Flora

Man fined $2,000 for entering protected SAF training ground to pick pandan leaves

Just like how we would always carry boxes of pineapple pastries from Taiwan or egg tarts from Hong Kong back to Singapore, tourists are also known to lug home boxes of Pandan Chiffon Cakes. It’s definitely not only a hot favourite among Singaporeans, as it is well-loved by visitors too.

Bengawan Solo was founded in 1979 by Tjendri Anastasia, from Indonesia. She started baking and selling baked goods from her little home kitchen of her HDB flat. However, officials from the Ministry of Environment caught up with her and her unlicensed food production, resulting in her decision to set up the very first Bengawan Solo Cake Shop in Marine Terrace. Since then, her Pandan Chiffon cake ($1.50 per slice / $15.00 per cake) has been a best-selling item amongst her Nonya kueh(s) and other offerings.

If there’s one flavour that’s been adapted many times over, it has to be pandan. If not pandan in its own starring role, then it would be ondeh-ondeh. But right now, we’re shifting our focus on this fragrant, grassy aroma that’s gotten everyone in love with all things pandan. And now, we even have a dedicated Instagram account that depicts a pandan waffle hunt, right down to keeping a score sheet. Let us introduce you to pandan_pig.

With pandan_pig’s first post on Instagram debuting on 12 April 2021, it’s since taken off with a flurry of pandan food-related posts that chronicle where each food item can be bought, its pros and cons, as well as an overall rating. Some of the posts we love most are the ones of Tan Xia Bakery and Spring Leaf Bakery for the user’s unbridled confession of adoration for these two pandan waffle spots.

Another amazing pandan-infused beverage is this Singapore-exclusive milkshake flavour from fine casual chain Shake Shack, which made its highly lauded debut in Singapore at Jewel Changi back in April. Made of vanilla frozen custard ice cream blended with pandan and coconut, and topped with gula melaka crumble, it’s so rich, sweet and decadent that we’d even venture to say that it is heaven in a cup.

Chalk Farm’s take on the Kueh Salat, a beloved nyonya delicacy, is not only delicious, it’s also very pretty. Its highlight is its base of sticky rice that’s streaked with fresh butterfly pea extract, giving it a whimsical flair. It’s then topped with a thick layer of custard that’s flavoured with freshly squeezed coconut milk and pandan juice and unevenly textured for a rugged feel.

Ondeh Churros Balls from Churros Factory

Nasi lemak is an appropriate name for this iconic breakfast staple. Widely considered the national dish of Malaysia (but also popular in Singapore), the hearty dish marries bold flavours from roasted peanuts, fried ikan bilis (anchovies), spicy sambal, silky eggs, and a selection of viands like beef rendang or fried chicken. In addition to the cool cucumber slices, the pandan-scented coconut rice acts as a reprieve from all the intense flavours of the other components, helping to prevent an overwhelmed palette.

KAYA: Enjoyed across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, kaya is a delicious coconut jam commonly spread upon toasted bread and served with coffee. Made with coconut milk, eggs, sugar, and pandan leaves, kaya can be prepared according to Nyonya or Hainanese practice.

Insect repellants: Used by Asian to remove roaches in the car, and make it smell good.

Native Distribution Florida, Central America (West Indies)

Its common name, Alligator Flag, may be due to plant's native habitat at deeper waters of cypress swamps, where alligators are likely to be found.

Alligator flag and lily pads along the lakeshore in Maclay Gardens. Alligator flags are given their name because they can be found in water along with alligators. In fact, early hunters targeted these locations in hopes of finding alligators.

native to a large region in Africa, from Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east, south to Zimbabwe and Angola

Native Distribution: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala

Medicinal: Leaf paste applied to poisonous stings and bites in Myanmar.

Roasted seeds used as emollient and to increase menstrual flow. Decoction of bark and roots used as contraceptive or for inducing abortion in Latin America.

Young leaves, pods, and flower buds are edible and usually eaten raw, steamed or mixed in soups or with rice. The seeds can also be eaten either raw or cooked, or dried then used as coffee substitute. The plant also yields edible gum used in sauces.

Leucaena is valuable for its wood, which is used to make good quality charcoal, small furniture and paper pulp. Its young shoots, young leaves and seeds may be used as a vegetable in human nutrition.

Seeds can also be used as a substitute of coffee or as pieces of jewellery

The legume provides an excellent source of high-protein cattle fodder.[11] However, the fodder contains mimosine, a toxic amino acid. Horses and donkeys which are fed it lose their hair.

https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/3/4/3471

Ornamental Flowers, Ornamental Foliage

Heliconias are found throughout the tropics and are actually quite common in the rainforest. They are also often found as ornamental plants in gardens and landscaped areas. People enjoy their colourful, gravity-defying ornamentation.

The species is native to the tropical Americas. Heliconia is usually found in rainforests or in the wet tropics, and they flower during the rainy season.

The Heliconia's bracts are so large and colorful that they almost hide the flowers altogether. This keeps the flower's sweet nectar from other birds so that only specialized birds can get to it.

The flowers produce ample nectar that attracts pollinators, most prevalent of which are hummingbirds. (there are no hummingbirds in Singapore)

Sunbirds can hover in front of the flowers (like hummingbirds) or perch on the branches when they extract nectar from the flowers. Despite great similarity with hummingbirds, sunbirds and hummingbirds are not closely related. Similar morphology is result of convergent evolution: unrelated species develop same morpho-anatomical features due to similar lifestyle.

Fruits eaten fresh, with juicy sweet pulp that resembles (Lycheee).

the flavor of matoa fruit is like the mixture of rambutan, lychee and longan fruit, with juicy texture and very sweet and is a popular fruit for eating.

