SA Garden Catalogue: Straits Rhododendron

As I write this in early January, I realise that lately, the weather has been quite hot and humid. There has been very intermittent rains the last few days despite the tropical storms in the East coast. So the little garden in SA needs daily watering again.

The Straits rhododendron is a common wayside shrub in Malaysia, but in my garden it is the 'tree of life'. Everyday there is fauna around it - bees and butterflies that hover around the purple flowers or birds of many kinds, even fruit flies that come to seek out the juicy berries.

The Straits rhododendron flower and buds (CNB)

Common name: Straits rhododendron
Malay name: Senduduk
Scientific name: Melastoma malabathricum
Family: Melastoma
Origin: Southeast Asia






Other than the very common purple flowers, this ever flowering shrub also has the white variety. It is best grown in full sun, and propagation is by seeds or cuttings. But the plant in my garden originally grew in a pot, from seed probably transported by birds. Now the plant's seeds have produced more plants in the garden. The Straits rhododendron plant is very easy to look after - it only needs some pruning sometimes.

The Straits rhododendron shrub (CNB)

Ref: Tropical horticulture & gardening/Ng. MPH, 2006.