Purple Millettia
You may have noticed scatterings of seeds and seed pods on pathways in parks or on the roadside. These seeds and seed pods actually belong to the Purple Millettia (Callerya atropurpurea), a tropical tree commonly grown in Southeast Asia. When the flowers mature, the seed pods burst open and scatter their seeds in a small area.
Growing up to 40m in height, the Purple Millettia tree produces plenty of eye-catching reddish purple flowers and is ideal as a decorative plant for parks and roadsides. Not only that, the height of the tree means shelter for Singapore’s avian wildlife, and its fruit an ample source of food.
Of course, the littering of seeds and seed pods would create a mess on the ground from time to time, but try thinking of it as nature’s very own little ‘landscaping project’ to inject some variety into our urban environment! 🌸 🌼 🌷