10 Popular Native Plants of Singapore

Although Singapore is considered as a small country but the amazing thing about this country is that it has almost 2200 plant species which is surprisingly a huge number. Despite of this huge collection still a very few people know about the native species of Singapore.

The reason why so many plants in Singapore go unnoticed is because most of the plant species do not have any floral displays therefore they are labeled as just wild grasses or bunches of leaves.

This is the main reason NPS or Native Plant Squad along with the volunteers initiated a campaign to make planted plots in order to showcase some of Singapore’s most beautiful plants in a garden set up. Currently this garden shows almost 60 different native plants species.

The special thing about these planted plots is that all the plants were originally recovered from the Botanic Garden of Singapore with the help of researchers. Seed cuttings and mother plants were rescued from developed areas. Before they were planted in pots these were nurtured in the Pasir Panjang Nursery for several weeks.

For the very first time these planted species have been featured in landscapes and some of them do a great job in home gardens as well.

Below I present to you 10 attractive species to give you an idea about the beautiful plant species of Singapore. So have a look and enjoy!

1. Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus parvifolius)

This is one of the most commonly sold potted plants by the local nurseries. When in wild, it develops as an epiphytic plant that climbs on trunks or even on tree branches. It has uniquely heavy leaves that are arranged along the irregular and long stems. It has red flowers that are present on top of the stem.

It can grow best when it is watered regularly and placed under bright and indirect sunlight. It is called lipstick plant because its flower buds are bright red in color just like a lipstick.

 

2. Alpinia aquatic/Aquatic Ginger

This is species of ginger and it can grow well when it is partly submerged in water. In natural habitat it can be found in water-logged places near ponds and streams. It is a very tolerant plant and can easily tolerate dryness for a few days.

At the tip of the stem you can see small and pinkish flowers which are followed by various dark-purple fruits. It can grow best when in partial shade or full sun.

 

3. Cheilocostus globosus/Orange Spiral Ginger

This is a tall and branched plant which is a class of the eatable ginger. At first it was thought that this plant is extinct but later it was rediscovered by the researcher Dr. Jana Skornickova who was working in the Botanic Gardens of Singapore. It is a user-friendly plant which is easy to grow and can grow up to 1.5m tall. It has bright red and orange flowers which are huge and they grow close to the ground.

 

4. Dianella ensifolia/ Common Dianella

In the absence of flowers it looks like a bunch of grass with huge leaves. When it is all set to blossom then it grows a long stem and on that stem you will see numerous star-like flowers that are blue-violet in shade. Along with that, it also has numerous cobalt-blue berries that add more beauty to it. It is a very easy going and tolerant plant and doesn’t require any specific soil or sunlight requirements.

 

5. Dillenia excels/ Simpoh Lak

For some regular park visitors the flowers of this plant may bring back memories of National Service. The reason is that it has a striking similarity with the smaller Simpoh Ayer which is normally used during military exercise as camouflage. Simpoh Lak is a tall tree with a columnar crown and the flowers have a red central part. This specie can easily fit into smaller gardens. For best growth this plant should be exposed to direct sun and watered regularly.

 

6. Freycinetia javanica flower

It belongs to the same family as the eatable plant Pandan. It is among the many plants that were included in the landscapes for the very first time. In the natural habitat it normally climbs on rocks, tree trunks and also stones. Flowers of this plant are grouped into separate female and male inflorescence, male is reddish-orange in color and it is more beautiful than the female inflorescence.

 

7. Ixora congesta/ Jarum Jarum

Unlike hybrids from its own class that need direct sunlight in order to bloom this plant can bloom in areas with no direct sunlight. This is a woody shrub and it is approximately 2m tall. During the blooming season it grows numerous orange-colored flowers. The name Jarum Jarum suggests an unopened floral bud that looks like needles. The plus point of this flower is that it easily attracts butterflies, which is great news for butterfly’s lovers.

 

8. Hoya latifolia/Wax Flower

Among the climbing wax flower species, it has the largest leaves. Flowering is observed during the monsoon period when the weather is cooler. Flower is pale-pink in color with waxy look and it is fragrant. It is user-friendly and easy to grow.

 

9. Portulaca pilosa/ Seashore Purslane

If you are a fan of succulent, native to Singapore then this specific plant is found on Singaporean shores. It is drought resistant and less demanding plant. When the conditions are ideal then it will form huge mats on the support. For best results, grow this in full sun and well-drained soil.

 

10. Tarenna fragrans/River Tarenna

This is one of the most beautiful and attractive native plant species. The flowers of this specie have a very mesmerizing smell. It is a low-branching plant which can grow up to 3m. It is highly tolerant plant and can easily withstand being in shade or even if exposed to full sun. During spring it is covered in yellow flowers which give it a divine appearance.