Lantana ca mars as is the botanical name for a weed mostly grown in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand and other parts of the country was a menace before it was realized to be economically viable for producing furniture. Of South America origins, the weed was brought to India as a decorative plant and soon the tropical weed spread all over the vegetation in lower hills of Uttarakhand. Thousands of acres of land became unproductive until its use as light weight and inexpensive furniture was realized. The woody perennial shrub is sturdy and has better durability than the bamboo and cane products and can be made into various shapes by heat application. Thus it presented itself as a great alternative to wood and is also a source of fuel in generating electricity. Dehradun and Chamoli district of Uttrakhand are famous production clusters for Lantana furniture. Various products include Chairs, Pegs, Racks and Baskets.
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