COUROUPITA GUIANENSIS

Now you see it, now you don't.

This Cannonball Tree was finally moved to its permanent location yesterday. I am glad that it can settle down for good.

FLOWERING PLANTS

Flowering Russelia and Zephyranthes

I don't know what title to give this post other than flowering plants or angiosperms. I shall just let the photos do the talking. 

Cuphea hyssopifolia and Zephyranthes rosea

Flowering Couroupita guianensis (Common Name: Cannonball Tree)

Couroupita flowers

Flower buds of Couroupita

COUROUPITA GUIANENSIS

Many of the deciduous Cannonball Trees in the gardens shed its crown of green leaves under the sweltering heat of the day but those in the SuperTree Grove had those leaves intact, except for this one particular individual which decided enough was enough. Within a matter of days, the leaves of this tree took on a bronzy colour and shed the leaves wave after wave with each gust of wind until the crown was completely bare.

When the rains came soon after, the new crown of fresh young leaves quickly took over.

COUROUPITA GUIANENSIS

These flowers were redder than the ones I took earlier at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, and it is always difficult to ignore such natural beauties.

COUROUPITA GUIANENSIS

I took the photos of these beautiful flowers of the CannonBall Tree at the Singapore Botanic Gardens on 8 Mar 10.

Ironically, on my way to the office following that, I passed by Tanglin Road and saw stands of these trees pruned off the flowers and cannon ball fruits up to at least 2 m from the ground.

It is such a pity and I can imagine the pretty sight lined by the row of flowering trees before the pruning. Seriously, I wonder why they were removed at all.

SARACA CAULIFLORA

This commonly planted Yellow Saraca (accepted name: Saraca cauliflora, Synonym: Saraca thaipingensis) planted by me beside the children's playground at HortPark produced clusters of yellow floral buds recently, as observed by the photos taken on 8 Feb 10.

These trees exhibit cauliflory, that is, the flowers are produced from the trunk or branches, unlike the more common floral buds arising from the leaf axils in most other flowering plants. Other trees that show cauliflory include the Couroupita guianensis (Cannonball Tree), Phaleria clerodendron (Rosy Apple).

I noticed the flowers have opened on 12 Feb 10 but I have yet to find the time to take the photos. Compare the difference between this and the Saraca declinata that I posted earlier. Interestingly, these trees produce pendulous and pinkish new leaf flushes, that resemble soft pink handkerchiefs. Hence they are closely related to the Maniltoa.