Ed, thanks for introducing me to the term "topping". I now understand that topping is the most harmful method of pruning trees. To learn more about this, please click on the link - http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/topping.aspx - This will tell you everything you need to know about "topping".

SLEX's Narra trees pruning disaster!

I can’t help but think who’s in charge of maintaining the trees that line the SLEX (South Luzon Expressway).


I have no qualms with the regular maintenance and removal of waist or knee high grass and vines that crawl up the trees. I understand that trees need to be rid of weak and dead branches, it should be trimmed properly to avoid contact with the towering power lines that run through opposite sides of the SLEX and to avoid accidents and damage to people and vehicles passing by. What disturbs me most is the way the said trees are pruned.


I observed the pruned Narra trees in this sorry state last week, when I passed by the area before Batino exit up to Calamba / Los Banos exit. It was only the other day that I was able to stop the car and take pictures of the pitiful state that the trees were in, due to negligence!


I am not an expert in pruning trees, but I have read instructions on proper pruning and seen illustrations on the correct steps in accomplishing this specific task. Definitely, there is something wrong with the final outcome of how the pruning work was done here. I’m sure that most readers here will agree with me.


Narra trees take years to grow into considerable size such as the one’s that are found along SLEX. It only takes minutes or hours to destroy them. I suggest that before we do any pruning, please try to research and equip ourselves with the proper knowledge. Otherwise, please get professional help from experienced gardening contractors who are capable of doing the job properly. Because instead of trying to save some money, you might even end up spending a whole lot more, plus the agony of bearing with unsightly landscaping or possibly killing individual trees even.


As the landscape shown is part of our city, this only shows that most of us neglect our surroundings and the importance of the trees and plants and the life it brings.


Personally, I think that the Narra trees were unprofessionally pruned and haphazardly done ……barbaric or brutally cut if I may say so.

Balitbitan seedlings planted in San Pablo City plaza.

Two weeks ago, I was able to visit the city hall of San Pablo City, Laguna also known as the "City of Seven Lakes". Whenever I'm in the area, I sometimes visit several mature Balitbitan (Cynometra ramiflora var. ramiflora) trees within the confines of the plaza or park, which serves as a focal area and a great staging area to view the "Sampaloc Lake" (largest lake of seven lakes of San Pablo City).

I decided to stroll by the park to check out these indigenous trees. Surprisingly, I noticed that several seedlings of this beautiful tree had been randomly planted along exposed areas of the park. The seedlings were protected by stakes and each had a label, namely the different departments of the city government that are existent.

I consider this deed as a wonderful gesture, because not only is the city government recognizing the need to help the environment, but it further emphasizes the need to focus more on planting and propagating Philippine tree species. I just hope that the people involved in planting it were considering the landscaping aspect of each planted seedling. Because even though these are small to medium sized trees, if planted in close proximity or in abundance, it could either enhance the landscaped design of the area or just give the opposite.

Photo above show some of the seedlings mentioned.

HORTICULTURE 2011 - Going back to BASIC's!

I had read from the newspaper that the Horticulture 2011 was going to be held at the Manila Seedling Bank compound on Jan. 29-Feb. 7, 2011. It was probably last week that I saw a copy of the topics and lectures that was going to be discussed during the whole nine (9) days of the exhibit. Unfortunately, I wasn't paying much attention to this itinerary, since I was preoccupied to do other things in mind. By the time that I realized that most of the lectures/workshops were in favor of discussing and featuring native Philippine species of plants and trees, I have already missed out on a couple of topics that has caught my attention.

Yesterday, I went to attend and listen to the lecture about Fern Spore Propagation demo and workshop, which was discussed by Arch. Wendy Regalado of the Fern Study Group. The lecture started at around 10:30 am and ended past noon, I think. I seem to have lost track of time, since I proceeded to the exhibit area to observe the plant species being showcased and admire the effort done in executing each landscape design.

After having a late lunch, I then decided to familiarize myself more on ferns since a lecture on Philippine Ferns was going to be discussed by Mr. Anthony Arbias from the PNPCSI (Pilippine Native Plant Conservation Society, Inc.) at 2:00 pm, which ended at about past 5:00 pm, if I'm not mistaken.

I felt that I need to educate myself more about ferns, because a considerable number of my fern specimens were dying due to neglect and improper care.........Don't get me wrong, because I do love my plants and take some effort and necessary steps in giving them care. But the thing is, I am the type of person who would mostly let nature take it's course. I love the idea of "low-maintenance", being practical and understanding plants and trees the way nature intended them to be. Though I do occasionally assist in fertilizing, watering my plants whenever I see the need to do so, spray insecticide on parts where insect infestations occur and do some pruning to tidy the plants a bit, I admit that I do experience having plant mortality under my care. This is the main reason why I had the urge to learn more from the experienced authorities in fern care and propagation. Learning and research is an endless process we all need to strive in order to be successful in our endeavors. It is not enough for us to do "trial and error", especially when we're talking about native plants and trees because we might be referring to the last species of plants in existence.

Acquiring these plants entail a certain obligation in providing the requirements for them to grow and flourish. Without the proper know-how in plant care especially with regards to provide for the needs of specific species, all effort and money spent will be wasted. Besides, we might all learn a thing or two from other people's experiences. We just need to understand the basic principles, then it's up to us to apply, innovate and be creative in using these concepts to our own advantage.

