A Guide to Trees in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has a unique ecosystem and is blessed with a plethora of trees that make the island the paradise that is known to be. The fascinating plant life of Sri Lanka is much more than what meets the eye, and this article will shed some much-needed light into the rich and diverse flora of the country. The country’s list of trees is as expansive as its history, but we hope that this guide to trees in Sri Lanka will help you appreciate the natural beauty and the distinct biodiversity of the country.
As little as it is with a little over 65,000km2 to its name, Sri Lanka has over 3,500 flowering plant species, and over a quarter of these species are considered unique to the country. It is one of the 34 biodiversity hotspots identified in the world and has the highest biodiversity per unit area of land amongst Asian countries. To understand the flora of Sri Lanka, you must look at different categories such as geography, climate, land use, land form and soils. Sri Lanka’s trees are quite similar to that of India’s as it is the closest country geographically. Records also show evidence that the two countries were only separated in the Miocene era, which explains why plants in Sri Lanka resemble so closely to those from the Indian sub-continent. The present landform of Sri Lanka is the result of millions of years of weathering by rain and wind, as well as movements of the earth’s crust. The topography of Sri Lanka is remarkably varied for its small area, with coastal plains, lowland hills and a mountainous interior, all of which contribute to the remarkable diversity of natural flora found in the country. Furthermore, trees in Sri Lanka are moulded through the changes that are brought with the monsoon seasons, different climate zones and varying degrees of temperature. No two places are the same in Sri Lanka, which further explains why there is such a vast array of trees in the country.
The natural flora of Sri Lanka has an intrinsic relationship with cuisine, medicine, shelter and the financial situation of the lives of the local people. They are at one with nature, and have developed indigenous methods of incorporating trees into their livelihoods in the most sustainable ways possible. From using every bit of a coconut tree, to creating Ayurvedic cures, to building homes, to providing the world with some of the most exotic and unique spices, Sri Lanka has done it all.
It is important that everyone do their part to ensure the biodiversity conservation in Sri Lanka as it plays a huge role in the life of every Sri Lankan. Organisations such as Dilmah Conservation have started initiatives to protect all common, threatened and rare species of flora to safeguard the future of the environment, country and its people.