It was used as a traditional treatment for chicken pox, with the patient being bathed in an infusion (hot water extract) of the bark in parts of Sarawak (Malaysia).

Malays boil leaves and bark and used decoction in a bath for fever.

Tree provides a very good general purpose hardwood timber that is particularly well suited to light construction, moldings, interior joinery and framing, non-impact tool handles, furniture, for canoes, boats and ship construction, agricultural and sports implements, paddles, flooring, plywood and veneers.

The tree's gum is used to waterproof canoes.

Native Distribution Northern tropical South America

The Rain Tree originates from Tropical America. It was introduced to Singapore in 1876, and by the mid-1900s, it was planted throughout the tropics. The leaves consist of leaflets which fold up in the evenings. This is why the Malays call it 'Pukul Lima', which means '5 o'clock'.

The leaflets also close during the day when the sky was overcast, thus giving rise to the name, Rain Tree.

This Central American species was dispersed throughout the tropics since the middle of the 1900s. It was introduced to Singapore in 1876 and spread throughout the region. Due to its excellent shade, the species was planted in the 1900s in coffee and nutmeg plantations and along roadsides.

The oldest Rain Trees are in Connaught Drive; these are more than 130 years old.

26,226 Rain Trees were found along roadsides, making it top in the list of the most commonly cultivated roadside tree

here are many reasons why Singapore needs to plant and care for trees. The trees provide habitat for wildlife, combat climate change, create job opportunities, beatify things. They also provide us with oxygen and help prevent soil erosion and more.

Native to Singapore

The Yellow Flame was first cultivated around 1938 near the Bukit Panjang village (Wee & Corlett, 1986). As of 2009, its population maintained by the National Parks Board have reached more than 25,000, making it the second most commonly cultivated tree in Singapore (Tan et al., 2009). Despite this fact, it is still considered nationally critically endangered as individuals in the coastal forest where it grows naturally in are not as common.

The Yellow Flame (Peltophorum pterocarpum) is one of the most planted trees in Singapore’s streetscape. The tree boasts a wide-spreading crown, providing ample shade in the sunny urban environment. The flowers are yellow and crinkly like tissue paper, often covering only the top of the tree. During the unprecedented dry spell in 2014, the Yellow Flame was one of the few drought-tolerant roadside trees that survived well in spite of the heat. The aboriculture of this tree species has greatly reduced roadside irrigation costs and conserved valuable water resource locally.

Considerable quantities of the bark were used to produce a yellow-brown dye for the batik industry in Java.

Native Distribution Australia (Northern Territory)

Common name 'Tea-tree' derived from practice of Australia's pioneer settlers in boiling the leaves of several species to make a tea-substitute rich in ascorbic acid and antioxidants.

The name was coined by the British explorer Captain James Cook. He noticed the indigenous people used the leaves to make a tea that smelled like nutmeg. Captain Cook saw this traditional practice and coined the name “Tea Tree”.

The Caribbean region, Central and North America

leaves of the tropical American geiger tree, aloewood, or sebesten plum (C. sebestena) are used as a substitute for sandpaper.

Native Distribution Australia

Introduced to Singapore in 1982 (NParks, 2009), the Golden Penda have since been popping up all over the city. While ranked the 8th most commonly cultivated tree in both streetscapes and parks maintained by NParks

The Golden Penda originates from the rainforests in the north-east of Australia. It was extensively planted in Singapore less than 15 years ago and now line many urban roads. The bunches of yellow flowers appear in almost all trees at regular intervals.

Besides providing colour to our roadside when in bloom, the tree also attracts avian fauna including the Yellow-vented Bulbul and Black-naped Oriole

There were various reasons for its popularity. It is fast growing and easy to maintain: being sunlight loving; grows well in wet conditions and also tolerant to dry weather; does not shed its leaves (NParks, 2009). The aesthetics portion was also well fulfilled as its flowering brings about a burst of golden yellow; the effect further enhanced by its long yellow stamens. To accentuate my point, Wee Y. C. even described it as an "extremely attractive ornamental tree"

Native to Singapore (Endangered (EN))

The seeds of Mempari (Pongamia pinnata) have long been used traditionally. Although poisonous, an oil extracted from the seeds (called Pongamol or hongay oil) was used for lighting, to manufacture soap and candles, and in medicinal uses.

The tree is considered an attractive source of biodiesel because it has a higher yield of oil compared to jatropha. It can also grow on marginal arid or semi-arid land and is a nitrogen-fixing tree, which means that it helps fertilize the soil.

Ask a Singaporean what a bougainvillea is and they’ll be sure to know! This ornamental plant is a familiar sight throughout the country, not only in parks and gardens but also along our expressways and overhead bridges. With over 300 varieties in cultivation, bougainvilleas have been bred to have blossoms in a range of colours from pinks, purples, reds, whites and even yellows and oranges!

These South American shrubs made their debut in Singapore due to the work of Richard Eric Holttum, the Director of Singapore Botanic Gardens from 1925 to 1949. During this period, he introduced bougainvilleas and other flowering ornamental shrubs and trees like frangipanis to add colour to the botanic gardens’ collection. Later in 1967, the “Garden City” program was launched by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew to plant up the city’s streets, which eventually led to more bougainvilleas being brought in and planted throughout the island.

Many people mistake the most colourful part of the plant as the flowers but these vibrant, papery “petals” are actually modified leaves called bracts. The true flowers are white or cream-coloured and are nestled in the centre of these bracts. These bracts may serve to attract pollinators and help protect the flower buds during development.

The reason why bougainvilleas are extensively planted in Singapore is that they flower reliably in our hot climate, specifically during our drier periods of the year. These dry periods mimic the environmental conditions of their native habitat: the semi-deciduous and seasonal forests of eastern South America, ranging from Brazil and Peru southwards to Argentina. Other triggers to encourage blooming include limiting their growing space and withholding the amount of nitrogen-rich fertiliser.