Note: Special thanks to Arch. Wendy Regalado, the Fern Study Group and donors for the prized sporelings and ferns that were raffled off to us attendees. I will do my best to take good care of the plants. Thanks also to Mr. Anthony Arbias for the plants that were raffled off as well.

Justice for Leonard Co!*

Justice for Leonard Co!*

FROM THE PHILIPPINE NATIVE PLANT CONSERVATION SOCIETY:

There is an old philosophical conundrum that asks the question, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”. Beyond the metaphysiCal musing, the question invokes the tragic fate of this country’s foremost leading field botanist and unsung hero of Philippine forest conservation.

On November 15 2010, in the International Year of Biodiversity, Leonardo Co and two of his companions fell from a hail of gunfire while collecting seedlings of endangered trees for reforestation, fired upon by the very elements sworn to protect us.

On that day the tallest tree in the forest fell and the silence is deafening. In ecological terms, Leonard Co is analogous to a keystone species, a primary species in any ecosystem that plays a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community and whose removal would create dramatic shifts if not the collapse of that ecosystem.

At that very moment Leonard Co fell, the fate of Philippine rain forest itself has been fundamentally altered and its future, as bleak as it already was, even more uncertain.

Leonard Co’s violent and untimely demise has left an immense void in the front line struggle for conservation and the rippling effect of his sudden departure can only be guessed at but may never be truly quantified- Most certainly we are left with fewer options to pursue.

Few can realize the herculean task that Leonard Co set out to undertake. He spent a lifetime exploring and gathering precious data on the rapidly diminishing forested regions of the country; No one understood our native forest dynamics the way that he did; He provided a glimpse into its hidden order and where one would see just endless green, he would expound on the complex interrelationships between one living thing to another; He possessed firsthand knowledge that can never be found in any literature; He is, quite simply, the singular authority on Philippine floral biodiversity.

Sadly, his virtually thankless undertaking, so vital to the future of conservation, remains largely unappreciated. His achievements have largely remained overlooked, partly due to his selflessness and partly due to the fact that, though he would not find fame and recognition unwelcome, he felt somewhat awkward what to do with it. A teacher at heart, he imparted knowledge freely. He taught intensely, convincingly, provocatively. He knew and loved his subject with ardor and conviction and taught in an intrinsically colorful, even poetic, yet comprehensive manner that the student cannot help but imbibe the same passion.

It is always a great tragedy to never really know what one has in his possession until it is irretrievably lost and an even bigger one never to realize this at all. Leonard’s loss is ultimately this nation’s loss but one that it will never really comprehend.

But what ultimately killed Leonardo Co was the tyranny and usurpation of mediocrity, ignorance, apathy and indifference. Slain by the very demons he disdained. In one moment of collective disregard and lack of value for life he was gone. One poet suggested in her poem dedicated to the great botanist that, perhaps, if these soldiers knew the names of the trees and the lush flora that surrounded them as Leonard so passionately wanted to share with his countrymen, then they would find their own deed most incomprehensible

It is pointless at this juncture to seek Leonard Co’s replacement. The man was simply in a class by himself. The last of the Mohicans, so to speak, it would take another lifetime for that to take place and another lifetime is a luxury we cannot afford at this point to address the seemingly insurmountable environmental problems of today. Instead we must all dutifully fulfill our roles guided by the principles and legacy he left behind.

They say that the Chinese word for ‘crisis’ and ‘opportunity’ are virtually the same. Perhaps it is Leonard Co’s way of telling us to rise above this great tragedy and his way of passing the torch to the ones who recognized his greatness and importance and to keep this fire burning. Greatness, after all, can only be measured by the strength of the foundations it leaves behind.

(source: http://www.facebook.com/update_security_info.php?wizard=1#!/notes/agham-nasyunal/justice-for-leonard-co/197752023575410)

Alocasia Sanderiana for what it's worth!

Alocasia sanderiana (known as Kris plant) from the Araceae family is endemic ONLY in the Philippines. (picture shown was taken at an annual garden show of 2008 in Manila, Philippines with the label of its name)

I read from the link http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Alocasia%20micholitziana%20%20pc.html and learned that this particular species was hybridized since the 1950's by Salvadore Mauro, a postman and owner of "Amazon Nursery" from Miami, Florida.

Alocasia sanderiana x Alocasia longiloba (synonymous to a. watsoniana and a. lowii) to produce what is now popularly known as Alocasia amazonica or scientifically termed as Alocasia mortefontanensis. Other names associated to this hybrid plant are African Mask, Jewel Alocasia, Alocasia Alligator, Alocasia "Polly" or correctly Poly.

All of these names produced are confusing enough. Most of which were given for the sole purpose of renaming the plant in order to sell. But if you compare Alocasia sanderiana to the hybrid known as Alocasia amazonica or Alocasia mortefontanensis, would an ordinary person be able to tell the difference, considering that even native or true to type plants even possess variations with regards to flower, fruit, leaves, size, color and form???.......Actually, I cannot tell the difference if I compare this picture with the hybrid form from the internet.

I guess what I'm driving at is how are we, the Filipino people, be able to protect this biodiversity and still be able to make use of it's potential for the benefit of our countrymen without exhausting the natural populations in the wild? And if we are to do so, are we 100% sure that these hybridized plants and introduced flora and fauna to our country not going to affect the genetic make-up of our own species?

Picture above was labeled as alocasia x amazonica at the Horticulture 2011 garden exhibit, Manila, Philippines among landscaped plants. Now, can you spot the difference between both plants posted? Do you think that this was mislabeled or not?