Root Awakening: Batoko Plum is a local landscaping tree

Tree produces edible sour fruit

What are these red fruit? I often see them on trees in my neighbourhood.

Lisa Tang

These fruit are produced by a tree botanically known as Flacourtia inermis. Its common names include Rukam Masam, Batoko Plum, Lobi-lobi and Plum of Martinique. They are edible but sour and astringent, and are best enjoyed when made into jams, syrups and preserves.

This tree is planted in local landscapes for its attractive leaves, which are red when young. It serves as a host plant for the caterpillars of the Leopard and Rustic butterflies.

Blue pea plant needs direct sunlight

I grew this blue pea plant from dried seeds for a few months, but it has not flowered. White patches have also developed on the leaves. What is wrong?

Ahbey Ho

Your plant looks relatively young and will flower as it grows, but you will need to build a sturdy trellis higher than your corridor’s parapet so the aerial parts of the plant can get sunlight as its vines grow along the structure. It needs at least four hours of direct sunlight a day.

The white patches on the leaves may be due to the feeding activities of spider mites, and indicate a bad infestation. 

Dracaena may benefit from more light

My iron plant came with loose soil and dried rice husks. After a few months, I repotted it in its current soil-less growing mix and placed it near a living room window for proper ventilation and plenty of indirect light. Lately, the leaves have curled and lost their shine, with brown leaf tips, and the roots are whitish yellow. The plant is now in a corner of my dining area, where it gets filtered light. What is wrong?

Wendy Wong

Although the Dracaena is often touted as a shade-tolerant indoor plant, it still needs sunlight to grow – preferably at least four hours of direct sunlight a day. Move it over gradually to acclimatise it to the higher light levels, as you have been growing it in a shady spot. Moving it too quickly will burn the leaves.

Soil-less growing mixes retain a limited amount of nutrients. Feed your plant regularly with a water-soluble fertiliser or slow-release pellets. Follow the label instructions to avoid over-fertilising, as the Draceana is sensitive to salt build-up in the root zone.

Lemon plant may be infested with pests

There are small creatures on the leaves of my lemon plant, especially the young buds and shoots. There are also yellow spots on some leaves. What is wrong?

Freddy Tan

The pests cannot be seen clearly in the photo. They may be sap-sucking pests, which are attracted to tender young leaves and pierce the soft tissue with their needle-like mouth parts. To confirm what you are dealing with, use a magnifying glass to observe their feeding activities.

To manage the pest population, use a strong jet of water to wash them off your plant. You will need to regularly apply pesticides like summer oil, rotated with an organic formula like pyrethrins. The rotation of pesticides with different modes of action is necessary to reduce the likelihood of pests building up resistance.

Apply these thoroughly and consistently.

Plant is a Capsicum cultivar

What is this plant? Are its fruit edible?

Alice Wong

This is a Capsicum cultivar. This plant has many cultivars and the exact one cannot be pinpointed based on the photo alone.

Its fruit are edible. They do not appear to be those produced by locally grown plants and are not likely to be dispersed by animals.