LKY believed that greenery in the environment helped to improve the people's spirit, a point he mentioned in a 1995 speech.

"I have always believed that a blighted urban jungle of concrete destroys the human spirit. We need the greenery of nature to lift up our spirits. So in 1967, I launched the Garden City program to green up the whole island and try to make it into a garden."

As such, bougainvillea flowers were brought in to decorate the Singapore landscape so as to beautify it.

Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam also shared that bougainvillea flowers remind him of Lee.

"He was, as NParks always said, our chief gardener. He would send a large number of proposals to them, some unworkable but most workable. Whenever I see the red bougainvillea on the overhead bridge, my heart moves up a tick... That was Lee Kuan Yew."

Native to Singapore

It grows along sandy coasts and seashores. It occurs locally in Labrador Park

It is the food plant for moth larvae. Fruit bats and night-flying moths are attracted to its flowers and act as pollinators.

The flowers are night-blooming and have filamentous stamens that are white, pink or red.

among the sea- drifting seeds and pods, it is one of the most widespread. Amazingly, its buoyant seed pods can survive on the ocean surface for years.

All parts of the tree are poisonous, and this helps to protect it from predators.

The Palauan natives of Micronesia ground up the dried pods of this tree to anesthetize fish which then could be easily gathered in nets. Since the saponin poison only targeted the nervous systems of the fish, the flesh was left untainted for eating.

Many parts of the plants are useful. Indigenous people carefully used the pod's toxic seeds to rid the body of intestinal worms. The leaves were carefully prepared over heat and applied to the skin to treat wounds, chronic infection, and rheumatism, and extracts were mixed with water to relieve stomach ache. Today scientists are still experimenting with the medicinal properties of this plant which have been shown to reduce tumors in mice. The wood of the tree is used as construction lumber and as a suitable material in the making of canoes.

lantern-shaped pods were actually used as floats for fishing net

Native Distribution Tropical Central & West Africa

All cut or bruised plant surfaces exude a milky sap that may cause skin irritation in susceptible individuals, and is toxic if ingested.

Popular ornamental plant: In 2016, The New York Times named the fiddle leaf fig “The ‘It’ Plant of the Design World” due to its growing popularity and style. They have even made numerous appearances in TV shows, commercials, and movies.

Due to the large size of their leaves, fiddle leaf figs are prone to gathering dust and mites, as well as other pests. In order to help prevent the leaves from turning yellow or brown and rotting, they need to be regularly cleaned. The leaves should be washed off or wiped down with a damp washcloth 1-4 times a month.

The fiddle leaf fig got its name because the shape of its leaves is similar to that of a fiddle. The large leaves shaped like a violin represent the appearance of a fiddle.

Yes, it’s true – but only in the wild. The Ficus Lyrata will often start its life growing on the surface of another tree. As it grows, it will send down roots to the ground which surrounds and eventually strangle the host tree.

Native to Singapore

As the leaves wither, they turn from green into a mix of red, orange and yellow, giving an autumnal feel to our tropical city. The Sea Almond can also be identified by its pagoda shape, due to the regularly-spaced tiered branches on its trunk, and its large buttresses. The pulp of the Sea Almond’s fruit is sweet, and its embryo tastes like almond, thus giving the tree its name.

Tropical Almonds are NOT closely related to the North's Almond trees. Northern Almonds are members of the Rose Family while Tropical Almonds belong to the Combretum Family, the Combretaceae, a family little known in the North, and allied with the myrtles.

Leaves of the Sea Almond tree are spirally clustered at the 'terminal' ends of the shoot tips

The kernel has a flavour similar to almonds, hence the common name.

The Sea Almond or Ketapang is a large coastal tree which grows up to 25m tall. It can be recognised by its distinct pagoda shape, formed by its tiered branching pattern.

The leaves have an antibacterial effect, as they release tannic and humic acid. They are used in aquariums to promote the health of fishes, and provide a calming effect.

Changi Coast Road is lined on both sides with Sea Almond trees. They can also be found in East Coast Park.

Tropical almond can be eaten as a fresh fruit. The fruit shell can be cracked for the edible seed to be consumed raw.

Fun story: Soaking dried leaves in water of the Sea Almond tree lowers the pH of the aquarium tank water and releases anti-bacterial and anti-fungal compounds.These compounds also promote spawning in fish species and the healing of fungal fin rots in fish. This has potential applications in the area of aquaculture since studies has shown that adding leaf extracts of T. catappa can reduce fungal infections in the eggs of the economically important food fish, tilapia (can add the bark also)

It is suitable for planting along streetscapes, parks and gardens as a tree or as a dense hedge..

Native to Singapore (Presumed Nationally Extinct (NE)) only let the horticulture ones are left

Hardy plant, tolerates poor soils and salt spray, relatively pest-free

The young shoots and leaves are red to pink in colour, thus we call them the Red Lip, in which the shape of the leaf contributes the “lip” part.

Mangosteen's true origin remains unknown. Many believe the fruit is native to the Maya Archipelago and the Moluccas in Indonesia.

IN the past: Mangosteen is the symbol of an untapped part of the exotic East that the western hemisphere lusts after. Despite being praised for its rosy smell and simultaneously sweet and sour taste, mangosteen's cultivation rarely goes outside of tropical borders as it takes only a few days to go bad, making exports difficult.

“not even with the aid of modern ships' refrigerating-machines and when coated with wax – as in less than a week after leaving the trees the pulp melts away to a brown mass.”

Tasting mangosteen then becomes a sensory privilege because of its inability to travel outside of Asia, a privilege even the Queen couldn't experience.

