Singapore's bountiful boulevards have helped it beat 16 other cities as the one with the highest proportion of green urban areas.

But its nature areas - a fraction the size of the built-up areas - hold as many trees as the urban areas, said Mr Lahiru Wijedasa, a former senior arborist at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Singapore has about two million trees, and of these, those growing along the road number fewer than one million, he noted. The rest are in forested areas such as the four nature reserves - Central Catchment, Bukit Timah and Labrador nature reserves as well as the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Here are some native trees found along roads and in nature reserves.

Yellow flame tree
Peltophorum pterocarpum

The drought-resistant tree is a popular choice for roadside planting. When it flowers, its fragrant, brilliant yellow blossoms cover the entire crown.

This can be seen along Yio Chu Kang Road and Sixth Avenue.

Sea almond
Terminalia catappa

The sea almond is a large coastal tree which grows up to 25m.

It can be recognised by its distinctive pagoda shape, formed by its tiered branching pattern.

This tree can be found along Changi Coast Road and at East Coast Park.

Eye of the crocodile
Bruguiera hainesii

Found in mangroves, this is a globally critically endangered tree that is native to Singapore, and 11 of the 200 specimens worldwide are found here.

It earned its name from the breathing pores on its trunk, which look like crocodile eyes.

These pores help the tree to take in oxygen in the muddy mangrove environment. SOURCE: NPARKS

Audrey Tan