By Anthony Tan
IT`S “springtime” in Penang! Though there are no four seasons here, many trees bloom at this time of the year, giving the impression that spring is in the air.
A good place to see flowering trees and plants is the Penang Botanic Gardens, which was established in 1884, hence the oldest botanical garden in Malaysia.
The gardens are an important natural heritage of Penang and a tourism attraction.
To highlight the floral attractions there, the Friends of the Penang Botanic Gardens Society recently conducted a Fabulous Flora tour of the place.
The trip began from the society`s administration, education and research centre, Botanika Outreach which is located diagonally opposite the Moon Gate about 200m from the gardens` entrance.
The place was already full of visitors many of whom were there for morning workout, when we arrived at 9am.
Society president Datuk Tengku Idaura Tengku Ibrahim, who was our guide, said there were many flowering trees at roadsides in Penang but many motorists drive past without noticing the blooms.
She said the Penang Botanic Gardens had a “treasure of trees which the public should admire and rejoice in.”
“Many flower from February to April. The fantastic colours of the blooms are a joy to behold. Enjoy their colour and fragrance,” she said.
Among the first trees we came across is the cannonball tree with its unique cannonball-shaped fruits.
Originating from Guyana, the tree has large pinkish red flowers that are also unique in shape.
Tengku Idaura likened the wide opening in the flower with its soft bristles to a bed for Further up Circular Road, we came to the Pride of Burma, or Amherstia nobilis tree, with its crimson flowers which have yellow tips on a few of its petals.
“The tree was discovered in 1827 near a temple in Burma (Myanmar), hence its name,” Tengku Idaura said.
Described by some as the most beautiful of flowering tropical trees, it has also earned the sobriquet Queen of Flowering Trees.
Next, we stopped to have a closer look at the saraca with its yellow floral clusters.
Tengku Idaura said the saraca was a local jungle tree.
It`s difficult to miss the showy Golden Shower Tree (cassia fistula), or beresak in Malay, which is so named because of its numerous pendulous clusters of yellow flowers that look like gold falling to the ground.
The trees are also planted on roadsides in Penang, which Tengku Idaura said the pulps of its seeds were traditionally consumed as a laxative.
At the Upper Circular Road, we came across a tall tree called the Tree of Heaven (simaroubaccae) because of its height.
We had to crane our necks to see the top. The tree is native to China, Tropical America and India. Its bark and leaves are used as a tonic, especially for debility after childbirth, according to the information sign under the tree.
We also saw a cousin of the Golden Shower, cassia bakeriana, which has pinkish flowers and is the only tree in the gardens according to Tengku Idaura.
Tulips may not grow in hot climate but at the gardens there is a tree with tulip-like flowers. It`s the African Tulip Tree that blooms all year-round and has large orange flowers.
Near the bandstand is the Scented Garden where trees with fragrant flowers are planted, including bunga tanjung, holarrhena antidysenterica with its frangipani-like flowers, and gustavia superba with its large white flowers which attract bees.
Other flowering plants include the bauhinia kockiana - a jungle vine with orange flowers, the sandpiper vine (petrea volubilis) with light purple flowers and Japanese bamboo, which has tiny white flowers at the end of filaments.
There are also flowers that are called cat`s tail, powder puff and misai kuching (cat`s whiskers). No prize for guessing why they are given these common names.
Some trees have flowers that change colours by the day like the potato tree. Its flowers turn from purple to light purple and finally white on the third day.
One of the most majestic flowering trees is the Thai bungor (lagerstroemia loudonii) with its crown of purplish and white flowers, which can be seen from afar.
Also attractive is the rosy trumpet tree (tabebuia rosea) that looks like the cherry blossom, as its blooms are prolific. The tree only blooms once a year and often leaves a carpet of flowers on the ground.
Originating from Central America, the tree is planted in many places in the country, including a stretch of the North-South Expressway between Gurun and Alor Star.
There are also lots of flowering trees and plants in the Formal Garden such as the gloriosa superba, white mussaenda and the pagoda flower known locally as sepanggil.
For those interested in fruit trees, there is a fruit arboretum at the gardens where trees such as the langsat and pulasan (wild rambutan) are planted.
Tengku Idaura said the society would continue to conduct the Fabulous Flora tours if the public was interested.
Retiree K.H. Lee, 57, said it was an eye- opener.
“We got to know more about the flowering trees such as their individual characteristics,” he said.
Lim Khoon Seok, 60, said she admired the trees and flowers during her occasional walks in the gardens but did not know their names and much about them.
“I came for this tour because I wanted to learn about them. It has been an informative trip. The fresh air and sunshine are also good for health,” she said.
Besides the flora tour, the Friends of the Penang Botanic Gardens Society also organises other educational programmes, including those for children like jungle walks, T-shirt printing and glass painting
Source: www.thestar.com (19 April 2007)
