Who said that spirits live in the shami tree?
Varahamihira wrote it in his work on trees; no one other than Varahamihira has contributed this knowledge of trees.
Related questions
A big peepal tree stands in the North-West of my own house and my health has suffered since I moved in; is it the cause?
Yes, it definitely causes trouble; a peepal tree there harms health. If the house were rented you could simply leave; since it is your own, give it on rent and live elsewhere.
A mango tree inside the boundary in the North-East is growing taller than the house. What effect will it have?
Only one tall tree is allowed in the North-East, the coconut, which draws cosmic energy from above and passes it down. No other tall tree should stand there. If one already exists and cannot be cut, plant energy-capturing plants such as tulsi in the North and plant tulsi all around the tree.
A pomegranate tree stands in the South-West. What should be done?
If it is in a pot inside the house, give it away to a garden.
Ashopalav leaves look like mango leaves and are widely used in bandhanwars in Rajasthan. Can they be used instead?
No. What counts is composition and quality, not appearance; ashopalav leaves have a different composition, so they do not carry the properties of mango leaves. Mango leaves have many special qualities: their juice is used for purifying land, and where marriage is not happening or auspicious functions keep failing, mango leaf juice is applied as a lepan beneath the place where the girl or boy sleeps, after which the auspicious events take place.
Can plants be kept in the West, North-West and South-West?
Certainly. Drop the idea that there should be no greenery in the North-West or South-West; gardens and resorts everywhere have greenery on all sides. A vastu expert should never get a tree cut, because its dosh falls on him; plant auspicious trees near it instead.
How long do the sun's rays take to reach the earth, and which materials capture the most of the planetary energy they bring?
The sun's rays take about 8 minutes 20 seconds to reach the earth, and only about 55% of their energy arrives; the other 45% is lost on the way. Of what arrives, trees and plants capture about 95%, mirrors 80%, yantras 60 to 90%, pyramids 65% (which is why fruit kept under a pyramid stays fresh), water 60% (mainly the Moon's energy), metals 45% and stones 35%. Plastic and other petroleum by-products capture none, so interiors should rely on natural materials and on indoor and outdoor plants chosen for the planet of each direction.