Category Archives: Trees

The Sour Cucumber Tree

Posted on April 14, 2010 | Leave a comment

The bilimbi or cucumber tree is not one fruit tree that you want to grow if you are into sweet dessert fruits. Its fruits are extremely acidic and tard and are used in South East Asian cuisine to provide that kick of sourness. The fruit of bilimbi is used for pickles, curries, chutney and preserves in syrup. Interestingly, its fruits are used to clean metal and remove stains, most likely due to their high citric acid content. They are also used in traditional medicine to treat skin disorders and fevers, accordingly to Plant Resources of South East Asia (PROSEA). The genus name is after Averrhoes (1126-98), the widely known Arab philosopher.

A relative of the starfruit (also known as carambola), the bilimbi is botanically known as Averrhoa bilimbi. Both fruit trees are members of the Oxalidaceae family. The exact origin of the bilimbi is not certain, although it has been suspected to be from South East Asia. Averrhoa bilimbi grows as a small tree, reaching to heights of about 10 m. Its leaves are pinnate with the young ones taking on an attractive, bronzy colour. The tree has a short trunk with a few upright branches. This fruit tree produces clusters of attractive, fragrant, star-shaped red flowers on its trunks and branches, which is a habit termed as cauliflory. The fruits are cucumber-like albiet smaller – nearly cylindrical in shape (but one can still see the faint five ridges seen more prominently in its starfruit relative). The fruit is crisp when unripe, turns from bright-green to yellowish-green, ivory or nearly white when ripe, depending on the cultivar.

Averrhoa bilimbi is a tropical tree that grows well in areas with a distinct dry period. It has a high water requirement but prefers a well-draining location with slightly acidic soil to grow well soils. It does not tolerate winds, drought, flooding and salinity. The tree thrives in full sun and does not grow well in shady or semi-shady situations. Plants are usually raised from seeds although sometimes propagated via air-layering (marcotting). Mature plants are self-fertile, flower and fruit continuously, but usually there are one or two pronounced harvest seasons. Flowers are documented to open in the morning and fruit set is quite heavy.

The fruits are usually picked by hand, singly or in clusters. Note that they need gentle handling because of the easily bruised, thin skin. They do not have a long shelf-life – pick as required for the kitchen as they cannot be kept for more than 4 to 5 days under ambient conditions. To reduce acidity, fruits may be first pricked and soaked in water overnight, or soaked in salted water for a shorter time. The treated fruits are then boiled with sugar to make a delicious jam. Half-ripe fruits are sometimes salted, set out in the sun and then pickled in brine.

No pests or diseases have been reported specifically for the bilimbi as long as a tree is grown in a well-draining location. Grow this tree in your garden in if have the space to appreciate its attractive flowers and provide food for the flying jewels in our gardens – the butterflies, as well as, birds and bees. Read the blog post below for more information:

http://butterflycircle.blogspot.com/2010/02/tigers-and-belimbing.html

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Sesbania grandiflora – Beautiful & Edible!

Posted on April 7, 2010 | 1 Comment

Sesbania grandiflora, known commonly as the Agati Sesbania or West Indian Pea is a tree that is a member of the bean family, Fabaceae. Its young leaves are sold in bundles as a leafy vegetable in supermarkets and markets in the Little India vicinty as it is a vegetable that is popular amongst the Indian community here. The flower buds and tender fruit pods are eaten in salads, curries and soups. The leaves, flowers and roots of Sesbania grandiflora are medicinal. Wood from this tree is used to make floating fish nets, paper and fuel.

Not a commonly grown streetscape tree here, Sesbania grandiflora can be used as an ornamental shade tree. It produces large beautiful flowers in pendulous clusters. I have seen two varieties, namely, one with white flowers and another, with red flowers. The flower buds of the white flowered variety were sold in Thailand as a vegetable. These two varieties can roughly be told apart via their young, non-woody stems – the red flowered variety has reddish stems while the white flowered one has greenish stems.

 

According to the Plant Resources of South East Asia (PROSEA), this tree is also grown as a living fence and to provide support as a trellis for crops like pepper and vanilla, and for the reforestation of eroded areas. Although plants may be pruned back for harvesting of leaves for food or to make a fence, it is interesting to note that Sesbania grandiflora does not tolerate frequent, complete defoliation as this will cause them to die away. Initially, the side branches of a tree may be cut, leaving the main growing point untouched. After the tree has reached a height of 3 m or more, the leader can be cut back to heights above 1.5 m. Indeed, there is a proper way to prune this plant.

