Root Awakening: Calabash Tree produces inedible fruit
This plant's fruit looks like a pomelo. I understand from a Google search that the plant is a Calabash Tree. Are the fruit edible?
Thomas Wan
The plant is indeed the Calabash Tree (Crescentia cujete). Its fruit are inedible. When dried, the mature fruit's hard shells can be made into musical instruments and other receptacles. The tree is grown in local parks and gardens as an ornamental plant.
'Shade-tolerant' plants still need sunlight
I have been unsuccessful in growing popular indoor plants, such as the Snake Plant, ZZ Plant, Money Plant and Peace Lily. They wilt after a few weeks. I keep them in the corridor of an HDB flat with indirect sunlight. I water every few days with rainwater or tap water that has been left in a pail for 24 hours. When my moisture meter shows that some parts of the soil are dry and others are wet, I spray the soil's surface lightly. I add liquid fertiliser to the water, as I find that damp compost attracts pests. Am I watering too much or too little? Is it better to water in the morning or evening? How can I save a wilting plant?
Chris Yap
The plants you mentioned are often touted as 'shade-tolerant plants'. Although they tolerate shade, they will not thrive in dim areas. A lack of light will cause them to decline over time, with sluggish growth, etiolated (stretched) stems and susceptibility to pests and diseases.
Most need at least four hours a day of filtered sunlight. Check that the sunlight of your growing area casts a shadow with a fuzzy edge. Consider installing grow lights if the area is not bright enough.
Watering is best done in the morning before the day gets hot and plants need more water. Avoid watering at night, especially if the plants are in the shade and lack air circulation, as this may lead to disease.
Moisture meters may not be reliable. When you water, do so until excess liquid trickles out from the pot's drainage holes. Remove the excess liquid, as a pot sitting in standing water can cause a waterlogged root zone and lead to mosquito breeding.
After watering, the growing mix should feel moist. Let it dry out before watering again. Stick your finger below the soil surface and feel for moisture, and water when it is dry. Plants in sunnier, windier areas will dry out faster. Monitor the intervals between watering sessions and establish a regimen.
When a plant wilts due to lack of water, its survival will depend on the extent of root damage. If the roots have dried out, the plant will not recover. Depending on the plant species, you may be able to salvage a cutting from above the roots and propagate it in water.
Some gardeners use soil-less media, such as semi-hydroponics, if they find soil difficult to handle indoors. However, not all plants thrive in such mixes.
Succulent leaves look scorched
The plant may have been burned by a sudden change in light intensity.
PHOTO: JAVIER CHEW
My succulent has brown spots and patches on its leaves. It is near a window that gets sunlight for about half of the day. What is wrong and how can I rescue my plant?
Javier Chew
The leaves seem to be sunburnt. Has the plant been in that spot for a long time? If it was grown under less intense light previously, such as under grow lights or elsewhere in your home, the sudden change in light intensity may have scorched the leaves.
Alternatively, a chemical – such as a pesticide – or fertiliser administered in too high a dose or under strong light may cause similar symptoms.
Unfortunately, the marks are permanent. The good news is that the new leaves look fine and new growth will eventually replace those that are damaged. Gradually adapt the plant to higher light levels and lower the dosage of any fertiliser or other chemicals.
Substances could be pest-related
The white masses could be a scale insect or mealy bug.
PHOTO: SOH KENG HON
The black dots could be pest eggs or a sign of fungal disease.
PHOTO: SOH KENG HON
My curry plant has a sticky white substance that kills the leaves it is on and drips down to other leaves and plants. There are also black dots on the plant. What are these and how do I get rid of them? I have pruned the entire plant several times, but the problems persist.
Soh Keng Hon
The white masses could be scale insects or mealy bugs . These sap-sucking pests can be removed via a strong jet of water.
You can also spray the plant thoroughly with a pesticide, such as summer oil, that will suffocate them. Repeated applications are often necessary to eradicate the pests. Inspect your plant regularly and act promptly to prevent such issues.
Are you able to scrape the black spots off easily? If you can, they could be a pest's eggs. If you cannot, they could be signs of a fungal disease. Pruneaffected leaves and discard them. Do not compost them.
Grow your Curry Tree in a sunny spot to improve its health and make sure it gets enough air circulation.
Bush Grape fruit are inedible
This tree's fruit contain calcium oxalate crystals that can injure the mouth and throat.
PHOTO: LEO CHIN KWANG
This creeping plant's fruit start off small and green, then turn yellow and finally orange when mature. Are the fruit edible?
