Hello, I am Chandada

I am found across India, Sri Lanka and northern Thailand.

In India, some of the other names I have is: Chandi kal, uppalige. Specifically, in Kannada, I am known as chandakala, batla chandrike. In Tamil, I’m called Vattakanni.

A lot of the local names derive their reference from my broad, circular, and flat moon-like leaves.

In Sri Lanka, they call me kenda or kanda

My botanical name is: Macaranga peltata

My genus name Macaranga is derived from the Malay plant name ma-kárang, it’s a word used to describe trees with light, soft wood.

peltata comes from Latin. ‘Pelta’ means a small shield (especially a round or oval shield used in ancient times). If you hold my leaf from below with its stalk, it will give you a feeling of holding a shield! This is possible because, if you look closely, the stalk attached itself towards the centre of the leaf and not its edge.

Thus, the word ‘peltate’ came about to have a very specific meaning in botany. In botanical terms, a ‘peltate leaf’ is one where:

The leaf stalk (petiole) attaches to the underside of the leaf blade
The attachment point is near the centre, not at the edge
The leaf spreads out like a shield or umbrella

My Story

Because of this feature, some people even call me the Umbrella Leaf Tree. My large, round leaves, spread wide like green umbrellas, glowing softly when light passes through them.

My broad leaves have also been used as natural wrappers or plates. Much like banana leaves, you can use my leaves to steam fish in! Kenda leaves are commonly used in Sri Lanka for flavouring.

My trunk is straight and pale, often unbranched for a good height. I grow fast and tall, especially where sunlight is abundant.

My wood is light and soft, not meant to last centuries. Humans use it for:

Temporary structures
Packing material
Match splints, pencils and light plywood work

The softness of my wood makes it makes it easy to cut, shape and grove into the thin, flat pieces (called slats) needed for pencil bodies. The town of Kollam in Kerala is a key hub in global pencil supply-chain. Estimates suggest that Kollam produced ~70% of the world’s pencil slats at its peak.

Let’s talk a bit about my role in the forest. I am what ecologists call a pioneer species. I arrive early, sometimes when the land still looks wounded. Where trees have fallen, fires have passed, or humans have cleared the ground, I step in first. I grow quickly to:

Cover the soil
Create shade
Drop leaves that enrich the earth

I make the land kinder and cooler, preparing it for slower, longer-lived trees that will one day rise above me. When you see me, you are usually looking at a forest that is young, healing, or in transition.

My flowers are small and quiet. My fruits are tiny too, but they feed birds and insects, helping life return to recovering forests.

Some of my relatives are famous for living with ants, but I work independently. My strength lies in speed and generosity, not alliances.

Here’s a final thought before you leave me:

I am not here to become ancient or monumental. I am here to begin things. I grow fast, shade generously, and step aside when the time comes.

If you listen closely, you might hear me say:

Let me help the forest start again.

I’m trying to do my bit, the question is: Will you?

Have a tree story or memory?

If you have your own story about a tree or would like to add more information, do share it with us and we will publish it on our pages.

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