The exact origin of Sesbania grandiflora is not known, although India or Indonesia have been suggested. It is now widely grown throughout the tropics.

Sesbania grandiflora is usually started from seed and young plants exhibit rapid growth. They can reach a height of 2 m in just 12 weeks, 4 to 5 m in one year and about 8 m in 3 years, if grown in the ground under suitable conditions. It starts to flower when the plant is about 1.5 m tall. Like many other legumes, this plant has the ability to improves soil fertility by fixing nitrogen in the soil. It has been documented that its ability to fix nitrogen may be suppressed by soilborne nematodes or high soil acidity. At my workplace, I have noticed that em>Sesbania grandiflora is a host plant of the common grass yellow butterfly (Eurema hecabe contubernalis). The caterpillars of this species of butterfly also feed on a range of plants from the bean family.

Sesbania grandiflora is a hard-core tropical tree as it thrives in the lowland tropics, up to 800 m above sea-level. It is frost-sensitive and cannot tolerate cool temperatures over an extended period. A very versatile tree, it can be grown in a wide range of soils including those that are poor or waterlogged as it can tolerate flooding over long periods. It tolerates saline and alkaline soils and has also some tolerance to acidic soils down to pH 4.5.

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The Tamarind Tree

Posted on March 28, 2010 | 2 Comments

Most of us are familiar with the tamarind in this part of the world. Two types of tamarind exist. The ripe fruit of the sweet tamarinds are available from sale in our local supermarkets where they eaten fresh like a dessert fruit while the fruits of sour types are used as a souring agent (we call it ‘asam’ here) to flavour certain dishes or made into juice, jam, syrup and candy. The sourness is due to acidity of tartaric acid, which on ripening does not disappear but is matched more or less by increasing sugar levels. Hence tamarind is said to be simultaneously a sour and most sweet fruit.

Interestingly, according to Plant Resources of South East Asia (PROSEA), the seeds of this tree are also edible after soaking in water and boiling to remove the seed-coat. Flour from the seed may be made into cake and bread. Roasted seeds are claimed to be superior to groundnuts in flavour. The seeds also yield oil that is used to make paint and varnish. The green fruits and flowers may be used for souring soupy dishes of fish and meat. The young, tender, fine pinnate leaves are also eaten as a vegetable.

Besides food uses, the tamarind tree is also medicinal and hence has a place in a Herb and Spice Garden. Its bark is astringent and tonic and its ash may be given internally as a digestive. Incorporated into lotions or poultices, the bark may be used to relieve sores, ulcers, boils and rashes. It may also be administered as a decoction against asthma and amenorrhea and as a febrifuge. Young leaves may be used in fomentation for rheumatism, applied to sores and wounds, or administered as a poultice for inflammation of joints to reduce swelling and relieve pain. A sweetened decoction of leaves is good against cough and fever. Filtered hot juice of young leaves and a poultice of the flowers are used for conjunctivitis. The pulp may be used as an acid refrigerant, a mild laxative and also to treat scurvy. Powdered seeds may be given to cure dysentery and diarrhoea.

A member of the bean family, Fabaceae, the tamarind tree belongs to the genus Tamarindus and there is only one species in this genus. According to Plant Resources of South East Asia (PROSEA), a distinction was made between tamarinds from the West and the East Indies in the past. In the West Indies, plants are known as Tamarindus occidentalis and these produce pods up to 3 times longer than wide and have 1 to 4 seeds, In the East Indies, plants are known as Tamarindus indica which bear pods up to 6 times or more longer than wide and each fruit contains 6 to 12 seeds.

The exact origin of tamarind is actually unknown. This slow-growing tree can grow up to 30 m tall and features drooping branches and a dome- to umbrella-shaped crown which provides good shade. However, it presents a problem where excessive fruit drop can lead to cleansing issues. It is generally believed to be native to the drier savannas of tropical Africa but now cultivated in all tropical countries, commercially or as an ornamental tree in parks, gardens and streets. Tamarind is highly adaptable and can be found in a wide variety of soils, altitude and rainfall. Excessive rainfall is said to affect fruit production.

