Pagoda flower at Butterfly garden

Butterfly Garden Zone, C

The Banded Swallowtail is attracted to the nectar-bearing flowers of the Pagoda Flower (Clerodendrum paniculatum)

Ripe to eat

The lantern-like covering that hides the soft berry inside turn yellowish when fully ripe.
Location : Butterfly Garden, Zone C

The fruits of the Letup-Letup are now just ripe to eat.  The fruits are contained in a lantern-like structure that is in reality an enlarged calyx.  The fruits are soft yellowish berries when fully ripe and rounded and taste just like tomatoes.  I like to eat them freshly plucked or can also be served as dessert or in mixed  salad.  The fruits are called 'Letup' because once pressed in a clapping motion between our palms the lantern-like structure breaks and produces a popping 'top-top' sounds, thus the name Letup in Malay.

The Letup-Letup ( Lesser Bladder Cherry) - Physalis minima belongs to the Tomatao family ( Solanaceae)

Just nice for dessert

Focus on flowers @ Butterfly garden

The versatile and functional 'Simpoh Air'

'Simpoh Air' thickets at Pipit Wetlands in mixed planting

'Simpoh Air' thickets at Kruak Wetlands

Long shot view of 'Simpoh Air' thickets at Pipit Wetlands

'Simpoh Air' thickets at the foreground
Location: Pipit Wetlands

The 'Simpoh Air' or Shrubby dillenia (Dillenia suffructicosa) is grown here in mass planting scheme or thickets.  It has characteristic broad leaves and prodices fruits much-liked by the Sambar deer.  Thus the shrub  is purposely planted to attract the coming of Sambar deers to the park especially during and a few days after every full moon of the month.  They provide cover for many other animals especially those grown near wetlands e.g. monitor lizards, civet cats, squirrels and nesting grounds for birds.  Many insects are attracted to its flowers and birds to its juicy red seeds.  The 'Simpoh Air' grows well on wet grounds as well as dry areas and thus is a versatile and no-maintenance plant.  Grown as thickets, they reduce much maintenance work e.g. grass cutting and thus minimise costs of care of the park yet attract a  diversity of wildlife.  Young leaves of the 'Simpoh Air' can be eaten as salad and older leaves are used as natural wrappers for food.  In other parts of Sarawak, the long straight stems of the plant are used for pepper posts.

Butterfly garden status update

View of Butterfly Garden looking east
Zone C

The Butterfly garden is developing nicely with many of the plants growing well.  A lot more room is available to accommodate planting of suitable shrubs and covers that can become host to the butterflies and birds.  It is of no coincidence the other day that a beautiful butterfly dropped by at the window pane (see inset),  It looked rare and a lifer for the park. Butterflies are a major attraction at the park and over the years I have gathered their images in a special page of this blog under 'Butterflies'.  ( Check the right column of this blog under 'Park Highlights'). Among the flowering plants today are the Ixoras, Plumerias, Jasmines, Clerondendrons, Heliconias and Gardenias.

Beautiful agave species that grows well in the open sun.

Flushes and flowers

The angels are back

Angel's trumpet (Euclinia longiflora)
Family : Rubiaceae - Coffee family
Syn : Randia macrantha

Last night the angels came trumpeting in.  The Randia macrantha or sometimes called the Angel's Trumpet blossomed last night producing white trumpet-like flowers that are strongly scented.  I have moved them to a new location that is relatively in the open area, different from its previous site which was in semi-shaded area.  This is my favourite shrub because it is a very rare plant to be found in Sarawak.  I normally propagate it through cuttings but the rate of success is about 30 percent.  Over the years I have given this plant to a very few select friends who love gardening.  Any ordinary gardener will find it a big challenge to grow this shrub.  Before I transplanted this tall shrub, I had to dig a deep trench around it and did not move it from the trench for about two months to allow for the establishment of new roots and to avoid shock.  Last night's show proved that it does well too in open locations.

Pick of the park - Cream Fruit (Strophantus gratus)

Cream Fruit (Strophantus gratus)
Syn: Roupellia grata
Family : Apocynaceae - Periwinkle family
Location : Butterfly Garden, Zone C

It is a beautiful shrub which bears close clusters of attractive all year round funnel-like pink flowers.  The flower buds are dark crimson in colour and somewhat waxy.  It is possible to plant them from cuttings, though I find the success rate by this method is not so good.  A very characteristic feature of the flower is the presence of scale-like appendages on the throat of the funnel.  It  has a semi-climbing habit and some varieties are vines.

Rounded Frangipani or Plumeria obtusa

Rounded Frangipani (Plumeria obtusa)
Family : Apocynaceae - Periwinkle family
Zone C

A seashore shrub fruiting

Unripe fruits of the Jambu Kera (Glochidion littorale) -belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family
Zone C

Ripe fruits of the  Jambu Kera

The 'Jambu Kera' (Malay) typically grows on coastal areas.  I had planted one a few years ago at Zone C for botanical interest.  The seashore shrub has produced some fruits.  The small fruits are edible and so are the young leaves.  There is a small depression at the apex of the fruit looking like a cute dimple.

When the angels come trumpeting in

Flower buds of the Angel's Trumpet (Randia macrantha)
Family : Rubiaceae - Coffee family

 Last night the angels came trumpeting in.  There was music and perfume in the air as they open up their pure white petals.  This morning I saw at least ten more flower buds that are ready to bloom.  But patience.  It is fashionable among the angels to reveal themselves around midnight when the air is still and fresh.  That will be the best time for them to exude their romantic fragrance.  Guess I'll be waiting for the angels tonight!

Sometimes referred to as Euclinia longiflora - the Angel's Trumpet
Location : Zone C

( Note: There is another flowering shrub that is also commonly called Angel's Trumpet i.e. Datura suaveolens but belongs to the Solanaceae family - Tomato family)

Pick of the park - Candlestick Cassia

Candlestick Cassia - Cassia alata
Syn : Senna alata
Location : Provinsi Carpentaria, Zone F

 This plant does not need maintenance at all.  Preferring to survive on damp areas.  For that reason I grow them along the stream and flood prone areas of the park especially at Zone F, near Provinsi Carpentaria. The flowers are yellow and before they see the sun are enclosed in orange bracts.  This plant can be easily grown by seeds and the germination rate is almost 90%.  Best grown in a mixed border arrangement but make sure to provide shirting of lower shrubs or other cover plants  to avoid showing the leggy lower parts of its stem.  The leaves are used in traditional medicine as cure for ringworm and other skin diseases.

Candlestick Cassia or 'Serugan' in Iban  - Cassia alata
Family : Leguminosae - Bean family

Pick of the park - 'Sepenuh' (Malay)

Sepenuh (Malay) - Proiphys amboinensis
Syn: Eurycles amboinensis
Family : Amaryllidaceae - Onion family