Variegated vanity

The multi-coloured foliage of the variegated Madras Thorn makes it an ideal plant for brightening up gardens and landscapes, writes Elaine Yim

The variegated Madras Thorn has fabulous foliage. A single plant has leaves of three colours, i.e. snowy white, pink and green. PLANT PROFILE:

Scientific name: Pithecellobium dulce Synonym: Mimosa dulcis, Pithecellobium guatemalensis

Family: Fabaceae (pea family)

Common names: Madras Thorn, Manila Tamarind, Sweet Tamarind, Monkey Pod, Blackhead, Bread-and-Cheese.

Its Chinese name is meaning “golden turtle tree”. It’s also known as Duri Madras in Malay, Opiuma in Hawaii and Guamucil in Mexico. The genus Pithechellobium is derived from two Greek words; meaning monkey, and meaning earrings, in relation to the spiralled fruit pods.

The epithet dulce originated from the Latin word meaning sweet, referring to the pulp inside the fruit pod which is edible. Although its common names are Madras Thorn and Manila Tamarind, Pithecellobium dulce isn’t native to India or the Philippines. It’s actually native to Mexico and Central America.

Don’t mistake it for the asam jawa tree (Tamarindus indica) that produces the tamarind fruits for cooking curry and gravies. THE PLANT

Pithecellobium dulce is a medium-sized tree which can reach a height of 10 to 15m tall. Some smaller varieties grow to 5m tall hence it’s often planted as a shade tree by the roadside, or in parks and large gardens.

The leaves are green in colour, kidneyshaped and arranged in pairs opposite one another. This deciduous tree will shed all its leaves annually but because the emergence of new leaves coincides with the loss of old leaves, the plant appears to be evergreen throughout the year.

There are sharp thorns (spines) along the stems — a pair of them can be found at the base of each leaf stalk. However, some varieties have no thorns.

The flowers, measuring 1cm across, are small and greenish-white in colour. The spiral-shaped fruit pods, which turn from green to reddish-brown as they ripen, attract birds such as bulbul, oriole, starling, barbet and oriental magpie. The pods will split open when ripe to release several shiny black seeds.

There are variegated and dwarf varieties of Madras Thorn such as P.dulce “Snowy” and P.dulce “Dwarf Albino”. Variegated varieties have fabulous foliage which is a beautiful blend of three colours — snowwhite, pink and green.

HOW TO GROW

The variegated and dwarf varieties of Madras Thorn are just right for smaller home gardens. You can grow these in a container or directly in the ground as an ornamental courtyard plant, standalone, hedging plant, or train it into a topiary or little bonsai plant. When planted in the ground, it can grow to 3m tall.

The normal Madras Thorn trees can reach a height of 10m tall over a period of five to six years when conditions are favourable. Its crown can extend 30m wide; this is why you’d need a large space, otherwise you’d need to prune it diligently to keep it under control. Dwarf varieties can be easily pruned and shaped into topiaries. You can grow it in a big container or in the ground.

THE sTEPs:

You can buy a starter plant or propagate one from seeds, stem cuttings or by marcotting. Seeds will germinate in about a week’s time.

Full sun is preferred but it can tolerate partial to full shade.

Well-drained loamy soil is preferred but it can tolerate poor soil such as clayey, sandy, salty or wasteland soil.

Regular, moderate watering is recommended. It is drought resistant.

Apply a balanced NPK 10-10-10 fertiliser once a fortnight.

Prune regularly to control growth and to achieve the shape and height you want.

Generally free of pest and diseases. Leaves may be eaten by caterpillars. It is host plant for the Three Spot Grass Yellow Butterfly (Eurema blanda).