The tamarind tree is a sun-loving and semi-deciduous tree which sheds its leaves in a pronounced dry season. It produces bunches of small, yellow coloured, orchid-like flowers. The tree has an extensive root system contributes to its resistance to drought and strong winds and trees generally maintanence-free. In terms of propagation, tamarind can be raised from seeds and vegetatively via marcotting, grafting and budding. Shield and patch budding and cleft grafting are fast and reliable methods.

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The Interesting Calabash Tree…

Posted on March 24, 2010 | 1 Comment

The Calabash Tree is not a common tree in Singapore. The place that I can recall seeing this tree is in the National Orchid Gardens in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. I vaguely remember seeing some planted amongst some bromeliads near the vicinity of Yuen-Peng McNeice Bromeliad Collection.

Although the appearance of its large fruits are gourd-like, it is not a member of the melon or gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. Instead, it is classified in the Bignoniaceae family, where the once common African Tulip Tree and currently a very popular ornamental shrub, Yellow Bells, belong to. Its exact origins is not known and today can be found growing throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. It has been introduced throughout the tropics.

Scientifically known as Crescentia cujete, the Calabash Tree grows as an evergreen tree can attain a height of 10 m. It features a broad but irregular crown comprised long, spreading and arching branches which is capable of providing dappled shade on sunny days. Leaves are simple and elliptical in shape clustered at the nodes. As a result of this growth habit, this tree often becomes a surrogate for orchid-growers to perch their plants on its branches. Crescentia cujete is grown in lawns and parks, and used for hedges.

This tree produces greenish-yellow flowers marked with purple veins on the trunk or main branches. Flowers are reported to open in the evening and emit a slight odour. They close and wither away by afternoon time. The oval, gourd-like fruit has a hard and woody rind and can grow up to 25 cm in diameter. Each fruit takes up to seven months to ripen. Ripened fruits are brown in colour and the seeds inside are surrounded by light-colorud pulp. The shell of the dried fruits is used to make a wide range of household utensils or filled with sand to make musical instruments. The larger fruits are used as bowls or made into helmets that are worn by bird hunters.

The fruits are not eaten as a dessert fruit but have medicinal properties. From Plant Resources of South East Asia (PROSEA), the fresh fruit pulp is documented to be macerated in water and is considered depurative, cooling and a febrifuge and good for headache and burns in West Africa and the Caribbean. In Vietnamese folk medicine, the dried fruit is used as an expectorant, antitussive, laxative and stomachic. In West Africa, the ash of the roasted fruit is considered mildly purgative and diuretic. In Central America, various parts of the fruit are a common ingredient in syrups for cough and colds.

Other parts of the tree are also used medicinally. In Sumatra, a decoction of the bark is used to clean wounds, and the pounded leaves are applied as a poultice for headache.  In Thailand and Central America, crushed leaves are applied on wounds to stop bleeding and promote healing. A decoction of the leaves or bark is astringent and taken for diarrhoea and dysentery.

Wood from this tree has a range of uses which include manufacture of cattle yokes, tool handles, wooden wheels, ribs in boat building and thin strips are used to make baskets and hampers.

Crescentia cujete is easily confused with another related species, Crescentia alata. The latter has a more upright form, with much fewer criss-crossing branches, and possesses smaller fruits and trifoliate leaves.

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Introducing the Nam-Nam Tree

Posted on March 8, 2010 | 3 Comments

The nam-nam is an uncommon fruit tree in Singapore. It grows as a shrubby, much branched shrub or tree which can grow up to 15 m tall. Botanically known as Cynometra cauliflora, it is believed to be a native of Malaysia and can only be found in the cultivated state in South East Asia, Ceylon and Western and Southern Peninsular India. In Malaysia, this tree is mainly found planted in rural villages.  The plant can be planted in pots where it stays small by regular pruning to turn it into a bonsai or an ornamental tree in an outdoor garden. I have recently planted a specimen at HortPark’s Fruit and Vegetable Garden.

Interestingly, this tree is a member of the bean family, Fabaceae. Each leaf on this tree is made up of two leaflets and they form a dense crown, growing from distinctly zig-zag twigs. Each leaflet is shiny smooth, dark green above and paler below. What is extremely attractive about the nam-nam tree is that its new flushes of leaves are bright pink in colour, which contrasts against the largely green background of mature leaves. They hang from the branch tips like handkerchiefs!

