Nicolaia Elatior - Torch Ginger

The plant
Nicolaia Elatior or the torch ginger flower is used in Singapore (and Southeast Asia) for its unique spicy flavour - where it is also an ingredient known as the rojak flower.

The photos were taken on a recent visit to the farm. I was just taking a leisure walk around and noticed that the torch gingers were in bloom. I should have taken some pictures of the plant growth so that you could have better imagined how the entire plant look like with the flower spikes - how marvellous it is that such delicate looking flowers should grow out of that messy cluster of leaves (much like heliconias but sparser and bigger leaves stalks).

The personal-take
I first saw the blooming torch ginger when it was brought to me by one of the workers at my parents' farm. We didn't export this, he was showing it to me because he knew I didn't see it before. When informed that it was the rojak flower, I couldn't believe it - that such a beautiful delicate flower was used to flavor the blackish-messy-saladish-dish.

I think it's like the lotus of the land - because of how the inflorescence unfurls and how it grows from the dirty muddy soil.

In the end, we tried to export some of these flowers - but because we were not propogating them commercially, we only shipped a few boxes of 5 stems. Most of them were deliberately harvested when they were only slightly in bloom (like the picture on left) because they would otherwise be difficult to pack and bruise too easily.

Ruellia simplex 'Chi Chi' - Hardy pink petunia

The plant is also known as 'Chi Chi' Petunia and I like the way that sounds. Known as wild petunias, the Ruellia is a fairly established family of free flowering plants. The flowers are trumpet shaped.

The photo is dark and doesn't capture the delicate pink of the 'Chi Chi' well. There are other colours and names for the Ruellia simplex, for example, the purple type is known as Ruellia simplex 'Katie'.

The personal-take
Though it looks easy to maintain, I have yet to notice many of these plants being featured in landscape design. I suspect that it might be a messy grower. One that grows in twists and offshoots that betray the planned silhouette, but it's still just a suspicion.

I do like the leaves, though, I think it's rather refined.

Celosia argentea var plumosa - Pheonix's tail

The Plant is known as the "pheonix tail chicken crown flower" in Mandarin. Quite a crude name, actually. A potted plant grown for its inflorescence that is popular for its vibrant colours during the Lunar New Year festivities. Also, known as 'Plume Celosia'.

The Photo features the plants from a weird perspective? Well, it was taken from an overhead bridge. The plants were lined up outside a nursery or flora/landscaping shop. I wonder why they weren't afraid of people just taking them away. Maybe because Singapore's a safe country, or that they have too much stock.

The Personal-take
I appreciate the plants for their vibrancy and beauty. I can't help, however, feeling that they are somewhat overrated. Perhaps, I've gotten too used to them, and haven't grown to appreciate their form and beauty.

I do remember, from my childhood, that I liked to feel the flowers, stroke them. They have a waxy feathery texture. My grandma would tell me to stop plucking at them.

I think I should miss the Plume Celosia if one day, we all decide that it's time to get new Chinese New Year plants.

Jatropha integerrima - Shanghai Beauty

The plant & photos
The Jatropha seems to be better known as the Spicy Jatropha but I prefer the name "Shanghai Beauty" because the flowers give me an "oriental feel", in that they look very chinese and won't be out of place in a Chinese painting. I was happy to find the reference as I thought it was pretty apt, even though the plant originated from the West Indies.

From my observation, it's pretty fast growing and does well in full sun - which also brings out the vivid colour of the red flowers, which is great as it's pretty free-flowering. The photo on the left was taken on a sunny day, and shows how lively the blooms can be. The buds remind me of holly berries.

As a shrub, I suppose it should be pruned regularly to keep it growing densely.

The Personal-take
As mentioned, I think the flowers give off a very oriental vibe. They are very attractive and I like the way they grows in bunches. Although I like how it's very generous in its flowering... that it doesn't play hard to get... it might be more exquisite if it were less free flowering, and if its leaves were smaller, and if it grew a little slower.

How contradicting! Everything has its personality and it's almost as if, I am wishing for it to be something else. I must apologize~ and correct my attitude to appreciate it for what it is.

Plumeria Rubra - The frangipani or chempaka or egg flower

The plant
Some time ago, the Plumeria Rubra was probably better known as the Frangipani. However, since the frangipani has quite bad press (for being associated with death, being usually planted at graveyards), I suspect, the local landscapers began to promulgate the name "plumeria". My mother calls it the egg flower, which I suspect is another name for the frangipani.

