Family: Myrtaceae
Botanical name: Xanthostemon youngii
Common name: Crimson Penda
Origin: Australia
Botanical name: Xanthostemon youngii
Common name: Crimson Penda
Origin: Australia
In Australia, this plant is found in Cooktown and also on the sandy dunes of Cape York Peninsular, Quensland.
Photographs taken by Autumn Belle at The Secret Garden of 1-Utama
Photographs taken by Autumn Belle at The Secret Garden of 1-Utama
My grateful thanks to Dr. Francis Ng who is growing this plant/tree at The Secret Garden, on the rooftop of 1-Utama Shopping Complex.
Have you seen this plant before?
Are you growing this plant?
Is it a rare plant?
Here's my findings:
1. In Australia, according to the Australian Govenment's Department of the Environment, Water, Herritage and the Arts website here and here, this plant has been listed as:
Vulnerable under the Nature Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth)
Rare under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Quensland)
This plant is listed as rare under the Queensland Nature Conservation Regulation 1994 - Schedule 4 Part 2, Page 88 which falls under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, source here.
2. It was planted in Singapore's National Parks under their Living Green scheme. Source here.
3. In Malaysia, I have found two nursery that stocks it.
(a) Wellgrow Horti Trading, link here.
(b) Company Name: Arus Samudera Sdn Bhd
Address: No. 32 A, Persiaran PM/1 Manjung Business Centre, 32040 Seri Manjung, Perak, Malaysia
Phone: 6-05-6881258
Fax: 6-05-6881207
Homepage: http://www.arussamudera.com.my/
Contact: Haji Shahruddin Noordin
The link to their picture is
(Note: the earlier link has been removed on 28 Aug 2012 because the url is no longer valid).
Each seedling about 3 ft tall is selling at RM 15.00. According to them, this plant is very easy to grow. I'm sure it will love the sandy soil and warm climate of our country.
Is it still a rare plant?
It may be rare in one place but then again, I won't be surprised if someone tells me that it is an invasive weed in another part of the world.
It may be rare in one place but then again, I won't be surprised if someone tells me that it is an invasive weed in another part of the world.
Come on now! Tell me more, tell me more .....
My post today is dedicated to Bananazക, from Planet Jupiter of BananazകPeople blog, the first commenter of my previous post on the "Mickey Mouse Plant". I am so glad to discover this blog because my visits there always makes me smile and laugh a lot.
This is my entry for the 4th Blooming Friday of 2010. My grateful thanks to Katarina at Roses and Stuff for hosting Blooming Friday. To see what others have posted or to participate, click here.
It is a beautiful and delicate plant Autumn Belle
ReplyDeletesimply scrumptious, a feast for my eyes! I can't say I have had the pleasure of seeing this in real life.
ReplyDeleteRosey
I love the color and texture of the flowers and I imagine the hummingbirds do too! You are right that one part of the world may consider a plant rare while in another it is rampant. I find it hard to believe this one could be invasive. One never knows though. Lovely images and post Autumnbelle! ;>)
ReplyDeleteMost of the plants you feature are 'rare' to my eyes. Yet, they are all so lovely like this one.
ReplyDeleteMy dear early birds, Di, Rosey, Carol, Noelle, happy happy morning from Malaysia!
ReplyDeleteI was initially captivated by its striking red colour which has a sweet nice glow. I couldn't photograph more flowers because the plant is already much taller than me. At first, I thought the flowers looked like red powder puffs! But its flowers are more beautiful than that of the powder puff plant.
What a striking plant, Autumn! None of those around here, that's for sure. It's very festive--perhaps a little past Christmas, but cheery nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteWe tend to call this beautiful penda the "Crimson Penda" and it is indeed quite rare. It's no longer available from even the rare native nurseries now.
ReplyDeleteThe Xanthostemon whitei, which is the one we commonly call the “Red Penda” is widely available here in Queensland, along with the lovely golden variety Xanthostemon chrysanthus.
Hahaha, i saw my link prominently displayed in your sideboard, WoW, i am so honored with that! Thank you to the nth power! I have not yet published the hibiscus because, yes am so busy, but i already uploaded and saved. That means even if you have not seen it yet, you are already in my mind.Yesterday afternoon i saw an orchid plant while riding a taxi, i told myself how i wish i can give it to Autumn Belle, but how. It is a Vanda! Please bear with photos yet, we are too far!
ReplyDeleteThis photo i saw at the botanical garden in Western Sydney, forgot the place but it has a lot of philodendron there.
Thank you very much for the dedication and your kind words with the link .
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos Autumn Belle!
ReplyDeleteWe can grow a few varieties of plants from Queensland here is Victoria, but I've not seen this one. From what Bernie says above it really looks like it lives in a very localised area. When I finally get back to our Royal Botanical Garden's new Australian Garden I'll have to see if they have one there!
