Lucky-nut/Yellow oleander (Cascabela thevetia [Syn: Thevetia peruviana])

An introduced tree cultivated in gardens and roadsides. Flowering throughout the year. Native to Central and South America.

මිනී මල්[Mini mal]/Madagascar Periwinkle(Catharanthus roseus)

Very common herb found in waste sandy places and along the sea coast in the low country, both wet and dry zone. Also cultivated in home gardens. It is an endemic plant of Madagascar which was introduced as a garden plant and recorded from Sri lanka since 1804. 

වතු-සුද්ද/Sri Lanka Jasmine/Grape-Jasmine/Wathu-Sudhdha (Tabernaemontana divaricata)

Large shrub flowering throughout the year. Native to the Southern Himalayas and cultivated in Sri Lankan gardens since ancient time as an ornamental plant.  Variety with broad corolla lobes also exist. 

හීන් කරඹ/Heen-Karamba (Carissa spinarum)

A very common indigenous small shrub with spines on the node, distributed throughout the low country dry zone in jungles, roadsides, along forest edges and especially in disturbed vegetation. Flowering throughout the year. 

කුකුල් කදුරු/වල් කදුරු/වස කදුරු[Kukul-kaduru/Wal-kaduru/Wasa-kaduru] (Petchia ceylanica)

An endemic and rather uncommon shrub or small tree growing in disturbed low country rain forest areas. It is considered to be poisonous. 

ගොන් කඳුරු[Gon-Kaduru]/Suicide Tree (Cerbera odollam)

An indigenous tree common in coastal areas, along rivers and behind mangrove forests, both in wet and dry zone. Also planted between paddy fields and along roads. Fruit poisonous. 

දිවි කඳුරු[Divi-Kaduru]/Eve’s apple, forbidden fruit (Tabernaemontana dichotoma [Syn: Pagiantha dichotoma])

A common endemic tree of the secondary forests of the moist areas in lowlands to hills about 1200m a.s.l. The wood is used to carve traditional dancing masks. The white latex of the plant poisonous and can cause inflammation of the eye.

Desert rose (Adenium obesum )

Native to eastern Africa and Northern Arabian countries (Kenya, Uganda, Arabia and Mozambique). Cultivated in gardens as an ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical countries. Flowering mainly after the dry period and it is very resistance to the dry climate. Sometimes referred as “Pride of Japan” though it is not a native shrub of Japan (Kottegoda S.R.1994).

Shrub vinca (Kopsia fruticosa)

Native plant of India and Malay Peninsula, cultivate as an ornamental plant in home gardens due to attractive white or pink flowers with dark pink eye. Flowering mainly during June to August months of the year.

අරලිය[Araliya]/Frangipani/Temple tree (Plumeria rubra)

A native of Central America from Mexico to Panama. Introduced during some unknown period of the history and cultivate in home gardens and especially in temple premises since flowers are widely used as temple offerings. 

වෙල් රුක් අත්තන[Wel-ruk-attana]/Golden trumpet/Yellow allamanda(Allamanda cathartica)

Widely cultivated plant in home gardens and also naturalized in the wet zone and in the hill country. It is a native plant of Brazil and introduced as an ornamental plant due to its attractive yellow flowering throughout the year.  Variety hendersonii bear large flowers with about 10cm across while it is about 6cm of the other. 

වල්-ඉද්ද/සුදු-ඉද්ද/ඉද්ද/කෙලිද්ද[Wal-idda/Sudu-idda/Idda/Kelidha](Wrightia antidysenterica [Syn: Walidda antidysenterica])

An endemic shrub of scrublands and secondary forest lands of the moist low country. Often cultivate in home gardens due to its sweet scented flowers blooming all the year round. In traditional medicine this plant is used to treat tonsillitis and bronchial diseases and flowers are used to cure the Russel’s viper bite.

වෙලුක්[Weluk] (Boucerosia umbellata [Syn: Caralluma umbellata])

A rare perennial herb growing on rocky outcrops of dry and intermediate zones of the island. Flowering in January or August to September. This plant use as an ingredient to prepare poultice to draw out broken pieces of thorns or spikes from the body and to prepare an oil in treating dislocation of bones (Medicinal plants used in Ceylon part 1 – Jayaweera 2006)