According to author Nimret Handa, who wrote the book "Wild Flowers of India," chickweed is one of the most common winter flowers in northern India. The flower grows best in cool, moist areas; in the summer it only grows in areas with an elevation at or above 2,500 meters (8,202 ft.).
The chickweed plant features white, star-shaped flowers and generally grows to be 10 to 15 cm tall (4 to 6 inches). Chickweed is used in traditional medicines to treat arthritis and rheumatism, and is high in calcium and potassium. The plant can be eaten in salads or cooked as a vegetable, and many birds enjoy feeding on the chickweed flowers.
While it is called dhatura in India, this plant is known as the thorn-apple or Jimsonweed in other parts of the world. This dark green plant with white and violet flowers can grow as high as 1 meter (3 ft.) tall.
Dhatura starts to bloom in the beginning of winter and tends to die back in early spring. It will bloom again in heavy rains and chillier weather throughout the year. It is generally found above an altitude of 2,200 meters (7,217 ft.). It grows in nearly any soil and can be found springing up in the ruins of old buildings or in gravel.
Dhatura seeds can cause severe hallucinations, illness or death if ingested. The other areas of the plants are a narcotic and have been used medicinally to treat asthma, hysteria and neuralgia.
The traditional Christmas plant grows in shrubs and on branches of walnut, apricot, poplar and chestnut trees throughout India in the winter. Mistletoe generally grows in temperate areas of the Himalaya Mountains, at elevations between 1,000 and 2,700 meters (3,280 and 8,858 ft.).
Mistletoe features yellowish green branches and blunt leaves. The red berries open early in the winter. Mistletoe can be used medicinally to treat hypertension, asthma and cough, but it can produce allergic reactions if not used carefully.
Mazus features small white and purple flowers and sprouts in damp places, including lawns. The plant is often treated as a weed. Mazus is a low-growing, mat-forming groundcover (2 to 3 inches tall) that tends to flower in the hills in the summer and in the plains in the winter, though it can grow year-round in some areas. Mazus tends to attract bees, and can be used as a general immune booster.