Very popular for its variety of colourful flowers, and its low maintenance need, the plumeria seems ideal for planting at the traffic islands at cross road junction, which are landscapes understandably difficult to maintain. Perhaps, it is ideal for planting at traffic islands also because it is not bushy (I suspect, when it is exposed to the sun, as seen from the bare tree on the left), thus, it doesn't obscure road signs.

The picture
The picture above was taken at Ang Moh Kio park from an overhead bridge. The silver skeleton of the plumeria gives off a cool feeling to the hot afternoon from after.

The picture (right) featuring a more typical popular plumeria plant, was taken along the road, somewhere in Eastern Singapore, if I remember correctly. The showy flowers were really very attractive and beckoning, especially how they were hanging down from above.

The personal-take
Personally, I have mixed feelings about the plumeria. Although I concede that it is very attractive and functional (with the low maintenance required), I can't help but feel that they're rather superficial. Perhaps, it's gotta do with how they have brittle branches which cannot withstand strong wind, and I like wind.

Maybe they don't mind getting their branches a little chipped, and the wind don't mind breaking it a little, and nobody minds anything, and I'm should just mind my own business and let everybody be happy.

Peltophorum pterocarpum - The Yellow Flame Tree

The Plant
The Yellow Flame tree, or Peltophorum pterocarpum is a common wayside tree that has been around for ages, steadily growing to provide shade around our nation. It used to be the 'every-other-tree', but I seem to notice that in recent years, there are increasingly diverse trees being planted and the yellow flame is not exactly everywhere anymore. I suppose the road-sweepers may welcome the change, as they must be quite lot of work when they shed their tiny leaflets, often after dry weather. It came from the coastal areas of Peninsula Malaysia.

The Picture
Rather than featuring the Yellow Flame tree with an obvious picture of it blooming with its bright yellow inflorescence, I thought this was a nice take of the tree with its purple seedpods. These seed pods may remain on the tree for several months. Taken one evening at Dhoby Ghaut while watching the Thaipusam festival.

The personal-take
I remember that from a kitchen's window from my grandma's house, which was at the 4th floor of a HDB block, I would see 4 yellow flame trees. I used to imagine that these 4 trees were crazy and at odds with each other, because neither of them would ever bloom, shed, bear new fruit, or sprout new leaves at the same time. Still, it was nice to observe the four different seasons at one time.

My grandma has since moved. Perhaps I should visit back one day to see how the trees are doing.

I don't think just one post is enough to do the Yellow flame tree justice.

Heliconia Rostrata or Lobster Claw - Inflorescences, bracts, and flowers

The Plant
Heliconias are so oftenly mistaken as the bird of paradise plant (which is originally the Strelitzia) that they've come to be known as the false bird of paradise. Heliconias are also close to the banana family (Musaceae). It's easy to make the connection from the way the plant grows, or the shape of the leaves.

The Lobster Claw has an easy-to-remember name, having inflorescence (which is the "part of a plant that consists of the flower-bearing stalks") looking like cooked lobster's, well, claw.

Plant parts

Inflorescence: part of a plant that consists of the flower-bearing stalks (i.e. the string of lobster claws)

Bract: leaflike or scalelike plant part, usually small, sometimes showy or brightly colored, and located just below a flower, a flower stalk (i.e. 1 lobster claw = 1 bract)

Flower: The reproductive structure of some seed-bearing plants (i.e. The little banana look-alike things in the lobster claw, we can think of it as lobster food or something.)

The Photo

The photo was taken at a glass fence. The plant is often used for landscaping. Actually it was pretty popular about 2-3 years ago, one could find heliconias growing in almost every garden landscaped during that period. I suspect it was due to its bright coloured easy blooms.

As time goes by, though, it proved rather difficult to tame the plant. As they reproduce at the root (as in rhizomes like the ginger), if left to over-grow, heliconias would just get more and more crowded, and the shoots would grow taller and taller trying to reach for the sun. The leaves can become big and bulky, so trimming is difficult as one has to literally crawl underneath and chop it near the ground.

Nevertheless, while it lasts, it's quite pretty and exotic looking. Besides, they could be grown in containers that contain their growth (bearing in mind the containers should be wide and heavy).

The Personal-take

Apparently, heliconias and orchids are the definitive exotic tropical plants. The heliconias stand in a special place in my heart as my parents export these things. One of the things I helped out with was to wrap up the inflorescences in bubble wrap.

If left alone, the lobster claws would continue to grow longer and longer. By the time, it reaches the 10th lobster claw, however, the top-most claw tends to be bruised and imperfect. This is not welcomed for flower used for arrangements or display, which would then not be long-lasting. So, the lobster claws skewers at the florists are usually rather short. It also reduces the time it takes for each harvest and increases the yield.