CRESCENTIA ALATA

The Supertree Grove is planted with at least two species of Crescentia. This one shown here on the top is the Crescentia alata (Family: Bignoniaceae).

The lobed leaves of this Crescentia reminds me of the leaves of the Quassia amara and Lepisanthes alata. There were a number of amazing cauliflorus flowers on the trunk of the tree and a number of shed ones were on the ground.

The last four photos were taken from a different Crescentia. The leaves of this latter species are definitely different from the C. alata and it would be interesting to compare the flowers but there weren't any.

SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS

I think I took these photos at the Singapore Botanic Gardens near the Eco-lake. I couldn't remember the name of this tree but it reminded me of the Adinandra dumosa (Common Name: Tiup Tiup).

I was walking to the MRT station when my attention was drawn to the abundant cauliflorus fruits along the branches of this tree.

SARACA DECLINATA

The Saracas are a group of beautiful cauliflorus trees from the Fabaceae (Leguminosae) Family.

This Saraca declinata is one of the less common ones. It is very slow growing but frequently produces large bundles of beautiful orange-red flowers and deep pink new leaf flushes. The seed pods are typically flattened laterally. The common names include Sorrowless Tree, Red Saraca and Ashoka Tree. A link is provided below:

http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/saraca_declinata.htm

PHALERIA CLERODENDRON

A volunteer guide asked me about the identity of this tree last Saturday. Fortunately, I planted them and had been watching them recently and knew precisely what tree she was referring to.

These are the fruits and cauliflorus floral buds of the Phaleria clerodendron, which I posted several times recently.

PHALERIA CLERODENDRON

I posted about this small tree before. So just sit back and appreciate the beautiful cauliflorous and fragrant white flowers that seemed to occupy every inch of the trunk and branches.

Too bad the flowers don't last beyond a few days. Well, sometimes it is true that good things are shortlived.

These photos were taken on 25 Mar 10.

SARACA CAULIFLORA

Remember the post on 15 Feb 10 on this Saraca?

These photos were taken on 17 Feb 10 and see how beautiful the bunches of cauliflorus flowers look? Compare the differences in flower colours between this Saraca and S. declinata in my next post and S. indica that I posted recently.

The recent dry spell really triggered the flowering of lots of trees in HortPark. At least that is something good that came out from this heat wave.

PHALERIA CLERODENDRON

I first came across this small unusual tree when I was managing the Watten Estate area and saw it in the Watten Heights Playground. It has a dense small roundish crown and produces cauliflorous white fragrant flowers that last only a day or two.

So last year, when I saw saplings of this tree in our nursery, I collected a couple of them and planted them at various parts of HortPark. They can be found at the Silver Garden, Floral Walk and Nursery Holding Area.

This photo was taken at the Floral Walk entrance on 31 Dec 09 as I exited from the park. I did not capture the photo of the entire tree because the form is not nice at all at this sapling stage.

I must remember to include this tree in the Butterfly Garden extension due to its rarity and beautiful cauliflorous fragrant white flowers.