In a country like India, which has a colonial past, over the centuries a number of exotic trees were imported from around the world and planted. These trees continue to throw off the balance of local ecosystems even today. Further, a large number of non-native exotic plants continue to be planted without discretion by both municipal landscapers and private gardeners. There is little awareness of their ecological consequences.

For a city-wise list of high biodiversity supporting native plants, ranked by the biodiversity they support click here.