Root Awakening: Do not eat fruit of False Lime Tree

False Lime Tree’s fruit resembles lime

What is this plant? At first, I thought it was a lemon seedling.

Susanne Phua

This species is Suregada multiflora, sometimes known as the False Lime Tree due to the appearance of its unripe fruit. These fruit are not edible. The plant is often grown as an ornamental shrub in outdoor streetscapes, parks and gardens, and can grow into a tree over time.

Plant is Summer Snapdragon

What plant is this and how do I care for it? Do I need to repot it? I keep it in direct sunlight and move it to the patio, which has indirect light, when it rains.

Pamelin Ho

The Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia angustifolia) needs to be grown under direct sunlight for at least six hours daily and kept in a rich but well-draining mix. Your plant may need to be repotted as it grows bigger. The spent blooms can be pruned and the plant trimmed a little shorter to rejuvenate it. It will produce new leaves and flowers when fertilised regularly under optimal conditions.

Terung Asam needs proper pollination to fruit

My Borneo Sour Brinjal recently started to flower, but sheds the entire bud once it has bloomed. I keep it on my balcony, which has morning sun. What is wrong? I keep hoya plants nearby and they flower year-round. Should I move my Borneo Sour Brinjal to the nearby community garden?

Irene Phan

Your Terung Asam (Solanum lasiocarpum) needs its flowers to be pollinated in order for fruit to form, like its relative the tomato.

This can be done by using an electric toothbrush. You can refer to online videos for a more thorough demonstration of how to do so.

This plant needs well-draining soil and can grow quite large over time, so you may need more space. Consider growing it in a large pot outdoors so you can create a suitable soil mix with sufficient drainage and aeration. Note that a smaller volume of soil will dry out faster.

Alternatively, you can ask the gardeners of the nearby community garden if they are able to adopt your plant.

Ficus elastica lacks light

I repotted my Ficus elastica variegata from potting soil to leca (lightweight expanded clay aggregate). I keep it indoors near a glass door, where it gets moderate light. The leaves tend to brown at the edges and fall off. I water lightly to avoid overwatering. What is wrong with my plant?

Raymond Yeo

The Rubber Fig (Ficus elastica) is popular for its growth form and foliage, and grows into a large tree outdoors. It flourishes under full sun and a specimen grown indoors with limited light exposure will not perform as well. Try moving it to a brighter area.

Dragon Tree is a common landscape plant

What is this plant?

Arumuganathan Ramanathan

This plant is the Dragon Tree (Dracaena marginata). Local cultivars have different leaf colours. This is an outdoor plant that thrives under direct sunlight and can grow quite tall, with leaves that are mostly concentrated at the top part of the plant. You can prune it back to manage its height and encourage branching.