are now a major attraction.

With leaves in red, yellow, pink and orange colours, the beautiful blossom season is in December January and February. Flowering occurs between February to September.

Tribal communities believe Uppa Trees are sacred

Calling the area of the trees a sacred grove, nearby tribal communities such as Konda Dora, Konda Reddy, Gadaba and Baghata protect Uppa Trees and worship them. The area also has a small temple of Goddess Gunnalamma, worshipped by the local tribal communities. Every year, they celebrate a festival in her honour during Sivaratri, offering the leaves and flowers of the Uppa Trees as part of their worship.

According to a study, the local tribespeople living in the nearby hamlets classified the trees as sacred and medicinal. They believe that cutting down a tree would bring divine punishment to the family of the perpetrator. This belief has helped protect the trees for generations, ensuring their continued existence in this sacred space.

It is said that tribal women use flowers and leaves to decorate their hair.

What are Uppa Trees?

A slow-growing Uppa Tree can grow over 30 m (98 ft) tall and is widely cultivated for its ornamental stylish greyish-green foliage with a striking pink to red flush of drooping young leaves, and its large fragrant white flowers.

It is the national tree of Sri Lanka, as well as the State tree of Mizoram and the State flower of Tripura in India. It produces one of the strongest and heaviest woods in the world.

The area also has very old trees inside the village.

Achieving enlightenment under a Uppa Tree

In Theravada Buddhism, the tree is said to have been made for achieving enlightenment, like the Bodhi tree, by four past Buddhas. Buddhists believe that the next Buddha Maitreya will also awaken under this tree. In Buddhist texts, it is often called nāgapuṣpa in Sanskrit.

Uses of Uppa Tree

The wood of the tree is very heavy, hard and strong. The density is 940 to 1,195 kg/m3 (59 to 75 lb/ft3) at 15 per cent moisture content. The colour is deep dark red. It is hard to cut and is mainly used for railroad ties and heavy structural timber. In Sri Lanka, the pillars of the 14th-century Embekke Shrine near Kandy are made of the tree’s wood.

The flowers, leaves, seeds and roots are used as herbal medicines in India, Malaysia and in nagchampa incense sticks.

In Assam, its seeds were used for evening lighting for day-to-day purposes (mustard oil for religious, health and culinary purposes) before the introduction of kerosene by the British.

1. The leaves are used to treat some skin diseases.

2. The oil from the seeds is used for sores, scabies, wounds and rheumatism.

3. The root of the herb is used as an antidote for snake poison.

4. The dried flowers are used for bleeding haemorrhoids and dysentery with mucus.

5. Fresh flowers are also prescribed for excessive thirst, excessive perspiration, cough and indigestion.

How to visit Uppa Trees from Vizag?

Take the Paderu-Araku road. After crossing Hukumpet Junction, take right at the Kotnapalli village to enter the Uppa Village.

From Visakhapatnam, the Kothavalasa-Devarapalli road is another option to get to the Uppa Trees.

If travelling on the Araku-Paderu route, take a left at the Kichumanda area Ontipaka junction, and go straight for 23 km into the village.

The journey is about 130 km from Vizag. The public is urged to maintain the place clean and plastic-free.