Driving along Tanjung Batu Coastal road this morning I saw a long line of eugenias (
Eugenia polyantha) bursting in white flowers. The flowers are small but grouped in large clusters giving the effect of a consuming white blanket of flowers over the small yet compact crown.
Eugenias are considered a small tree for landscaping purposes thereby making it a potential candidate for small residential roads or even sub-arterial roads like the one below. Eugenias have only recently being used as a landscaping tree in Bintulu probably to my knowledge in the early nineties. When planted very closely together, they assume a thick wall thus appropriate for buffering or screening purposes. It is a versatile tree too because it can be pruned heavily and 'bonsaied', meaning it can be used as a topiary plant to create as many and as varied shapes and sizes the gardener or landscaper wishes.
Another feature that is worth noting of this handsome tree is its young leaves which show a transition of colours as they mature, from light yellow to orange to red and bronze. The tree is evergreen. Yet when they produce young leaves, they give the 'autumn look' in an otherwise hot, tropical and humid Bintulu.
While in Japan the coming of Spring is heralded by the cherry blossoms at this time of the year, in Bintulu as I drive along the Tanjung Batu coastal road today I was greeted by rows and rows of flowering Eugenia polyantha trees. In the above picture, both sides of the road are planted with eugenia trees and at the central median the same trees are planted but heavily pruned to resemble topiary. The last time I encountered flowering on these trees were in September,2008. Thus it is safe to say that they flower at every 6-7 months interval.
Close up of the fluffy and creamy white flowers of the Eugenia polyantha.
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