Eating the mangosteens after having durians is the best way of eating for durian lovers and that has been known as “heaty and cooling” way of eating the delicious fruits. Mangosteen is thought to be the “yang” factor to “yin” durian and that is the reason why peopler regarded mangosteen as the “Queen of fruits”.

The queen even put out a $100 reward for anyone that could bring her a mangosteen. about $10000 in today’s money.

Mangosteen tree starts to bear fruit 7 to 10 years after planting. It produces fruit two times per year. Depending on the age of tree, mangosteen can produce from 200 to 3.000 fruit per season

Mangosteen is often labeled as "superfruit" due to high content of antioxidants (substances which prevent cell damage) and because of its high nutritional value

Personal stories: Knowing how to open a mangoestenn is a skill, it you can’t do it right, it’s highly frown upon.

The actual flowers of the plant are very small and inconspicuous. These small flowers are covered by colored bracts (colored leaves) which makes the plant look attractive. Ashanti Blood is native to West Africa.

Coconut trees in Singapore don’t have coconut? N park harvest the coconut regularly to prevent a coconut from falling on your head

Falling coconuts kill 150 people every year – 10 times the number of people killed by sharks.

The coconut tree has a wide variety of uses and in parts of the world it is often referred to the “tree of life” or “tree of a thousand uses”.

The coconut husk, shell, water, leaves, flesh, trunk and roots have been used for centuries. They have a number of uses such as house building, food, crafting, fuel, a natural mosquito repellent and in medicinal purposes.

Where to find the most expensive fruit in Singapore?

"NParks manages most of the trees on state land," said Mr Wong. "Members of the public who wish to pluck fruit from trees, or collect fruit that has dropped from trees on state land should approach NParks for permission." 

Mr Wong said that those who pluck or collect fruit in a public park without permission can be fined up to S$5,000 under the Parks and Trees Act.

Those who pluck or collect the fruit in a nature reserve or a national park can be fined up to S$50,000 and/or jailed up to six months. 

It is also claimed that they were used during World War Two. Both the British in Sri Lanka and the Japanese in Sumatra regularly used coconut water when intravenous fluids ran out.

On average a coconut tree produces 30 fruits each yea

Why are Singaporeans obsessed with Mr Coconut?
The coconut is also known for its multitude of health benefits – it's even been coined as “nature's sports drink” because of its hydration benefits. And because of this, many might believe that Mr. Coconut might be a healthier alternative to drinking BBT.

Famous for their coconut shakes, I first became aware of Mr. Coconut’s existence during 2020’s iconic Circuit Breaker and personally attribute their popularity to BBT shops being closed during that period.

With Covid-19 jabs having been rolled out over the last few months, many have started to share their own “tips” on how to lessen the side effects of the vaccine – lo and behold, drinking coconut water was one of them. 

The Straits Times reported a surge in sales of coconut water after the vaccine rollout was introduced, with one retailer seeing a 140% jump in sales within a period of one month. 

Because of this, Mr. Coconut has become a convenient outlet to obtain this “remedy”, being an accessible and delicious option for many. 

This plant with delightful heart-shaped leaves and bright yellow flowers that attract red bugs is often seen on many of our wild shores. It is also often planted in our seaside parks.

Nature Teamwork:
Each of three veins on the underside of the leaf near the stalk have a small slit. A sweet substance is secreted from these slits, and ants of all sizes can be seen drinking from them. Among these, are the fierce Weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina), which may help keep off insect pests. Some insects that feed on the plant include the Cotton stainer bug (Dysdercus decussatus) that feeds on its seeds.

Flower a typical hibiscus-shape. the flower blooms at about 9am, long after sunrise and close in the afternoon at about 4pm. The petals usually fall off the same evening or the next morning. Usually, every flower sets fruit

this shrub has been "one of the most important fibre-plants among the inhabitants of Malaya" and were planted wherever the Malays went. The fibres from the plant is used to make cords as well as to caulk boats. Cords are made into fishing lines and nets as well as bags. Cords were also used for harpoons to catch dugongs, and in elephant gear for dragging timbers.

Medicinal: the leaves are considered cooling in Malaysia and Indonesia and used to control fevers.

This tree has been widely used as a bonsai in many Asian countries, particularly in Taiwan.

Wood is used for light boat and canoe construction, planking, firewood, wood carvings, fishing nets, household implements, carts and canoe floats, sailing spars and axe handles.

The mahoe is often planted to stabilize sand dunes and, on muddy shores, to trap soil to reinforce the coastline. In India it is planted to prevent erosion on the banks of rivers and reservoirs.

Native Distribution Madagascar

Used for reforestation in native Madagascar

Tropical Almonds are NOT closely related to the North's Almond trees. Northern Almonds are members of the Rose Family while Tropical Almonds belong to the Combretum Family, the Combretaceae, a family little known in the North, and allied with the myrtles.

Native Distribution Caribbean: Cuba

Although it’s nicknamed as “Singapore’s cherry blossoms”, the tree is actually in the begonia family. It is also known as the “Trumpet Tree”, or Tabebuia Rosea, due to its wispy trumpet-shaped flowers that grow to about 5cm to 8cm.

According to NPark’s Flora Fauna Web guide (nature lovers should bookmark this excellent directory of Singapore’s plants), the trumpet trees are planted islandwide as they provide good shade.

https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb

They usually flower in March/April and August/September, and are triggered by “ heavy rains after a long hot and dry spell”. Which is like, now. The blooms usually wilt after just a few days, so catching them is an ephemeral experience.

Native to Singapore (Endangered (EN))

That’s why so many are planted here to keep this species alive

One example is in Traditional Chinese Medicine: The roots, bark, and twigs are used a medicine for treating cold and diarrhea.

