The Talipot, Corypha Umbraculifera, an Asian palm, blooms only once in its lifetime of 30 - 80 years. The inflorescence each weighs more than half a tonne (500 kgs), 6 meters tall and may bear over 20 millions fragrant tiny flowers. "Umbraculifera" means "bears an umbrella," an appropriate name for this ornamental palm. The Talipot palm's flower clusters are the largest in the plant kingdom. The plant itself can easily grow trunks up to 80 feet in height and 3 feet in diameter and leaf blades up to 16 feet in diameter. Enthusiasts can check out the ones in bloom now at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.Len Poh chanced on a rare sight while taking a retired professor from his University out on a visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens on 22 Dec. Two 79-year old Talipot Palms in the Gardens flowered for the first and last time during this Christmas. It is such a rare occasion that the Botanic Gardens put up special signs to direct visitors to the palms.
Photo by Wong Len Poh
From across the vast expanse of green lawn, you can see that something special and significant is going on. Your eyes are caught by the sight of the bright flower cluster, fountaining up, out and above the massive base of stout green palm fronds. Tiny insects hover in a cloud around the inflorescence. Are they pollinating the blossoms or just admiring them?
Photo by Wong Len Poh
Some of the small, pale palm flowers, which are only about a fourth of an inch in diameter, gently rain down on you as you look up, and they lightly carpet the ground below.
Sad thing is that the palm will die after the enormous effort of flowering and fruiting, for the first and last time in its life.
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