sim poh air

since my retirement at the end of 2006, i have come to know a number of new names, like khaya senegalensis, bismark, licuala grandis, ocimum basilicum, pandanus utilis and simpoh air. they are familiar to me because i always meet them during my walk at the parks, nature reserves and even at lim chu kang.

i know one chap called sim poh heng and a girl named sim poh choo. but, it was only this year that i learnt of the name simpoh air.

the simpoh air plant is very common in singapore. you can find them at wasteland, swampy areas and at the edge of the forests. they have large leaves and large yellow flowers. the fruit is red with seeds covered in red flesh in its numerous segments.

the leaves of this plant have been used to wrap food such as tempeh or they can be formed into a holder to contain rojak. at one time, the chee cheong fun seller also used to dish out his food on this leaf. the tailor bird use the leaves to make its nest.

"the plant blooms from age 3-4 and can live for 50-100 years! plants in the simpoh family (dilleniaceae) hiss when the trunk or a branch is cut (you have to put your ear to the cut to hear it). the sound comes from the air that is sucked into the cut vessels."