The bark is smooth, grey-brown to orange-brown, and is a source of a brown dye

In Singapore, the Yellow Cow Wood also serves as the larval host plant for three butterfly species: Common Grass Yellow, Archduke and Short Banded Sailor. The first is a Pierid and the last two are Limenitid.

Compared to the early days of garden city planting, Nparks has move to planting a variety of local and foreign plants so that the local species of insects that rely on these trees will thrive

Butterfly fly can be quite fussy when it comes to laying eggs and choosing the leaf for their babies, some will only lay eggs on a specific species, it it crucial to make sure that we a variety of trees.

Native Distribution Japan

In Okinawa, it is planted as both a windbreak as well as firebreak.

Planted by the Okinawan people some 300 years ago, Fukugi trees serve as windbreaks and accord protection against the destructive typhoons

Fukugi can be literally translated as “happiness tree”; however, it is unclear why it is called Fukugi in Okinawa. Because it called the happiness trees, alway everyone household on Ryukyu island will have this tree planted, who doesn’t want happiness?

The Fukugi Tree is a very slowing growing species. In the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, some of the oldest trees (100 to 400 years old) are only over 10m (Chen & Nakama, 2011).

Native to Singapore

With only 200 of the plant to be recorded growing naturally in Singapore, the species is close to extinction there, largely caused by the destruction of its natural habitat, namely the rainforests and mangrove forests.

Did you know that some 224 species of orchids have been recorded as native in Singapore? This means that they are found growing naturally in our forests and nature reserves!

Orchids have the tiniest seeds in the world.
This makes them a challenge to grow and cultivate. They take forever to sprout and actually turn into a plant! Growing orchids from seeds is only for the patient and very green-thumbed.

Like most plants, orchids are able to reproduce themselves in two different ways; the one way sexually by seed, and the other asexually by vegetative propagation. For the beginner, vegetative propagation is commonly used to build up one's orchid collection.

here can be up to 3 million seeds in a single orchid seedpod.
You’ll never see them though, they are the size of a speck of dust and are only visible under a microscope. Part of the reason for their small size is that they lack an endosperm and have no nutrients within. They require contact with a particular fungus to germinate and grow.

A single seed capsule of some species can contain up to 4 million seeds. This is largely because orchid seeds, unlike other seeds, have no food reserve. To germinate, most first have to form in a mycorrhizal relationship with a fungus that will supply the nutrients they need in order to grow.

The vanilla bean comes from a species of Orchid. The Vanilla Orchid is the only commercial grown and harvested Orchid plant.

vanilla comes from orchids: To understand vanilla extract, you’ve got to know the basics about vanilla. First off, a vanilla bean is no bean—it’s actually the fruit of orchids in the genus Vanilla. Those vanilla orchids only grow in a very small subsection of the world, with Madagascar producing a whopping 80%. Every step of the labor-intensive harvesting process—from the pollination to the harvest to the curing (that is, the transformation of fat green vanilla pods into skinny black beans)—is done by hand! For all of these reasons, the demand greatly exceeds the supply, hence vanilla’s standing as the world’s second most expensive spice (around $270 a lb.), behind saffron.

Northern Africa, Europe, Middle & Western Temperate Asia, China

In South Africa used to treat male fertility problems

They can be boiled and eaten like potatoes or macerated and then boiled to yield sweet syrup.

The hairs of the fruits are used for stuffing pillows.

The pollen is highly inflammable and is used in making fireworks

A single inflorescence can produce 20,000 to 700,000 small single-seeded fruits.

You'll recognize them by familiar seed heads that so resemble a corndog. They're tightly packed with tiny seeds, each one attached to bits of fluff that expand once released to help them travel on the autumn winds.

The long floppy cattail leaves are useful too. Many tribes used them as material for basket making. Others wove the leaves into mats for the floor of a hut or as a sleeping surface. In a Nevada cave, 10,000-year-old cattail mats were excavated proving just how long lasting the fibers can be.

Native American women used the fluff, called down, as the first disposable diaper and for feminine hygiene. It was packed around the baby on the cradleboard, then laced in tightly. When the baby was changed, sodden fluff was cast off, and new added. Such practices left seed wherever she camped, which further spread its presence to new waterways.

Naturally cleans whatever water source it grows in, it clean the contaminates in the water

how to harvest wild plants? best from moving waterways

cattail can be forage for food.

Cattail jelly is a natural anti sceptic, can be use to relieve bugs bite and tooth aches and cut

can eat the shoot, after cooking, it would be like pasta (nature’s pasta)

The fluff can be use for pillow, life jackets and floatation devices

In Vietnam, the dried fronds are used as material for roofing.

It grows in swamps and mangrove forests, salt marshes and on river banks and is tolerant of raised salinity levels

In the Indian state of Goa the fern is consumed cooked in a spicy coconut based gravy known as tonak. It is considered a delicacy by the local people

How do plant adapt to saltwater environment?
The red mangrove contains a substance that keeps salt out. Often some salt slips through the waxy substance and this is sent to old leaves. The leaves fall off and the tree gets rid of the excess salt
Salt secretors
Some mangrove plants like Api-api (Avicennia species), Jeruju (Acanthus species) or Kacang-kacang (Aegiceras corniculata) are salt secretors. The common salt concentration in the sap is high at about one-tenth that of sea water. Salt is partially excluded by the roots and the salt is excreted by the salt glands by the plant expending energy.

The concentrated salt solution evaporates near the gland, becomes crystals which are removed by wind or rain. One can taste the salt by licking the leaves of these species to confirm this!
Ultrafiltrators
Other mangrove plants like Bruguiera, Lumnitzera, Rhizophora or Sonneratia species are non-secretors. They can selectively absorb only certain ions (electrically charged atom(s) andlor group of atom(s) which a salt becomes on going into solution) from the solutions they come into contact with by a process called ultrafiltration. However, even with this, exclusion is not complete. Some salt is lost by transpiration through the leaf surface or accumulates in some cells of the leaf. Suggestions have even been made that some species deposit a good part of the excess salts in the old leaves which are shed.