Leo Chin Kwang
This climbing vine is the Bush Grape (Cayratia mollissima).
Its fruit are not edible, as they contain calcium oxalate crystals that can injure the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat.
Answers by Dr Wilson Wong, an NParks-certified practising horticulturist and parks manager. He is the founder of Green Culture Singapore and an adjunct assistant professor (Food Science & Technology) at the National University of Singapore.
Have a gardening query? E-mail it with clear, high-resolution pictures of at least 1MB, if any, and your full name to stlife@sph.com.sg. We reserve the right to edit and reject questions.
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AsiaOne
24-06-2025
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Inside /r/SGExams: Meet the young volunteers behind 1 of Singapore's largest online forums for students, Singapore News
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"Not only were the study tips and revision advice helpful, I also enjoyed reading the 'slice-of-life content' that other students would post about their lives," she said. She particularly enjoyed the lively posts about school choice, where students would passionately vouch for certain schools and argue over which one was best to enrol in. "It's like a back-and-forth between students. It's always entertaining to read." Becoming a moderator In 2022, Kao applied to join the /r/SGExams moderation team as a volunteer, as she "wanted to give back to the community that I had been frequenting". "I had always been curious about how the subreddit worked behind-the-scenes, and I also wanted to have a more meaningful say in how it was curated," she said. After filling up a Google application form, she had to undergo an informal interview with Raphael Peck, another current moderator who was the moderation team lead in 2022. Kao recalled being asked questions about what she would do if she encountered controversial posts and what ideas she had for improving the subreddit. Moderating a subreddit is more than just filtering content –it also involves deciding on the direction of the forum. PHOTO: The Straits Times Peck, 23, said: "There are no real correct answers in the interview. It's mainly to assess candidates' knowledge about the subreddit, and see if their line of thinking is similar (to the rest of the moderation team). "It's a vibe check to make sure we can get along, basically." Peck said that traits for moderators that they were looking for in interviews included maturity, social awareness and a willingness to help the community. Behind the scenes Moderators typically spend up to an hour on weekdays and up to two hours on weekends going through comments and posts on the forum to remove content that violates the rules of the subreddit. These include spam posts or comments that contain slurs. 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Straits Times
13-06-2025
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Root Awakening: Calabash Tree produces inedible fruit
Calabash Tree is ornamental This plant's fruit looks like a pomelo. I understand from a Google search that the plant is a Calabash Tree. Are the fruit edible? Thomas Wan The plant is indeed the Calabash Tree (Crescentia cujete). Its fruit are inedible. When dried, the mature fruit's hard shells can be made into musical instruments and other receptacles. The tree is grown in local parks and gardens as an ornamental plant. 'Shade-tolerant' plants still need sunlight I have been unsuccessful in growing popular indoor plants, such as the Snake Plant, ZZ Plant, Money Plant and Peace Lily. They wilt after a few weeks. I keep them in the corridor of an HDB flat with indirect sunlight. I water every few days with rainwater or tap water that has been left in a pail for 24 hours. When my moisture meter shows that some parts of the soil are dry and others are wet, I spray the soil's surface lightly. I add liquid fertiliser to the water, as I find that damp compost attracts pests. Am I watering too much or too little? Is it better to water in the morning or evening? How can I save a wilting plant? Chris Yap The plants you mentioned are often touted as 'shade-tolerant plants'. Although they tolerate shade, they will not thrive in dim areas. A lack of light will cause them to decline over time, with sluggish growth, etiolated (stretched) stems and susceptibility to pests and diseases. Most need at least four hours a day of filtered sunlight. Check that the sunlight of your growing area casts a shadow with a fuzzy edge. Consider installing grow lights if the area is not bright enough. Watering is best done in the morning before the day gets hot and plants need more water. Avoid watering at night, especially if the plants are in the shade and lack air circulation, as this may lead to disease. Moisture meters may not be reliable. When you water, do so until excess liquid trickles out from the pot's drainage holes. Remove the excess liquid, as a pot sitting in standing water can cause a waterlogged root zone and lead to mosquito breeding. After watering, the growing mix should feel moist. Let it dry out before watering again. Stick your finger below the soil surface and feel for moisture, and water when it is dry. Plants in sunnier, windier areas will dry out faster. Monitor the intervals between watering sessions and establish a regimen. When a plant wilts due to lack of water, its survival will depend on the