This is the variegated Hamelia patens (common name: Firebush) that I bought from HortPark months ago. Sadly, the terminal branch was pruned off and this plant lost its apical dominance and refused to grow vertically.
Amazingly, this sunbird attracting plant produces reddish to black fruits that make me tempted to eat them. I read with interest that the fruits of the original species are edible and have medicinal and industrial properties. Most of the fruits have dropped but I shall try one soon. On the other hand, I do not know why my common Hamelia patens have not produced a single fruit at all since I planted it although it is a good host plant for my few epiphytic orchids.
In the other planters, my Crotalaria retusa and Datura metel seeds are germinating. I cannot wait for them to grow up, I mean bigger.
NB on 14 May 12 - I tasted the black berry of the variegated Hamelia and it tasted slightly sweet.
Today's weather - rainy
This Hamelia patens along my corridor has been attracting the Olive-backed Sunbird but I never managed to get good photos of them.
There were several occasions when I was doing my gardening along the corridor and the sunbirds suddenly flew and perched onto the Hamelia. I had to freeze in my steps and stop what I was doing. But they always discover me and flew off before I could even walk back into the house to retrieve my camera.
So it was a pleasant surprise when I saw this little fella and managed to take these few shots of it, albeit the photos were rather pathetic looking. The affinity of this plant to attract sunbirds is one reason why I have yet to remove it from my planter, even though it is starting to shows nutrient deficiency symptoms recently. I can be destructive at times and sooner or later, this Hamelia may follow the footsteps of the Quisqualis.
I saw 2 large Elaeocarpus pedunculatus trees at one part of the walk. Unlike the other Elaeocarpus that I posted before, this one has clusters of small white flowers.
Amongst the thick vegetation, I managed to spot a Olive-Backed Sunbird and a pair of Pink-Necked Green Pigeon feeding on the fruits or flowers of an unknown plant. They were elusive but I managed to keep still in an area and take its photos.
This sunbird was collecting the fluffy seeds of the Wrightia religiosa, presumably to build its nest. How adorable!
The Russelia equisetiformis (common name: Firecracker Plant, Coral Plant, Fountain Plant; Family: Scrophulariaceae or Plantiginaceae) is a great plant in the garden because its flowers attract the sunbirds, as seen here with the Crimson Sunbird which darted off in a flash as soon as it saw me with my raised camera.