Native Distribution Nicaragna to Colombia

Ants are attracted to the flowers’ nectar, although they do not help with pollination. However, their presence may help to protect the developing fruits from damage by fly larvae.

this is part of the ginger family

Ginger is often mistaken as being a root, when in fact it's actually an underground stem from a tropical herb plant Zingiber Officinale and is also known as a spice. So what's the difference between ginger root or stem and why do we call it a root when it is a stem?

Technically, ginger is a modified plant stem known as a rhizome, which is the name given to an underground stem that grows horizontally, just below the soil surface.

Native to the Philippines,

This species is well-adapted to urban environments and tolerates a wide range of light and watering conditions. It can be planted along the edge of freshwater bodies.

Strong self defence mechanism

Will cause a bad rash when the spa gets on your hand.

Talk about how Africa tree will spread a pheromone message to the other trees downwind about potential dangers

Native to Southern Indochina

the milky sap or latex that exudes from broken leaves, bark and twigs is poisonous and can blister skin, hurt eyes and may even cause temporary blindness. 'Buta' means 'blind' in Malay.

According to Burkill, the timber is much used in some places for firewood and to make small articles. It is tricky to cut down the tree as the spattering of the milky sap can blister bare skin and cause eye damage. Experienced wood cutters first remove the bark before felling the tree. The latex is used as a fish poison as well as in dart poison.

Story is nature’s self defence

Native to Singapore

Many locals use Naupaka to defog their goggles when snorkeling or diving

Naupaka Kahakai has petals only on the bottom portion of its flower

These flowers are known for their delightful fragrance and the unique shape of their blooms that give you the impression half the flower is missing. There is a Hawaiian legend that explains the phenomenon: A beautiful Hawaiian princess, named Naupaka, fell in love with a commoner, who she was strictly forbidden to marry. An elderly wise man told them of a faraway heiau (temple) where they should pray and ask the priest for guidance. They traveled for days to reach the temple, but when they got there, the priest told them there was nothing he could do. Heartbroken, Naupaka took the white flower from her hair and tore it in half. She put one half of the flower in her lover’s hand and told him to return to the beach, that she would stay in the mountains. That is the explanation for why there are two different-looking variations of the naupaka plant, one that grows in the mountains, and one that grows on the beach, and why they look like only half a flower.

Native to Singapore

This shrub with pretty purple flowers is commonly seen in many of our open wild places, including coastal areas. It is sometimes called the Singapore rhododendron although it is not a rhododendron and is not confined to Singapore.

Shrubs with white flowers are sometimes seen, and the Malays consider these to have magical properties. The petals emerge from a cup-shaped calyx which remains after the flowers drop off.

he fruits are berry-like and break open irregularly. The seeds stain the mouth when eaten, and is sweet and slightly astringent. They are eaten by children as well as birds, squirrels and monkeys.

The common name "blue tongue" refers to the edible purplish-black pulp within the fruit capsules which stains the mouth blue.

Use a a dye

Orange jasmine is super easy to take care of, with resistance to almost all pests and diseases. It is a perfect option for gardeners with brown thumbs.

Great for anyone new to gradenning

The flowers have the pleasant scent of orange blossoms, hence its common name.

Also, Jasmine has phenolic components, according to this research is, which act as a major antioxidant.

Specifically, they suggest that these components are responsible for scavenging free radicals that cause oxidative damage.

Can Ease Insomnia

attain some level of mental peace.

Likewise, such calming effects of the plant on the nervous system can also help against insomnia.

Jasmine flowers contain both types of reproductive organs. Since stamens and pistil don’t develop at the same time, flowers can’t perform self-pollination. Butterflies and bees are main pollinators of jasmine.

jasmine is known in India as the “Queen of the Night” because of it’s intoxicating perfume that is released at night.

In Chinese medicine Jasmine flowers are known to “cool” the blood and have a strong antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-tumor properties. Because they cool the blood they help with reducing a fever or cooling an overheated person (from the sun).

Native Distribution China

The leaves are so deeply divided that the leaflets look like separate entities and create the illusion of fingers off a hand. This appearance of slender fingers is where the common name Lady Palm comes from. The reed-like stems of these palms are where the other common name, Bamboo Palm, comes from.

Native: Madagascar

The common name of Umbrella Plant, Palm, Sedge, or Grass comes from the bracts that grow atop of its tall stems. They have the appearance of the spokes of an umbrella.

Split-Leaf Philodendron

Name "philodendron" originates from Greek words "philo" which means "love" and "dendron" which means "tree". Name refers to the life style of these plants

All philodendrons can be divided in three basic groups: epiphytes (plants that grow on the other plant, without producing harmful effects on the "host"), hemiepiphytes (plants that live part of their life as epiphytes) and terrestrial plants (plants that grow from the ground).

Some types of philodendron start their life on the soil. They slowly grow toward the highest part of the canopy (toward the sun which is essential for the photosynthesis and further growth and development). Other types of philodendron, start their life high in the canopy (when birds or mammals eliminate undigested seed on the branch, high above the ground).

Philodendron can survive fall to the ground. Unlike many other plants, it will form root and start climbing toward the light (canopy) once again.

Many philodendrons produce sugary liquid which attracts ants. Colonies of ants provide protection against pest insects in the wild.

Tropical Americas (Florida, Mexico, Honduras, Bahamas, Jamaica),

Uncommon in the wild, the silver buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus var. sericeus) is so popular in cultivation for its soothing silvery foliage, that the green-leaved variety of this species (Conocarpus erectus var. erectus) has come to be called 'green buttonwood' to differentiate it from the silver variety! A dense coat of fine white hairs covers both sides of green buttonwood leaves, reflecting the sunlight in a green-gray sheen.

