Root Awakening: Corky Passionflower is a weed

Corky Passionflower’s leaf shape changes with age

This plant appeared in the pot of another plant. What is it? Should I get rid of it?

Tan Lee Noi

The plant appears to be Corky Passionflower (Passiflora suberosa). It is a weed, and the leaf shape and colouration change as the plant ages.

Water lily leaves are diseased

Why are my lotus leaves black? The water also seems less clear than before, with fewer guppies.

Adrian Ling

This plant is a water lily, not a lotus, and it likely has a fungal disease. As you keep guppies, avoid using fungicides, as these are potentially lethal to fish.

Remove all diseased leaves and ensure your plant gets direct sunlight. Give it plenty of space to grow and provide some gentle movement to the water surface to promote aeration. Avoid damaging the leaves, as disease can take hold through injury to the leaves.

Some moth orchids need a cool period to flower

I received orchids during Chinese New Year. I repotted them and water them weekly with filtered water and nutrients. They are kept indoors with filtered sun in the morning and have sprouted new leaves, but not flowers. What am I missing?

Tan Sem Yee

Your moth orchid (Phalaenopsis) plants do not seem to have enough water. The leaves are limp and shrivelled. Water regularly and allow the plants to dry out between watering sessions, but do not leave them without water for too long.

Expose your plants to at least six hours of filtered sunlight a day. They will need gradual acclimatisation to higher light levels if they have been in deep shade this whole time.

This type of moth orchid may require cooler conditions to promote the production of flower spikes. Plants in outdoor gardens here flower during the cooler period at the end of the year. 

Golden Gardenia is a native flowering tree  

What is this plant? 

Esther Leong

This plant is the Golden Gardenia (Gardenia tubifera). It is native to Singapore and grows into a tree over time. It produces yellow flowers. The structure in this photo is a mature fruit that has split open to disperse its seeds.

Lack of flowers could be due to shade or fertiliser

My pumpkin is productive and I have harvested six fruit for my dining table. However, there are no more flowers. Is it time to replant?

Thomas Lee

Your pumpkin plant appears healthy. The lack of flowers could be due to a number of reasons.

First, pumpkin plants produce fewer flowers in shaded conditions. Your growing area may have become darker due to a change in the direction of sunlight.

Excessive leaf production can also be an issue, as leaves near the top can block sunlight from those below. Some gardeners prune leaves or encourage vines to grow sideways for this reason.

Another reason may be the type of fertiliser you are using. The usage of nitrogen-rich fertiliser can cause the plant to produce more vegetative growth over fruit.