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Garden Update: The Treasures of our Heritage Garden: Dillenia By Puan Sri Datin Susan Jalaluddin
February 2009

Malaysia has about ten species of Dillenia occurring naturally in the forests and belukar and two are represented in our garden.

Dillenia Suffruticosa

Dillenia Suffructicosa

Dillenia Suffructicosa with red fruit by Frank W. Baker

Dillenia Suffruticosa with red fruit
(Photo courtesy of Frank W. Baker)

Our plants are grown from cuttings I gleaned by the roadside.

This is a very common wasteland shrub, often ignored but in fact a remarkably attractive plant, deserving greater attention. It has large, glossy, dark green leaves with toothed edges, bright yellow flowers and striking star-shaped pink fruit. The growth is rapid and flowers are produced every day, only lasting one day but then turning into the pink fruit which birds love for the seed. Interestingly, the flower opens downwards but twists to allow the fruit to open upwards, presenting the open fruit and seeds invitingly to the birds.

The plant is commonly called Simpoh Air and the leaves are used to wrap tempeh (fermented soy bean cake), tapai (fermented rice desert) and in the past were twisted to form cones for take-away food – a totally biodegradable and environmentally friendly form of packaging. In traditional medicine it is believed to stop bleeding and the pulp of the fruit is used as a shampoo.

Dillenia suffruticosa occurs naturally from West Malaysia to the Philippines.

Dillenia Excelsa

Dillenia Excelsa 

This is the other Dillenia species in our garden and is a small tree, easily distinguished from the shrubby Dillenia Suffruticosa. The flowers are also different, yellow but with purple stamens providing a rich contrast – hence the common name Simpoh Unggu (purple simpoh). Dillenia excelsa flowers also differ from other Dillenia flowers by producing a perfume which attracts honey bees.

Datuk Ismail Adam donated this species to us. According to him, of the six cuttings he and his friend made, only the one in our garden has taken.

Dillenia Excelsa is relatively common naturally in Malaysia, Sumatra, Java and Borneo.

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We are looking to add more plants to our Heritage Garden. If you would like to contribute or are able to help source the following, please let us know.

1. Parkia speciosa - petai
2. Pithecellobium jiringa - jering
3. Tamarindicus indica - assam jawa
4. Garcinia atroviridus - assam gelugor
5. Aleurites moluccana - buah keras
6. Cinnamomun zelanicum - cinnamom
7. Morinda citrifolia - mengkudu

We still have a few plants open for adoption at a minimum donation of RM25 each. Please contact Ee Lin at the Secretariat 03 – 2144 9273 or e-mail eelin@badanwaisan.org.my

 


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