extent of root damage. If the roots have dried out, the plant will not recover. Depending on the plant species, you may be able to salvage a cutting from above the roots and propagate it in water. Some gardeners use soil-less media, such as semi-hydroponics, if they find soil difficult to handle indoors. However, not all plants thrive in such mixes. Succulent leaves look scorched The plant may have been burned by a sudden change in light intensity. PHOTO: JAVIER CHEW My succulent has brown spots and patches on its leaves. It is near a window that gets sunlight for about half of the day. What is wrong and how can I rescue my plant? Javier Chew The leaves seem to be sunburnt. Has the plant been in that spot for a long time? If it was grown under less intense light previously, such as under grow lights or elsewhere in your home, the sudden change in light intensity may have scorched the leaves. Alternatively, a chemical – such as a pesticide – or fertiliser administered in too high a dose or under strong light may cause similar symptoms. Unfortunately, the marks are permanent. The good news is that the new leaves look fine and new growth will eventually replace those that are damaged. Gradually adapt the plant to higher light levels and lower the dosage of any fertiliser or other chemicals. Substances could be pest-related The white masses could be a scale insect or mealy bug. PHOTO: SOH KENG HON The black dots could be pest eggs or a sign of fungal disease. PHOTO: SOH KENG HON My curry plant has a sticky white substance that kills the leaves it is on and drips down to other leaves and plants. There are also black dots on the plant. What are these and how do I get rid of them? I have pruned the entire plant several times, but the problems persist. Soh Keng Hon The white masses could be scale insects or mealy bugs . These sap-sucking pests can be removed via a strong jet of water. You can also spray the plant thoroughly with a pesticide, such as summer oil, that will suffocate them. Repeated applications are often necessary to eradicate the pests. Inspect your plant regularly and act promptly to prevent such issues. Are you able to scrape the black spots off easily? If you can, they could be a pest's eggs. If you cannot, they could be signs of a fungal disease. Pruneaffected leaves and discard them. Do not compost them. Grow your Curry Tree in a sunny spot to improve its health and make sure it gets enough air circulation. Bush Grape fruit are inedible This tree's fruit contain calcium oxalate crystals that can injure the mouth and throat. PHOTO: LEO CHIN KWANG This creeping plant's fruit start off small and green, then turn yellow and finally orange when mature. Are the fruit edible? Leo Chin Kwang This climbing vine is the Bush Grape (Cayratia mollissima). Its fruit are not edible, as they contain calcium oxalate crystals that can injure the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat. Answers by Dr Wilson Wong, an NParks-certified practising horticulturist and parks manager. He is the founder of Green Culture Singapore and an adjunct assistant professor (Food Science & Technology) at the National University of Singapore. Have a gardening query? E-mail it with clear, high-resolution pictures of at least 1MB, if any, and your full name to stlife@ We reserve the right to edit and reject questions. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New Paper
04-06-2025
- New Paper
MOH debunks fake news on S'pore doing first Covid-19 autopsy and jailing those unvaccinated
Two pieces of fake news made about Covid-19 in Singapore have been debunked by the Ministry of Health (MOH), as it urged the public not to spread unsubstantiated claims that may cause public alarm. On June 3, the ministry said it is aware of "two pieces of misinformation" currently being spread on social media. The first has to do with a message claiming that Singapore was the first country to conduct an autopsy on a person who had tested positive for Covid-19, which it said was found to exist as a bacterium and not a virus. The claim was first circulated in 2021, and re-emerged recently. "This is false. As clarified by the ministry then, Singapore has not performed such an autopsy, and it is also not true that Covid-19 is caused by a bacterium," said MOH. It also said social media posts alleging that Singapore had enacted laws to mandate vaccines and jail those unvaccinated after Microsoft founder Bill Gates visited the Republic in early May are not true. The Straits Times found that such claims had been published in articles on two websites - Slay News and The People's Voice - which tout themselves as news sites. Slay News describes itself as "unapologetically pro-America and pro-free speech", while The People's Voice says it covers "topics the mainstream media won't touch". A search online shows that Slay News' website is registered in North Carolina, and a check of its address in Google Maps shows what looks to be a small farmhouse on a highway stretch. The People's Voice, meanwhile, has its website registered in Arizona, although it has no listed company address. Most of the articles published on both sites centre around right-wing ideology, conspiracy theories and anti-vaccine rhetoric, with fact-checking website Snopes labelling The People's Voice as a rebrand of disinformation-spreading site NewsPunch. For accurate and up-to-date information, members of the public should visit the MOH website at instead.
