From the airport, driving through the long small winding road around Santani lake to the Jayapura City Center, Papua Indonesia, I noticed lots of this nice trees. MyBotanical instinct began to wonder what are these trees? They look so shading, strong, evergreen, with great bole. Are they planted?
One day in MyNatural botanical and sociological search, I met a lady selling busket of rounded, green and sometimes puple thumb size fruits. I asked what is it, and how to eat it. She shown me, the fruit has white flesh. Look like 'longan'. I take a few, and eat some. Taste sweet, soft, and just taste like 'longan'. How much per Kg? Rp20,000.00. I bought two kilos, eat most of it, and passed some to accompanying friends. I took about 20 seeds back home. That was in 2006.
(2) Today, I went back home to MyVillage, of the 20 seeds brought back, only five survived and growing well, the five trees are fruiting. Last year, they began to fruit, but I can't have the chance to look at it. As MyGrand Ma used to advice me, plant whatever fruit trees, but don't expect to harvest any, just do it for sadaqah! For human being, for animal. You get the fruits hereafter! Meanig, after three years, the tree, the Matoa is able to fruit. Consider among fast fruiting trees palnted on by way of the seed.
(3) In Papua, the tree is called Matoa. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), it is called Stone Tree. It is a timber tree. It could grow up to 20-30 meters high, giving big bole, and considered hard wood after merakak (in PNG).
(4) You can get the seedling at our Sunday Market. Here they called this plant as PNG Longan. I used to tell them to called it Matoa. one can buy the fruit, I think around this time of the year. Lots sell in Sarikei, I heard. That is the correct name. About 50-80 seedling are now nurse at our nursery and soon would be planted in Public Place for whole Sarawakian to enjoy. Hope they will appreciate it later.
(Terasi, 2 May, 2009)
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9 comments:
Would this be suitable for street trees? So far we have been planting treest without fruit, mainly greens.Perhaps for easier maintenance and cost effectiveness. I love the tecoma flowering along Jalan Tabuan towards town,when you are caught in the jam,you can see the pretty pink flowers during blooming time.
Edible fruit trees for the public could be planted in parks and housing areas.Good to have edible rather than the poisonous ones. And to plant without worrying about harvesting is great virtue.
Would love to see these in PNG, up closer. Next visit,perhaps.
Luckily... you write about Matoa...I have never seen this. A new generation like us would want somebody to tell them about this.. You know in town??? Even ayam itik pun lamak dah sik nengar..What a shame... So this can be eaten?? Let's try...
In fact this tree could be planted as the second layer after the road, especially at those big open space between Jln Tun Rahman n the RPR Jln Astana. Sure the kids there would enjoy the fruit rather those Longan and Mangosteen, which seem 'hidup segan mati tak mahu'...
..what do you think bro (the great great abc) if we can plant this type of tree or belian/selangan batu, menggris within the road reserve or median as part of city town lanscapping..I imagine a row of belian tree at the long stretch of road..wow ..that must be unique!...
Some ideas to plant fruit bearing trees that could be of public consumption and enjoyment.with that we need some awareness of keeping our parks green and clean.
Belian, Shorea, Kompassia within road reserve or median may not be suitable coz they can grow really tall and big. On the other hand they may not, as the the forest ecology needed for the growth is not there. They can,be planted around housing areas,like the ones planted behind Tun Mahathir's hse up in Borneo Highlands in parks (especially national parks)and places where the jungle or even secondary jungle can be maintained. I have seen these trees died in Bakun when the jungle was cleared and the amount that was left behind did not meet the marginal requirement, thus dreading the fellas to survive.
If we care to notice along Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce from the 3rd Mile Exchange towards town, there is khaya senegalensis (Khaya) which can be considered to have commercial value.But the council are not licenced to cut them , so they end up chopping them into pieces.And two tress were chopped off because the shopkeeper insist that is bad 'feng shui'.
Menggris (Kompasssia) is a species protected under the Wildlife Protection Ordinance.
i tend to like Hopea odorata (Merawan siput jantan, they look cool!)
..I love pokok menggris, especially the wood grain, so beutiful eh..the root stump also..so unique,..extended a bit longer to the ground..as if the place for the haunter to hide there.. just like pokok kapas at padang merdeka..whenever you see jungle especially on low lying terrain, the one taller than the other is pokok menggris...and thats the reason burung menaul salu molah sarang di pokok menggris ya..))
ha ha ha Burung Menaul. I wonder ..how does this bird look like... Pokok Kapas di padang Merdeka ya mun bebunga macam rasa di Jepun. Bagus mun pasir panjang ktk ya Dollah ada pokok ya.. Just imagine.. Perkahwinan dalam Taman...Dapat makan buah..dapat nait Boat ke Telaga Air... Terus honey moon POK....Maybe we have to dream alot ...
.."I imagine a row of belian tree at the long stretch of road..wow ..that must be unique!..." Sure Bro.. This Morning I went to Matang and saw one old man from Pendam molah meja ngan kerusi makei belian.. Very unique Bro.. You know if we can create one landscape within the town area and use this belian kacak wei...
..I wonder ..how does this bird look like..burung menaul is eagle lah bro..if you can find one with white strip thats very rare..if you go the jungle, look for pokok menggris, most probably you can see their colony up there..
..belian and menggris...very difficult to cut, nice wood grain, love them both..
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