Its flowers are rather small and they are produced on the trunk in clusters. Such a habit is often term as cauliflory (and hence the species name cauliflora) which refers to plants that flower and fruit from their main stems or woody trunks rather than from new growth and shoots. Jackfruit is another common tropical fruit that is produced in the same way. For nam-nam, a sackcloth is said to be used to wrap around the trunk to protect the developing pods against rodents and fruit borers and this wrapping does not seem to hinder the progress of flowering and fruit set.

The fruits of the nam-nam are flat, kidney-shaped pods. Like most legume pods, the fruit of the nam-nam has a dividing line but the fruit does not split open readily. The young fruit is very sour but the acid content is observed to decrease with maturity of the fruit. The mature fruit is picked when the skin has turned yellowish brown. It is cooked with sugar to make sweets (compote). It can also be made into a fruit salad, picked, or be used to prepare a special ‘sambal’ (a condiment based on pounded chili). The fruits are reported to have useful medicinal properties too and are used in folk medicinal preparation. The seeds yield oil which is used in India for the treatment of skin diseases.

Namnam grows well in wet tropical low lands such as Singapore. From information available on Plant Resources nof South East Asia (PROSEA), experience in India suggests that it is more fruitful in monsoon climates with a distinct dry season. This plant prefers full sun but tolerate shade and a well draining location.

The tree is always multiplied by seed – note that the seed remains dormant during the first three months. Seedlings are quite slow-growing and only start to fruit when they are about 6 years old. Nam-nam can also be propagated by budding and approach grafting.

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Appreciate the beauty of Alstonias

Posted on January 5, 2010 | 3 Comments

Anyone living in Singapore who visited our local parks and gardens or drives along the expressways would have noticed the gregarious flowering of two species of trees lately. The trees in flower belong to the genus Alstonia and there are two species widely planted in Singapore.  I managed to capture some pictures of one of the flowering A. scholaris that was flowering in HortPark before I left home from work.

They include A. scholaris and A. angustiloba. Both species are native to this part of the world and are members of the frangipani family, Apocynaceae (and expectedly, they exude a white milky sap when any part of the plant is injured). The fruits of Alstonia occur as a pair of long, narrow cylindrical pods that are joined at the base. Seeds are small and flat. Alstonia scholaris is commonly known as the Common Pulai while A. angustiloba is known as Indian Pulai.

In the latest edition of Trees of our Garden City edited by Mr Tee Swee Ping, Alstonias are described to be tall trees that can grow up to 25 m tall and feature a large, pagoda-shaped crown with distinct tiered branching. The leaves of Alstonia are borne in whorls of up to 8 leaves. Each leaflet is oval-shaped. The two common species can be distinguished via their leaf and fruit sizes. The leaves and fruits of A. angustiloba are slightly larger.

The colour of their flowers varies also. The flowers of Alstonia are produced in clusters of 3 to 8 and each flower is rather small. Alstonia angustiloba’s flowers are white in colour whereas those of A. scholaris are greenish yellow . They are both heavily scented and flowering is triggered by a marked dry season. 2009′s December, I find, is unusually dry in Singapore.

Besides being valued as handsome trees that profusely produce scented flowers, Alstonia has various other uses. The sap, which contain alkaloids, exuded from the bark of Alstonia has medicinal properties. The rather light timber from Alstonia is used to make a range of products, from posts, coffins, corks, household utensils, floats to boards. In particular, timber from A. scholaris is used in the past to make writing slates for schools, which gave rise to the species name scholaris.

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Trees for Christmas!

Posted on December 26, 2009 | 1 Comment

Selected species of conifers grown in overseas plantations appear to be almost indispensable must-haves for Christmas. In Singapore, Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana, shown in photograph below) and noble fir (Abies procera) are two popular conifers that are imported and sold in local nurseries before the festive season. Noble firs emit a citrus-like aroma and tend to be bushier whereas Nordmann firs are exhibit a more distinctive layered look and a droopier look, with more spaces between the branches than the former.

Many Singaporeans buy live Christmas trees because the delightful fragrance from the aromatic oils in the leaves that permeate the entire home environment. Live Christmas trees are entirely biodegradable and can be turned into woodchips for use as mulch after they decline.

This year, in HortPark’s Lifestyle Corner, we put up a Christmas tree corner where visitors can pose for photographs. We have two Christmas trees, one is a common Nordmann fir while another is a blue spruce. The latter is a relatively new introduction we bought from Candy Floriculture Pte Ltd that is known by its botanical name Picea pungens glauca ’Baby Blue’ which happens to be a cultivar grown from seed harvested from a blue spruce orchard at West Montrose Farms Ltd (Source – http://www.babybluespruce.com/index.htm). Shown below, it has beautiful bluish green leaves that are not commonly seen in the local range of imported Christmas trees.

