North-EastTanjong Tree2019

Tanjong Tree (HT 2019-304)

This Heritage Tree can be found opposite Blk 137 Lor Ah Soo, Hougang Ave 1 (future Tanjong Tree Residences).

A large, leafy tree stands on a grassy lawn with residential buildings in the background.

Heritage Tree Information

Reference ID
HT 2019-304

Scientific name: Mimusops elengi
Family name: Sapotaceae
Girth: 4.42 m @ 1.3 m height
Height: 14.8 m

Location
Opp Blk 137 Lorong Ah Soo, Hougang Avenue 1 (future Tanjong Tree Residences) (View Map) (opens in new tab)

The Tanjong Tree is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 15 m in height. It has a rounded crown, and the leaves are smooth and simple with wavy margins. Its white flowers are small and star-shaped with a sweet smell.

The fruit is orange red with velvety skin and contains a single large hard seed. Birds such as the Black-naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis) (opens in new tab), Pink-necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans) (opens in new tab) and Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopacea) (opens in new tab) feed on the ripe fruit.

In the past, children would string the dried star-like flowers into necklaces. The tree has many traditional medicinal uses: the leaves are used to ease headaches, the bark is used to treat pimples, and the roots are used to soothe sore throats.

A resident in the area nominated this beautiful Tanjong Tree to be a Heritage Tree. Based on its large girth of 4 m, it is estimated that the tree had stood here for more than 60 years when endorsed as a Heritage Tree in 2019.

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