Native to the coasts of tropical America from Florida through the Caribbean and West Indies, this species can form dense, multi-trunked, shrubby thickets or grow as a tree up to 20m in height.

Instead, the silver buttonwood has rounded flower heads covered in tiny, whitish florets that are said to smell intensely of artificial grape! Cute as a button, the maroon-tinged, conical, button-like fruit clusters give the genus both their botanical name: Conocarpus means ‘cone-like fruit,’ and their common name of 'buttonwood’.

Landscaping: It thrives in full sun and is known to be both salt-tolerant and drought-tolerant.
Because of its pale silvery-green leaves, this plant often is used in landscaping to provide a contrast to darker foliage.

Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR))

The leaves and bulbs can be used to induce vomiting, because they contain the alkaloid lycorine.

A gianormous lily with lovely white flowers, it is seldom found wild on our shores. However, it is extensively planted as an ornamental in gardens and public places.

it is poisonous and medicinal uses include inducing vomiting

How poisonous is poison bulb?

A. Very. The entire plant is toxic, but especially the bulb. Crinum lily contains a variety of alkaloids which the human body cannot tolerate. Thankfully, most of the toxicity is caused by eating the plant.

Wear gloves to avoid getting plant juices on your skin, as you may experience swelling or other problems. Do not eat it, and don’t allow your kids to eat it, either.

China, Japan,

This species has been cultivated for 10,000 years as a food source.

All parts of the taro plant are used in many cuisines. However, they should not be eaten raw, because they contain toxic calcium oxalate which is destroyed during the cooking process. The tubers are often pounded into a thick paste to make a wide variety of food including Singapore’s popular local desert, Orh-Nee

Potatoes and yams technically have modified belowground stems (“stem tubers”) while sweet potatoes have “root tubers.” monocots (related to grasses and lilies). Yams are widely cultivated worldwide, especially in West Africa, where 95% of the crop is harvested.

One of the most hyped-up bakeries to open this year is LUNA along Amoy Street, and they make a lush Orh Nee Cake, where lilac-coloured yam and gingko paste is spliced by fluffy vanilla sponge and a light Chantilly cream. A slice is sold at $8, while a whole cake is $80.

Orh nee doughnuts are a big thing now, but few are as cheap and as traditional as Dozo House’s. This hawker-based doughnut shop makes their deep-fried pillows packed with filling, and their Yam Doughnut ($1.50) comes loaded with orh nee lava that oozes when the doughnut is pulled apart. It is a touch oily, though, but definitely good for a quick and sinful snack.

Traditional Chinese medicine has long used yams to treat stomach conditions such as indigestion and poor appetite, and for kidney and spleen health.

Taro pie at KFC.

Geographically, the most widespread form of taro is the almighty taro chip.

Native to Tropical America

It is a type of plant that prefers indirect lighting, which means makes it perfect for indoor usage and office buildings. Calathea plants are popular for indoor purposes because they are generally easy to care for and they look great, offering bright green plants to liven up indoor spaces.

In the jungle, this species grows under other trees so their light source has to pass through dense tropical canopies. This creates naturally filtered light and prevents leaf burns on Calathea Lutea.

Calathea Lutea is also famous for the Havana Cigar plant and Cigar Calathea because of the cigar-like flowers

Low light plants have broad leaves to absorb and use as much light as they can get. In nature, they are found in jungles and at the base of trees.

Various plants during this family move their leaves up at midnight and lower them within the daytime under a biological time. So they’re all thought to be “prayer plants“.

Native to Singapore

With fresh green leaves and bright purple flowers, this creeper is sometimes seen growing wild on our sandy beaches, at the highest water mark. This plant is found on tropical shores everywhere including throughout Southeast Asia. It belongs to the Family Convolvulaceae which includes the more commonly seen terrestrial morning glory, as well as our favourite vegetable Kang kong (Ipomoea reptans) and sweet potato or Keladi (Ipomoea batatas).

The leaves rather thick and fleshy, in varying shapes and sizes (3-10cm), according to Hsuang Keng from oval to quadrangular to rounded. They may be deeply lobed or only notched at the end. Sometimes they form two lobes that resembles a goat's or horse's hoof. The Malay name of the plant 'Tapak Kuda' means 'horse's footprint', while the scientific name 'pes-caprae' means 'goat's foot'.

Flowers large trumpet-shaped (3-5cm) thin delicate, usually pink, reddish purple or violet, and usually darker at the base, rarely white. Flowers open early in the morning and shrivel by the afternoon.

According to Polunin, is the most important coloniser of many tropical beaches around the world. Its creeping rooting stems often form dense patches which hold down the sand and produce humus.

Native to Singapore

Timber & Products ( The wood of this tree is extremely hard and dense, and has been used for construction of stilts, poles and fences in coastal areas. It is also an excellent fuel wood and is among the hottest burning fuel woods in the world. It is also frequently planted as a windbreak and to stabilise coastal sand dunes.)

The tree is also often planted inland, not so much for its shade but more as a wind break. "While the wind may blow hats off on the shore", behind a depth of three Casuarina trees, the air is "still and heavy". This is attributed to the fine twigs that break the wind.

At first sight mistaken for a conifer (a non-flowering plant), this tree is actually a flowering plant. While the pine-needles of a conifer are true leaves, those of the Casuarina are merely twigs, with the leaves reduced to tiny teeth.

he tree was planted where it was desired to allow the soil to dry, as well as to check erosion and to fix drifting sand.

There used to be a lot of these tree in Singapore but the clump of dead leaves and twigs were creating clogging problems.

Casuarina trees can tolerate extremely salty soil and salt spray that can be found on windward beaches.