Imported Christmas trees these days come in both the usual cut form, as well as, potted trees, complete with roots and growing media. The latter type of tree is probably easier to maintain as water is stored in the soil compared to having to watch a reservoir of water placed at the base of a cut tree. In Singapore, there is always a risk of mosquito breeding in reservoirs containing stagnant water. Hence it is necessary to put anti-mosquito granules in water reservoirs for cut Christmas trees.

It is unlikely that these imported potted Christmas trees can survive and even grow in the long term in Singapore due to differences in climate as these trees come from temperate regions that experience frost. It is during this time that trees get their annual rest which cannot be observed in tropical Singapore. Trees may not die immediately but they should slowly decline.

For those of us who are looking for tropical alternatives that will thrive in Singapore, there is actually a limited range of conifer species to choose from. However, there are two major drawbacks associated with the use of these trees. Most of these species do not have aromatic foliage and need to be placed in a location with good light to prevent leaves from turning brown and falling.

Shown in the outdoor display in HortPark’s Lifestyle Corner on the Timber Deck (picture above), we have put forth a selection of Chinese juniper cultivars (Juniperus chinensis) which adopt different growth habits, ranging from those with erect and conical canopy shape to those with sprawling ones. Some have leaves that are tipped with gold or even blue. Two other conifers for consideration include the Oriental Thuja (Platycladus orientalis) and Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla).

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A weedy tree that produces delicious fruit!

Posted on November 30, 2009 | 1 Comment

A colleague of mine introduced me to this interesting fruit tree. In this part of the world, it can be seen growing just about anywhere ranging from wastelands to the neglected sides of roads and expressways. Known via a range of common names such as Jamaican cherry, Panama berry, Singapore cherry and the strawberry tree, this tree is botanically known as Muntingia calabura and is a member of the Muntingiaceae family.

Native to Central and South America, Muntingia calabura is a pioneer species, often colonizing disturbed sites in tropical lowlands. As a pioneer plant, it could help condition the soil and make it habitable to other plants. However, it might also be considered as an invasive species since it might out-compete indigenous plants.

It grows as a small, evergreen tree in the tropics that can attain a height of about 12 meters. It has a dense, characteristic tiered canopy with slightly drooping branches which cast much shade below. It grows and flowers continuously on fan-like branches where the mainline branches becoming erect after leaf fall and so in turn contributing to the formation of the trunk. This tree has furry, serrated leaves that have a sharp tip each.

The flowers of  Muntingia calabura are each borne singly and develop along a growing shoot. Flowers  are engineered to open sequentially along the elongating branch. Flowers that are about to open and those that have been pollinated are positioned differently – flowers to be pollinated are positioned above the subtending leaf so that it is rendered more conspicuous to pollinators and segregated from the concealed fruit which hangs below. This is also probably to ensure that seed dispersers going after the fruits will less likely damage the flowers.

Flowers open just before dawn and last for only a day and bees are the main pollinators although the flowers are also self-compatible. After pollination, small round fruits that resemble cherries are produced. They start out green in colour and turns into a dull red fruit when ripe. The fruits are edible and very tasty – each berry is sweet, juicy and very addictive but contains numerous tiny, yellow seeds. Humans compete with birds and bats (if they occur) for these fruits and due to this, it can be a really difficult task trying to find a ripe fruit in a tree at any one time.

Each fruit takes about 6 to 8 weeks from anthesis to develop fully and seeds are dispersed by both bats and birds. Fresh seed germination is enhanced by passage through the digestive tract of bats. The seed is well-represented in the seed banks of forest soils and requires the high temperature and light conditions of large gaps in the forest for germination; the seedlings do not tolerate shade.

Besides yielding edible fruit, flowers of this tree are used to prepare an infusion against headaches and colds in the Philippines. The pliable bark can be used as rough cordage while the soft wood is harvested and used as firewood. Due to its spreading canopy, this tree provides much shade but it may not be wise to sit beneath it, keeping in mind that there will be birds perching above, foraging for ripe berries to eat. You can expect what will rain down on you if you are sitting below!

