CentralCommon Pulai2003

Common Pulai (HT 2003-36)

This Heritage Tree can be found at the end of Royal Road, on slope behind House No. 7.

A large tree surrounded by lush green bushes set against a partly cloudy sky.

Overall shot of Heritage Tree (📷: Heritage Tree Secretariat)

Heritage Tree Information

Reference ID
HT 2003-36

Scientific name: Alstonia angustiloba
Family name: Apocynaceae
Girth: 6.5 m @ 1.3 m height
Height: 26.2 m

Location
Royal Road end, on slope behind House No. 7 (View Map) (opens in new tab)

The Common Pulai or Alstonia angustiloba is a mid-canopy tree that can reach up to 40 m in height. It is native to Singapore and is naturally distributed across the primary or secondary forests and swamp forests of Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Java.

It has buttress roots and its deeply fluted, dark grey trunk supports a pagoda-shaped crown. The Common Pulai has simple, glossy, dark green leaves that are oval shaped, arranged in whorls. The tree exudes latex when any part of the plant is damaged. In Singapore, flowering can be triggered by distinctly cool dry weather, and the tree produces many sprays of creamy-white flowers accompanied by a heady fragrance reminiscent of burnt sugar.

The Common Pulai and Pulai (Alstonia scholaris) (opens in new tab) are both similar looking and commonly planted in Singapore’s urban landscapes. However, they can be differentiated by a few characteristics: The Pulai has greenish-yellow flowers while the Common Pulai has creamy-white flowers, and the Pulai has a stipule at the base of the petiole (leaf stalk) while the Common Pulai does not.

For more information on this species, please refer to NParks' Flora & Fauna Web profile. (opens in new tab)