Intriguing Facts About Wayside Trees You Probably Didn’t Know

Not to be confused with the Yellow Flame is the the Golden Shower Tree (Cassia fistula) from the same botanical family. When this tree is in full bloom, the yellow pendulous flowers hang down in beautiful clusters like a curtain. The leaves and flowers are particularly important to the Hindus as they are used in religious offerings during the Vishu festival.

With its unmistakably deep pink and trumpet-shaped inflorescences, the Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia rosea) has been commonly planted in parks and along roadsides in housing estates. Growing up to 30 metres tall, the tree has two flowering seasons, typically occurring first in March and April, and later in the year between August and September. Native to tropical rainforests across South America, the bark of the tree is found have anti-cancer properties while the timber can be used for building and furniture. Due to its prevalence in Singapore, the species has become an iconic tree to photograph in the city’s urban streetscape.

The Golden Penda (Xanthostemon chrysanthus) is a common roadside tree in Singapore and can be located at housing estates such as Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Batok West, and Choa Chu Kang. Besides providing colour to our roadside when in bloom, the tree also attracts avian fauna including the Yellow-vented Bulbul and Black-naped Oriole. The tree was introduced to Singapore in 1982 from Cairns, Australia where it is the floral emblem and more widespread in the Queensland rainforest.