Root Awakening: Australian Mulberry is a weed

Australian Mulberry and Bird’s Nest Fern have edible parts

What plants are these? Are they edible?

Goh Yong Han

The plant on the left is the Australian Mulberry (Pipturus argenteus), though it is not related to the common mulberry grown in many edible gardens here. Its white fruit is edible. It is a weed, and its leaves are food for the caterpillars of local butterflies.

The plant on the right is a Bird’s Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus). Its young, curled fronds are tender and edible, and can be stir-fried.

Plant is the Red Sandalwood

What is this plant? Dust has accumulated on the leaves. Should they be cleaned with a feather duster?

Gabriel Chia Sit Loke

The plant appears to be a young Red Sandalwood (Pterocarpus santalinus). The saplings are grown in pots. They can also be grown in the kokedama style (Japanese moss ball display).

You can take the plant to the bathroom for a gentle shower to wash away any dust or debris on its leaves.

Buddhist Pine needs more sun, water

What plant is this? Its green leaves have turned brown. It is kept in a semi-shaded spot and watered twice weekly. How can I save it?

Yeo Kim Hoo

Your Buddhist Pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus) may be dying or dead. Try to bend the branches. If they snap easily and their interior is dry, that is an indication of dead plant tissue.

Do not let this plant dry out completely. Water it regularly to keep the root zone moist, and expose it to direct sunlight for at least six hours a day. This species is often grown in outdoor gardens.

Dracaena needs filtered light

How can I encourage my Corn Plant to grow? It is near a window and gets indirect light, and is watered once a week.

Jason Lee

Dracaena fragrans, commonly called the Corn Plant, requires good light for optimal growth. Although it is often sold as an indoor plant, it will decline in the shade.

Move it to the window, balcony or corridor where it can get filtered sunlight for four to six hours daily. Adjust your watering frequency accordingly, as plants placed in a sunnier spot generally have higher water needs, due to higher evaporation and intake rates.

Lemon plant’s leaves indicate lack of light

My two-year-old lemon plant has not flowered or fruited. What is wrong, and how can I encourage it to bear fruit? It is in the balcony of my 12th-floor flat, where it gets adequate morning sun. I lower the blinds after a few hours.

Jean Ang

The thin, floppy leaves of the lemon plant indicate a lack of light.

This species can take full sun outdoors – at least six hours daily in an apartment setting. The lack of sunlight is likely a reason the plant has failed to produce flowers and fruit.

Also, check if the pot is too small for the plant, as its roots could have filled the container. There should be sufficient soil in the pot to help it retain moisture. Water sufficiently and thoroughly to ensure the plant does not wilt due to prolonged drought.