It is said that Casuarinas eliminate competing plant species by using allelopathy, which is the act of releasing some chemicals that prevent the development and growth of competing plants.

Casuarina has scaly leaves designed to prevent loss of water via transpiration

Native to: Indonesia, New Guinea, Northern Australia

Grown on wastelands as it contains nitrogen-fixing bacteria which can rejuvenate soils poor in nutrients.

Prevents soil erosion due to extensive dense roots and heavy leaf litter. Popularity waning in Singapore due to large amount of fallen leaves.

The Acacia was widely cultivated by the then Parks and Recreation Department (now National Parks Board). In 1988, it was most abundant cultivated tree in Singapore, numbering up to 54,216 individuals (Aggarwal, 1988). However, it was abandoned because of it generated considerable amount of leaf litter (Wee, 1989)

By then, it had already naturalised and is often a dominant species in young secondary forests.

Singapore’s Experiment with plants

Baya Weavers: Nature's Amazing Architects uses the Acacia tree to build its nest

Their thickly-weaved hanging globularBaya Weavers: Nature's Amazing Architects nest have a long entrance spout at the bottom. The nests are predominantly found hanging on the thinner outer branches of Acacia trees. The thin branch deters predators from going to the nest.

The male Baya Weavers work tirelessly to build not one, but at least two to four nests during their breeding season, as they are known to have a harem of at least two to four breeding females.

Females will check the nest during the 'construction process' and will not 'accept' it if it is not up to their 'standard'

Carallia brachiata ‘Honiara’ or sometimes known as the, Freshwater mangrove and Billabong tree is native to the Solomon Islands.

The wood is suitable for many users, from building houses to musical instruments. Due to its high energy value, the wood yields good-quality fuel wood and charcoal. The fruits can be eaten and the leaves and bark are used in local medicine to treat septic poisoning and itch. The tree is also planted for aesthetic purposes, particularly for its narrow columnar habit and pendulous branches.

Native Distribution Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam

While common as a cultivated tree, the Tamalan listed as endangered by the IUCN red list because of over-explotiation for its wood in its native habitat (IUCN, 1998). The timber is known in the industry as the Burmese Rosewood.

It is threatened by habitat loss and over-harvesting for its valuable red "rosewood" timber.

On closer inspection, the leaflets are small (about 2 cm), oval and alternately arranged. The flower buds are purple, turning pink and then white when they bloom (Wee, 2003).

the heartwood (inner portion) is categorized as first class prime timber. It is hard and resistant to insect damage (including termites), but easy to shape and dries with minimal splitting. The heartwood is black or brown-red and has beautiful patterns when cut. The wood is used to make furniture, wood carvings, musical instruments, and sewing machines. The wood is also used to construct homes and agricultural equipment.

improving water qualities in the lake, and serves as a natural habitat for flora, fauna, and other wildlife.

The idea for the floating wetlands was chosen because it was part of an ecosystem that would attract birds and fishes while expanding the coverage of Singapore’s mangroves, which have also been part of Punggol’s natural heritage, Mr Lim said. 

Inspired by the honeycomb design, the floating wetland system consists of buoyant hexagon-shaped modules that can be assembled into various shapes and sizes to form floating spaces when needed.

A platform of three to four modules can support 360kg of plants and 600kg of human weight, or that of a small maintenance crew. 

Then the project team planted 15 wetland species — identified to be the most resilient — onto the floating modules, which were wrapped in coconut fibre and woven mats.

The largest floating wetlands are made up of 130 modules and are close to the size of a four-room HDB flat. These are located near the Heartwave Mall and Jewel Bridge along the waterway. 

As most mangrove species are more commonly found in saline conditions such as coastal environments, HDB had to shortlist and test-bed species that could thrive in freshwater. 

Young saplings of 35 species of mangrove trees — three of which are endangered native species — were then planted along the banks of a 3km stretch that covers 6,000sqm. The stretch lies near a waterfront Build-to-Order housing project called Waterway Woodcress. 

Regular biodiversity surveys conducted by HDB between 2011 and 2013 recorded more than 80 bird species, nine butterfly species and 11 dragonfly species. A second two-year study was started last year and will end next year. 

As of June this year, an extra 12 bird species, two more butterfly species and six more dragonfly species have been observed along the waterway. Mr Lim added that there have also been sightings of otters near the floating wetlands. 

Both solutions have even helped improve the water quality of the waterway. The roots from plants on the floating wetlands act as water filters, which can remove excess nutrients in the water and allow more sunlight to stream in to form rich food sources for smaller fishes.

“If there’s algal bloom in the water, it kills the fish, and water will turn greenish in colour. Because we use this waterway for kayaking and canoeing activities, we have to consistently keep it clean,” he said.

At the same time, roots from the mangrove trees help naturally stabilise the sloping banks by binding the soil together and reducing the surface run-off of sediments and soil particles into the waterway. Mr Lim said this minimises the occurrence of algal bloom.

Several species of Syzygium are well-known as a popular local fruit called "Jambu", a pink or red crunchy and thirst-quenching fruit that is often eaten "off the tree".

The flowers of the Spicate Eugenia are bisexual and are white, faintly fragrant, and found in up to 2.5–4 cm long flower clusters located at ends of its branches,

The flowers are bushy, often described to look like "pom-poms" and are highly attractive to butterflies and other insect pollinators. When in full bloom, the tree looks like it is covered in white "snow". The flowers are delicate, and usually do not last for more than a week.

The Spicate Eugenia flowers infrequently - sometimes once to three times a year, and occasionally it may flower weakly and the tree does not reach a full bloom. However, when it does flower (and often several trees in the same vicinity flower together at once),

Story: plants are able to communicate with each other: how they flower all at the same time. underground fungal network connects the tree like telephone line.