Environment and biodiversity
Angsana Tree
4 January 2023
You may have seen them along roads with a thick carpet of yellow flowers on the ground beneath them!
The flowers belong to the dome-shaped Angsana trees, which can grow up to a whopping 40m in height! Floral buds develop high on the tree, and when ready, bloom simultaneously in a vivid yellow colour. After only a day, the flowers drop and scatter, spreading its angsana seeds around a large area.
The Angsana tree was introduced to Singapore in the early 19th century as a shade tree (owing to its robust canopy of leaves). Many more of the trees were further planted extensively between 1967 to 1982 as part of Singapore’s Garden City Campaign. However, the species’ susceptibility to fungal disease led to the removal of more than 800 infected trees. Since then, efforts have been made to study the disease and prevent its spread in future to some success — five Angsana trees were reintroduced to Esplanade park in 2015.
Perhaps our nation’s most famous Angsana tree is located at Upper Serangoon road. One of the largest roadside trees in Singapore, this particular tree is more than 60 years of age — older than our nation itself!
See if you can spot these majestic trees around our island! 🌳🌳🌳
#WildlifeWednesday #WildlifeWednesdaySG #Singapore #angsana