January flowering trees of Bintulu (Part 3) - Kedah Gardenia

A mature Kedah Gardenia tree at Medan Jaya shopping area, alongside the car parking lots.


In the ' Medan Jaya' shopping area today, I was glad to come across a long row of flowering tree-gardenia species known locally as the 'Kedah Gardenia'. Its botanical name is Gardenia carinata and hails from the Coffee family ( Rubiaceae). It is a medium tree and can reach a height of 15 meters. Young trees flower at about four years old. It is rather slow in growth and thus is suitable for the house garden. In addition, it has an upright growing habit with an oval crown thus making the garden less shady but more showy due to its large bright yellow flowers ( see inset). This plant is a relative import to the Bintulu landscaping industry and most probably was introduced to the Bintulu garden scene less than 10 years ago. It is no stranger to Malaysia from which it originates. Kedah is one of the states on the Peninsular Malaysia where the plant finds home and get its vernacular name - Kedah Gardenia. However, because of the ease of propagation through seeds many nursery owners in Sarawak are able to raise them and keep large stock available for purchase.

The flowers start to bloom in pale cream and gradually takes on a bright orange-yellow colour. These large showy flowers are borne in the leaf axils viz the terminal end of the twigs. Fruits are oval and they appear green at first and matures to yellow colour. The tree is easily propagated through seeds. Location : Medan Jaya , Bintulu.

If Bintulu town residents want a different and slightly better quality of urban life, planting more of the fragrant Kedah Gardenia would be an excellent idea for home gardens, neighbourhood parks, car parking lots, public parks and small to medium-sized town roads. More fragrant spots in the town will surely make the town people happier with the town's green lungs.

For more pictures of Kedah Gardenia flowers please click here.

January flowering trees of Bintulu ( Part 2) - Yellow Flame

Close-up of the inflorescences showing crinkled petals.

A short row of flowering Yellow Flame trees along Tun Ahmad Zaidi Road near Kampung Assyakirrin, Bintulu.

Driving leisurely along the Tun Ahmad Zaidi Road today, my gaze was directed to a short row of flowering trees near the Kampung Assyakirrin area. The Yellow Flame flowers were all over the rounded canopy and appeared to crown the tree with its golden glory. Such is the beauty of the Yellow Flame ( Peltophorum pterocarpum) and this flowering season can last for a few weeks. The Yellow Flame is a local tree by which I mean its origins can be found in Malaysia and nearby South East Asian countries. Sarawak is too rich in hard tropical timber that even though the trunk of the tree can be used as planks, it is seldom harvested for its timber. In Indonesia especially on the island of Java the batik makers there used the bark of the tree as dye in colouring their batik pieces. The Yellow Flame belongs to the Leguminosae family ( Bean family) and in Sarawak the Yellow Flame is planted more for its ornamental value. It is planted in Bintulu as medium sized tree for medium-sized town roads. It can however grow to a height of 18 meters when matured. The flowers are golden yellow in hue ( see top picture) and are borne on erect terminal pyramid-like panicles. After a heavy flowering season the tree will produce pods that are flat and purplish brown in colour. Most nursery owners propagate them by way of seeds and it is generally known that germination takes about two or more months. However many nursery owners soak the seeds in hot water for about two (2) minutes to speed up the germination process. Another interesting habit of the Yellow Flame is the leaf exchange process that it undergoes after each flowering season. Immediately after leaf shedding , new leaf production will follow and the cycle later complete itself with the next flowering magic.

Even though Bintulu had planted the Yellow Flame as popular roadside trees beginning the mid 1980's starting at Nyabau Road ( short cut to Bintulu Port from Bintulu- Miri Highway at Mile 5 Traffic Junction) and the Dewan Suarah internal roads, not all of them flower in concert this January. Probably this is one characteristic typical of the Yellow Flame. They don't burst in golden flowers simultaneously all over the town roads. Despite this weakness they are still my favourite due to its bright yellow colour, moderate size and robust stature once they are heavily pruned. The last point reminds me of one specific "Grand Old Yellow Flame tree of Bintulu " that is still standing proudly at the center of Bintulu town if one cares to notice. The Yellow Flame thus speaks volume of Bintulu town landscaping attempts since the 1950's.

January flowering trees of Bintulu ( Part 1) - Golden Penda

Flowering Golden Penda trees along a small road near Kampung Assyakirrin, Bintulu. The bright pinkish red flowers next to it are the flowers of the Crepe flower ( Lagerstroemia indica)

This year the month of December has been memorable in that my occasional visits to the 'Tamu' or jungle produce market and night markets in Bintulu are not met with the rich display of seasonal fruits. No, sadly enough there aren't any smell of the ever popular durians, langsat, rambutans, dabai, cempedak or ong lumok and many other local end of year fruits. As is normal the fruit season will continue till January or even February. But will there be any fruit stalls selling seasonal fruits in the night markets this month is a big guessing and waiting game for many lovers of local fruits throughout Sarawak. If it did not happen in December, will January bring in the cheers? The very wet weather it is thought by many experienced farmers to have caused poor flowering which resulted in extremely poor harvest of local durians and other seasonal fruits. Be as it may, I feel delighted today as I drive along many small roads here to see the exuberant golden flowers of the Golden Penda trees ( Xanthostemon chrysantus). At the inset is a close-up of the flowers. The long stamens appear like fireworks in the night sky. The Golden Penda comes from the Family - Myrtaceae or the Myrtle family of which the common edible ones are the guava ( Psidium guajava) and the Malay apple ( Syzygium malaccense) . While the guava and the Malay apple originates from Malaysia and Indonesia, the Golden Penda's origins are said to be from Australia. Golden Pendas are grown in Bintulu mainly for its ornamental value being a small compact tree with abundant masses of golden yellow flowers.

Ten years ago the Golden Penda was never seen in Bintulu. Thus it must have been introduced to Bintulu between 5-6 years ago. But whatever its origin and its late popularity, the Golden Penda has begun to show its true colours this January.