[hunkebun]

How much do I love Rain Trees? Let me count the ways.... Well people, I think this is one of the trees the colonials brought and planted everywhere in cities in Asia. It is become naturalised I think because some of the biggest and oldest trees in some towns are Raintrees. The most notables ones would the the grand fat one at Macritchie Reservoir. The whole thing is festooned with ferns and paved with Bulbos. Then of course there are the very special ones on Fort Canning and SBG - you must check-out the tree at Fort Canning - on the side facing Hill St near the S'pore environmental Council and the one facing ROM. They are even grander than the one at the SBG Visitor Centre. Other very old and grand trees are at the side of Padang facing the Esplanade - wonderfully gnarled and twisted old trees growing with ferns and pigeon orchids... and ofcourse the trees lining the ECP - everytime I comeback from somewhere my heart would just swell fit to bursting with pride speeding through the tunnel of Raintrees........ Nparks had been replacing alot lately for road widening. It is very bad, especially near the airport. Sucks! man to see gaps in the tunnel.

Recently saw some very strange and twisted Raintree at Bt Merah area - should have taken pict but didnt haf camera - will retrace my way there and snap the tree and post here.

Please do checkout and do tell anything interesting you know about the Raintrees, like if you saw something interesting or you know when and where the first Raintrees were planted etc etc. And those who love to read must do Han Su-Yins "...and the Rain my drink" there is a delicious part where she described Raintrees in malaysia.

[prana]

Im a fan of raintrees myself. My next fav tree will be trees from the ficus family. There was an off road near Queensway shopping ctr where there was a stretch of abandoned road with raintrees growing on one side. U could see all sorts of fern including Drynarias.

I also like travelling along mrt from Clementi to Bouna Vista. There are many raintrees with large and majestic staghorn ferns.

There is a a small field just beside NUS Art Faculty where u can see lots of raintrees growing on a sloping ground with lush green grasses. I always love walking through the path there under the canopy.

I like raintrees coz they invoke a sense of lush greenery and serenity. I enjoy looking at the canopy as they sway with the wind.

[hunkebun]

Saw this Dischidia growing on the Raintree along Orchard Blvd. Someone or Nparks must have put this on or Some birdie brought it there:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k226/hun...dOnRaintree.jpg
If you lile treewatching checkout the Raintrees along Bedok in front of Bedok Stadium. Whole trees are covered with Dischidias! This thing started at a lone Rain Tree at the Malay Village in Geylang and seem to be spreading towards Bedok. I think is a good think though some 'naturalist' would consider this an enviromental disaster.

I have observed this at Hougang area - Hougang Ave 1 ant houg St 21, also saw on Podocarpus and Raintrees near the Bougainvillea Park along Bt Timah Rd and Civic District - Raintrees infront of Cathedral of Good Shepherd / SMU.

What dyu pple think?

This post has been edited by hunkebun: 31 July 2006 - 09:41 AM

[wilson]

Hi Hunkebun and All,

I just happen to spot a raintree which had leaves that are totally yellow in colour, unlike the usual dark green.

Any comments? Is it a disease or nutrient deficiency?

Wilson

[hunkebun]

Wilson, I think is a mutation or a sport or cultivar or regressive genes or virus. Nobody knows. Some of these trees start life as normal green then they suddenly revert. Some are completely green, but would suddenly have one branch with complete yellow leaves. Some start as yellow and remain yellow. I tried looking for Yellow Raintree seeds to see if they would be yelow, but all the yellow raintrees I saw had no flowers or fruit. I think they are sterile. I met this thai grower who told me that out of 1000 normal green raintree seeds, there would be 1 yellow tree seed. The seeds should be collected near an area where there are yellow trees. I tried taking cuttings from yellow rain trees. Does not work. Lately there has been alot of yellow raintrees being produced in Thailand. Thai people are wonderful in doing this. I do not know how. Maybe TC.

Actually Nparks is using the trees quite extensively now. Check out sections of PIE and ECP near Airport. Hill St - Between Chijmes and Cathedral of Good Shepherd - SBG Bandstand (very beautiful) and the "Spring" section of NOG - Yellow raintrees, Melaleucas and Onc. Golden Shower - very beautiful!

This post has been edited by hunkebun: 02 August 2006 - 01:26 PM

[boonboon]

I am also a fan of rain trees as it was the first tree that I learnt in my Primary Six Science textbook. I was intrigued by its ability to close its leaves in the evening. Wow! I would say. This tree was like us. It needed to sleep once the sun had set. :P/>

As I am more into orchids, I begin to look for any pigeon orchids that might be growing along its branches or trunk whenever I pass by. There are a lot of rain trees in my estate and one is even planted beside an overhead bridge where I can touch the flowers during the flowering season.

I still prefer a green rain tree. Green in Cantonese sounds similar to the word 禄 which means prosperity. :D/>

[hunkebun]

Yellow = Golden mah, so much much more prosperous!!!!

[boonboon]

hunkebun, on Aug 8 2006, 07:34 PM, said:

Yellow = Golden mah, so much much more prosperous!!!!

Like this also can ah. :D/> :P/> :lol:/>

[deTengs]

The carpark outside the visitor's centre at SBG is planted entirely with yellow rain trees! So many that one just stop noticing them any more.

It's a unique tree that's useful for landscaping considering it's unique coloration. I suspect a nursery is propagating this tree through cuttings but they sell at exorbitant prices.

On top of that, their leaves do not only 'close' in the evenings but also during rain. This, I suppose, is to open up the canopy for rain water to reach the ground surrounding it's trunk.

It is indeed a tree that is very sensitive to it's surroundings!

[hunkebun]

deTengs, on Aug 9 2006, 12:34 PM, said:

It's a unique tree that's useful for landscaping considering it's unique coloration. I suspect a nursery is propagating this tree through cuttings but they sell at exorbitant prices.

Cuttings cannot ler. Marcot oso cannot. I tried. Last I heard is some supplier apply raw sulpher to the seedlings until the plant turn yellow. Then they are allowed to grow normally. They do not revert. But such trees are more lime green in colour than pure yellow. I m sure you noticed the difference between the new generation of yellow raintrees and the older ones.

[deTengs]

well...i suppose the price's not exorbitant for no reason. good thing we now have endless cuttings from SBG :lol:/>

it's a beautiful plant but i've yet to see one huge and full grown yellow rain tree. that will be a great sight!

[hunkebun]

deTengs, on Aug 10 2006, 11:04 PM, said:

well...i suppose the price's not exorbitant for no reason. good thing we now have endless cuttings from SBG :lol:/>

it's a beautiful plant but i've yet to see one huge and full grown yellow rain tree. that will be a great sight!

You mean SBG successful at doing cuttings? Wow. I tried but cannot ler.

[wandy]

[b]I'm a Samanea saman lover too!!!
Just love their thick stem with huge tree crown, a good shade provider!!! :D/>[/b]