Plant Profile: Giant Swamp Taro (Cyrtosperma merkusii)

A cultivated form of C. merkusii growing underneath a waterfall at Singapore Botanic Gardens. Introduction Cyrtosperma merkusii is a very large aroid thought to be native to Malesia, occurring in forest streams and freshwater swamps. It seems to be the only species of Cyrtosperma to naturally occur outside of west Melanesia. It is arguably one …

Plant Profile: Pandanus amaryllifolius (Pandan)

Introduction & Origins An essential ingredient in South and Southeast Asian cooking, pandan leaves have a distinctive fragrance. Raw leaves smell grassy and nutty, whilst bruised or cooked leaves have a fragrance similar to vanilla and jasmine rice. They are used to flavour everything: from jelly and cakes to rice and chicken. In the tropics, …

Plant Profile: Cyrtosperma johnstonii

Introduction & Origins Cyrtosperma johnstonii is a tropical plant native to the Solomon Islands in Oceania. Similar to its huge siblings C. merkusii and C. giganteum, it also has large, starchy rhizomes and gigantic leaves. This plant is grown across Southeast Asia as an ornamental, and despite its popularity, not too much is known about …