Biodiversity

A living library of the diverse plants, insects and animals that shape, support, and sustain our regenerative forest ecosystem.

At The Zakoji Farm, diversity isn’t just a feature, it’s the foundation. Every plant we grow plays a role in a greater ecological symphony: some fix nitrogen, others climb, some shield the soil, and many feed not just us, but the entire web of life. We don’t select species based on trends or yield alone, we select for function, harmony, and resilience.

This section catalogs the plants that make up our living system, each carefully chosen to support our closed-loop, soil-first, truth-seeking approach to farming. From towering canopy trees to humble ground covers, this biodiversity isn’t just beautiful, it’s intentional, interdependent, and regenerative.

And with this vibrant plant life comes a thriving world of insects, birds, and animals. Pollinators hover between blooms, predators keep pests in check, and small mammals and reptiles move quietly through the understory. We see butterflies resting on lemongrass, frogs singing from the compost, and birds nesting in the arms of neem and mango. None of it is separate. The biodiversity of species above the soil is inseparable from the life teeming below it.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list. We’ll continue updating it with more plants, insects, birds, and animals over time.

Canopy

Mango

Called 'The King of Fruits', this dense canopy provider supports shade and microclimates while yielding beloved fruit.

Neem

Revered as 'Nature's Pharmacy', its leaves and oil offer powerful pest-repelling benefits and medicinal properties.

Jamun

Prized for diabetic health benefits, its deep roots stabilize soil while the fruit is rich in antioxidants.

Coconut

Ideally known as the 'Tree of Life', it provides water, oil, fiber, and mulch in one single resilient species.

Jackfruit

Produces the largest tree-borne fruit in the world, serving as a resilient food source and shade provider.

Red Sandalwood

A hardy deciduous tree valued for its rich red timber and soil-enriching leaf litter, supporting biodiversity in dry landscapes.

Sub-Canopy

Guava

A fast-growing tree with four times the Vitamin C of oranges, bridging the gap between canopy and ground layers.

Curry Leaf

Aromatic leaves essential to Indian cuisine, this hardy sub-canopy dweller repels certain pests naturally.

Moringa

Known as the 'Miracle Tree', its leaves contain more protein than yogurt and more potassium than bananas.

Mulberry

Fast-growing and berry-producing, it feeds both silkworms and humans while rapidly generating biomass.

Papaya

Provides fruit in less than a year, with large leaves that accelerate compost breakdown when dropped.

Lemon

Its fragrant white blooms are a favorite of honeybees, while the fruit offers year-round zest.

Herbs and Shrubs

Red Banana

A striking cultivar with reddish skin and sweeter fruit, offering quick biomass and rich mulch.

Lemongrass

Contains citral oil which naturally repels mosquitoes while stabilizing soil on slopes.

Banana

The world's largest herb (not a tree), it provides fruit, fiber, and immense organic matter for the soil.

Areca Palm

One of the most effective air-purifying plants, adding vertical texture and filtering sunlight.

Miracle Berry

Contains miraculin, a glycoprotein that temporarily makes sour foods taste sweet.

Sunflower

Its deep taproots break up compacted soil while the flower heads track the sun across the sky.

Nitrogen Fixers

Ice Cream Bean

Named for its sweet cottony pulp, this nitrogen-fixer rapidly builds soil fertility.

Pigeon Pea

A permaculture staple that fixes nitrogen, breaks clay soil, and provides protein-rich pulses.

Casuarina

A pine-like tree that fixes nitrogen through Frankia bacteria, excellent for windbreaks.

Groundcover

Singapore Daisy

A vigorous groundcover that quickly blankets bare soil, suppressing weeds and retaining moisture.

Pineapple

A bromeliad that captures water in its leaves, perfectly suited for understory planting.

Nasturtium

Edible peppery leaves and flowers that act as a trap crop, luring aphids away from other plants.

Pollinators and Beneficials Insects

Honey Bee

A single colony can pollinate millions of flowers daily, serving as the tireless engine of the ecosystem's productivity.

Jewel Beetle

One of the most beautiful beetles in the world, the Jewel Beetle is a master pollinator, feeding on nectar and pollen while transferring pollen between flowers.

Red Lady Bug

A voracious predator of aphids and mites, a single beetle can consume over 5,000 pests in its lifetime.

Dragonfly

One of nature's most efficient hunters with a 95% success rate, they keep mosquito populations in check.

Orb Weaver Spider

Master architects that rebuild their intricate circular webs daily to catch flying pests.

White Crab Spider

An ambush predator that can change color to match the flower it sits on while waiting for unsuspecting pests.

Wildlife and Birds

Indian Burrowing Frog

These amphibians are nature's pest control, feasting on insects and larvae, helping to maintain the delicate balance of the ecosystem.

Peacock

Peacocks are a symbol of grace and beauty, and their presence in our ecosystem is a testament to the health of our environment.

Indian Cricket Frog

These tiny amphibians are masters of camouflage, blending seamlessly with the leaf litter to ambush unsuspecting insects.

Bulbul Nest

Social songbirds that play a crucial role in seed dispersal, often building cup-shaped nests in the safety of dense shrubs.

Red Wattled Lapwing Eggs

Known for their 'Did-he-do-it' call, these vigilant birds nest on the ground and fiercely distract predators to protect their young.

Baya Weaver

The male Baya Weaver is a master architect, weaving intricate, pendulous nests from grass and leaves to attract a mate.

Soil Life

Earthworm

Nature's greatest engineers, they aerate the ground and transform organic waste into gold standard fertilizer known as vermicompost.

White Chalk Mushroom

Thriving in calcium-rich soils, this fungus aids in breaking down tough organic matter into accessible plant nutrients.

Pleated Inkcap Mushroom

These delicate fungi emerge after rain and self-digest into black ink within hours, signaling high organic matter.