The flowers look like the powderpuff flower. I saw similar shrubs at Mid-Valley mall. They seems as hardy as the bottlebrush shrubs. Australian imports do have similarities :-D
ReplyDeleteNot rare to me, there's a few trees around my neighbourhood but they are yellow in colour.
ReplyDeletenever grown or seen one...but I'd like to!
ReplyDeleteNot very sure but thought I see this quite a lot in Malaysia maybe could be almost the same kind? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteJodi, this striking red colour will be perfect for my coming Chinese New Year festival.
ReplyDeleteBernie, Gippslandgardener, welcome to My Nice Garden.
Bernie, thanks for your info about X. whitei for red penda. I wonder why is a yellow flower tree called red penda? Anyway I have amended my post accordingly, i.e. deleted the word 'red'.
Gippslandgardener, I'd be happy to know about any new developments about this plant in your area. Do post me a comment here later. I'd appreciate that.
Stephanie, CheahHS, I am not surprise if you find these plants here since theres a nursery near to Tapah, Perak that sells it. There is indeed a certain resemblence to the red powder puff plant, Calliandra from afar. When I was at The Secret Garden, I saw another flower, Combretum that looks quite the same and got me confused. I have pictures of the combretum and will be posting up soon. Maybe you all can compare them.
Tootsie, thanks for your visit. I have included my link to Fertilizer Friday. TQVM for hosting FF.
Jama, the yellow ones are of another species i.e. Xanthostemon chrysanthus, common name Golden or Yellow penda. I have seen pictures of the flowers and they are very very beautiful. However, I am not surprise if Singapore has the X.youngii plants in many public places.
Andrea, I love all your lovely flowers. Maraming Salamat!
Bananaz, I am so happy I can dedicate this post to you. I think this X.youngii flowers and your yellow bunches of bananas are a good mix. I still can't forget the towering banana bunch picture and dancing jolly bananas in your blog.
Now, I always who my next first commenter will be. The mystery is what excites me. Dedicating my next post to my first commenter has been a fun filled experience for me.
The flower is a beautiful colour and such a delicate shape. Nice to know that someone is conserving it now that it has become very rare.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen or heard of this plant, the flowers are really pretty!
ReplyDeleteTo me it's a rare plant, but beautiful, I love those warm colors, surely I would had remebered if I seen it before... Just gorgeous :)
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen this one before, but it gorgeous!! Love the texture of the flower
ReplyDelete*hugs*deb
I've never heard of this plant before. It is very pretty and looks delicate.
ReplyDeletethanks again for linking in today...have a wonderful weekend...oh...and don't forget to stop by this week...starting right now to enter and learn about the great give away that is being held on my blog this week! I know you will love the prize!
ReplyDeleteIt's simply adorable!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
It looks a little like a bottlebrush plant but with a shorter bottlebrush. I love the colour of the flowers and its texture.
ReplyDeleteRosie
I am not really sure if I've seen that plant before.
ReplyDeleteHi, everyone, thanks for the visit and enjoying this beautiful flower with me.
ReplyDeleteThis plant is so common. It can be bought from Sungai Buloh Nursery. You can even see d red and orange varieties in pots along the road circling Mid Valley Megamall. Other colours include orange and pink. The pink one is the one that is rare. I just bought it from Sungai Buloh Nursery today.
ReplyDeleteNg, thank you very much for your valuable information. Yes, you are right. I have seen this plant lately at Selangor Green Lane. There were plenty of them that looks like Xanthostemon youngii at Lot 61 Paling Nursery. I have never seen the pink variety. Can you please tell me which nursery did you buy it from?
ReplyDeleteThis is indeed a beautiful species, but it is not Xanthostemon youngii, it is Xanthostemon verdugonianus a Philippine species. It is widely cultivated in Singapore but is said to be rare in its home country where its local name is Mangkono? For the real youngii see the Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants website
ReplyDeletePeter GW, thank you for your valuable comment. The label on the plant from where the photo originated says that it is Xanthostemon youngii. The rooftop Secret Garden of 1-Utama is managed by a consultant botanist.
ReplyDeleteIt is the same as the one pictured in 1001 Garden Plants in Singapore.
X youngii is a shrub to small tree but according to Wikipedia, X.verdugonianus is a medium sized tree of about 50-70 cm diameter.
You can purchases the pink variety (dwarf hybrid) now at sungai buloh nursery near hospital sungai buloh. I just bought it. It is absolutely beautiful. Exotic australian native plant.Only 2 nurseries are selling them. Better purchase soon before it is sold out.
ReplyDeletePlease let us know the nursery name and address or GPS.
Delete