15/09/2025
Nestled in the verdant hills of in district, Kerala, the Palode Botanical Garden (officially known as Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, or ) is one of ’s premier botanical gardens dedicated to tropical plant biodiversity. It is more than just a garden—it is a living laboratory, a centre for conservation, scientific research, environmental education, and sustainable use of plant resources.
JNTBGRI was founded on 17 November 1979 by the Government of Kerala. The idea was to conserve the rich plant biodiversity of the tropics—especially that in Kerala and the Western Ghats—and to facilitate research into tropical botany, horticulture, medicinal plants, etc.
Botanists, especially Prof. A. Abraham from Kerala University’s Botany Department, played a crucial role for this botanical garden project. Their vision included conserving endangered species, researching classification (taxonomy), medicinal and aromatic plants, and forging connections between traditional knowledge (tribal wisdom) and modern scientific research.
Over time, JNTBGRI expanded its collections and scope—establishing specialized facilities such as conservatories, orchid houses, germplasm banks, etc. The institute also developed programs for ex situ conservation (preserving plants outside their natural habitat) and in situ conservation.
The garden and institute occupy a large tract—on the order of 300 acres for its conservatory garden. There are also specialized sections (like arboretums, germplasm collections, field conservatories) that take up substantial land.
Plant Diversity of over 50,000 individual plants (accessions) encompassing several thousand species. Estimates vary: about 5,000 species in some sources, while others suggest up to 12,000 tropical plant species and their genetic variants. Rich in medicinal, aromatic and spice plants, orchids (including many hybrids), bamboos, palms, and rare/endangered species.
Specialized Collections and Sections
Arboretum: A 20-hectare arboretum housing a large number of woody plants and trees.
Ginger Germplasm: A collection with many species of ginger (Zingiberaceae) maintained for conservation and research.
Andaman & Nicobar Flora Conservatory: A field conservatory dedicated to preserving plant species from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. This is especially important due to the ecological uniqueness and threats to those island ecosystems. Biorepository project for Andaman & Nicobar flora.
Herbal Garden in honour of Itty Achudan: Named after a traditional Malayali physician, this garden includes plants mentioned in the “Hortus Malabaricus” (an important 17th-18th century text documenting plant species of the Malabar region) as well as architecturally styled elements reflecting cultural heritage.
Other sections include bamboo gardens, orchid houses, aquatic plants, ornamental and exotic species, carnivorous plants (like pitcher plants), cacti & succulents, etc.
Scientific & Conservation Activities
Research in taxonomy, botany, plant biotechnology (e.g. orchid breeding), microbiology, etc. Conservation efforts: both in situ (inside natural habitats) and ex situ (in gardens, seed banks). For example, propagation and planting-out of endangered species.
Why Palode Botanical Garden is significant:
Biodiversity Conservation: Given the high biodiversity of tropical plants, many of which are endemic or endangered, the garden plays a vital role in preserving genetic diversity.
Scientific Research: It offers researchers resources: living collections, herbarium specimens (over 50,000 for Kerala flora) for taxonomy and botanical studies.
Traditional Knowledge & Ethnobotany: The institute links with tribal communities (for example, the Kani tribe), using their knowledge for medicinal plants research.
Education & Public Awareness: Guided tours, displays, educational programs help raise awareness about plant conservation, climate change, sustainable use of plants, etc.
Eco-tourism Potential: The garden is increasingly being promoted as eco-tourism destination—walkways, nature trails, viewing points, etc., are being considered or developed.
👉🏻👉🏻👉🏻NOW LET's LOOK ON WHAT BASIS WE SAID IT IS THE LARGEST BOTANICAL GARDEN IN ASIA. (Comparision with the Indian Botanic Garden in )
Trivandrum Palode Botanical Garden is one of the largest tropical botanical gardens in India and is considered a major centre for tropical plant research in Asia, but not the largest in terms of area.
The largest botanical garden in Asia by area is generally considered to be the Indian Botanic Garden in Howrah, Kolkata (also known as Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden), which spans about 273 acres and is famous for the Great Banyan Tree.
But, Thiruvananthapuram Palode Botanical Garden (officially known as Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, or JNTBGRI) covers around 300 acres, but much of it is research, conservatories, and forest land. It is Asia’s largest tropical botanic garden dedicated to research and conservation, but not the absolute largest in area.
In short, Largest overall in Asia is Kolkata Botanic Garden ( ) & Largest tropical botanic garden for research & conservation is Palode Botanical Garden (JNTBGRI).