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Launch of Trees of our Garden City (2nd Ed)

Posted on October 28, 2009 | Leave a comment

The second edition of National Parks Board’s (NParks) publication “Trees of Our Garden City” was launched on 21 Oct 2009 at the ASEAN Conference on Biodiversity. Dr Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), launched the book at the conference’s welcome dinner.

Dr Djoghlaf, who penned the edition’s foreword, complimented the book and read out an excerpt from its first chapter “Our Garden City Story”, a brief history of tree planting since the founding of Singapore. He was also presented with a signed copy of the book by Mr Tee Swee Ping, the book’s team facilitator and editor.

This book is a must-buy for anyone who is keen in the trees that are part of Singapore’s landscape. Gardeners, horticulturists, teachers and students who want to learn more about the various species of trees commonly planted around Singapore should grab a copy.  There is an addition of 70 species of trees and palms to the 80 from the previous edition! Although information on a large number of trees found in the book can be found on the Internet and various books, what I like about this book is that the information you are reading are put into the context and relevance of Singapore.

What I find particularly useful is the inclusion of some self-sown ‘wild trees’ in this edition which include the albizia (Falcataria moluccana), African tulip (Spathodea campanulata), wattle (Acacia auriculiformis), snakewood (Cecropia peltata) and rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) and the reader can now know why these are not or no longer planted by the authorities and are often seen in areas that are disturbed and left alone afterwards.

This second edition of Trees of Our Garden City includes various new chapters such as tree care, function of trees in Singapore, including tree biology and trees and the environment. Many people have always asked me how they should plant a tree in their garden and care for it. I am glad this book has appeared where the public can now refer to it for guidance. Planting a tree involves more than just digging a hole and plonking the sapling into it! Read up the chapter on tree care to know more on the various aspects of growing trees such as tree planting, tree pruning, tree inspection, pests and diseases and tree conservation.

There is also an important chapter for all Singaporeans to read which is the ‘Our Garden City Story’.  It details how Singapura was turned into a Garden City in a short span of 190 years! The format of this book is also revamped to make it reader-friendly. The reader can look forward to seeing many colourful photos too. Trees of Our Garden City (2nd edition) can be purchased at the Singapore Botanic Gardens Library Shop, and at major bookstores from the first week of November. Its retail price is $35.

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Adopt a Green Lifestyle and “KNOW 10 TREES”

Posted on October 23, 2009 | 1 Comment

Clean and Green Singapore (CGS) returns to HortPark from 30 Oct 2009 to 1 Nov 2009. In line with the CGS theme of encouraging everyone in Singapore to adopt a clean and green lifestyle, National Parks Board (NParks) is launching the ‘Know 10 Trees’ movement for more people to learn about 10 common trees in Singapore and to better appreciate the tall green giants that clean the air and beautify our island.

The 10 trees selected to be featured in the movement are trees that are commonly found in Singapore, with distinctive features that would be easily recognized. Apart from learning about the journey to a clean and green Singapore at the main CGS site, visitors will be able to view a ‘Know 10 Trees’ exhibition at the HortPark Gallery, get free calendars on the 10 trees, vote for their favorite tree, and stand to win attractive prizes such as IPods, shopping vouchers, and book hampers.

A total of 5,000 ‘Know 10 Trees’ calendars will be given out from 5pm to 9pm on 30 October, and 9.30am to 9pm on 31 October and 1 November. Online voting and lucky draw starts from today to 10 November 2009 at www.nparks.gov.sg/vote10trees.

As part of the “Know 10 Trees movement”, a series of activities has been planned throughout 2010 to engage the public and reach out to people of all ages. Some of these include a tree-themed online video contest, match leaf/fruit to tree contest, guess the most common tree contest, and Heritage Tree guided walks. NParks is also working with SingPost on a stamp series to feature the 10 trees. This is likely to be launched next year or in early 2011.

On the objective of ‘Know 10 Trees’ movement, Dr. Leong Chee Chiew, Deputy CEO (Professional Development and Services Cluster), said: “Trees are a significant feature of our City in a Garden, and play an important role in making Singapore a distinctive and endearing city to live, work and play in. They line our roads beautifully, soften harsh landscapes, provide shade, reduce the ambient temperature, and clean our air. Through the ‘Know 10 Trees’ series of activities, we wish to share the importance of trees in our environment, and hope that people of all ages will come to appreciate and develop an affinity with the trees around us.”

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