Going native: 10 trees to plant in our cities

Last week a special green space was inaugurated at UP Diliman. The university itself is one of the last oases of green and relatively open areas in the metropolis. The Washington SyCip Garden of Native Trees is distinctive in that the 100 species of trees and palms planted in it are all native species.

This urban garden of native trees was turned over in simple morning ceremonies to UP Diliman by the Zuellig Group, which supports national efforts by government affiliated bodies and NGOs to plant Philippine native trees. The goal is “…that it will inspire more greenery in the urban landscape using native trees, as the list of threatened plant species in the Philippines continues to grow, with only 24 percent of forest cover remaining in the archipelago.”

The half-hectare garden is a tribute of the Zuellig Group to esteemed friend and director, the eminent finance guru and philanthropist Washington SyCip. On hand at the ceremony were Dr. Caesar Saloma, chancellor of UP Diliman; Daniel Zuellig, director of Bridgebury Realty Corporation (BRC), an affiliate of the Zuellig Group; eco queen and fellow STAR columnist Gina Lopez; TV host and eco-advocate Karen Davila; Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro; and Undersecretary for Partnerships and External Linkages Mario Deriquito.

The garden is located in what was once a parking lot and empty space between the UP Film Center and the University Theater. The garden is designated a model site for the National Greening Program mandated by Presidential Order 23, whose goal is the establishment of urban native forests via the planting of indigenous and endemic trees in public schools.

As a landscape architect and advocate of open green space, I was invited to the ceremony and to check out the selection. My home professional association, the Philippine Association of Landscape Architects, has always been for the use of endemic species, but the reality has been that commercial plant suppliers have opted to propagate mostly introduced or foreign species. Native trees are, of course, more suited to Philippine conditions to support a sustainable ecosystem.

At the event, I managed to congratulate Daniel Zuellig, who I interviewed last year when their company inaugurated the super-green Zuellig building in Makati. Zuellig expressed the hope that “… these trees will thrive, now that the garden is under the care of the UP faculty and students. We are also optimistic that this garden will inspire the youth to participate in the national effort to save and protect the environment through native trees.”

Daniel also informed me that that their company, Bridgebury Realty Corporation, in cooperation with the Department of Education, will sponsor dendrological tours of the garden for high school students from 90 public schools in the National Capital Region to “further encourage public participation in the protection of the environment.”

On these tours, the kids will be given a guidebook to the garden. The publication, sponsored by Zuellig, was compiled and written by Imelda Sarmiento of Hortica Filipina Foundation Inc., a non-profit organization that promotes the use of Philippine plants, and Emiliano D. Sotalbo, one of the pioneers in the development of the National Botanic Garden at the UP, together with Professor Edgardo Gomez of the UP Marine Science Institute. The guidebook will also be given to the libraries of the public high schools.

In the garden I wandered about and identified 10 trees that growers could start propagating in large quantities so Philippine cities, their streets and parks, could benefit from going native.

The 10 are:

1. Banaba (Lagerstoemia speciosa) — this is an attractive tree that is considered the perfect roadside planting. Its root system can control erosion on slight slopes and it’s a showy tree with bright purple flowers.

2. Katmon (Dillenia philippinensis) — National Artist for Landscape Architecture IP Santos used this small tree in his early designs. It is a great tree to use as screen planting because of its dense foliage.

3. Bani (Milletia pinnata) —  this medium-sized tree is a great roadside choice with a nice habit of growth and silhouette. Its lilac and pink flowers make it really attractive.

4. Ilang-Ilang (Cananga odorata) — this small tree is perfect if you want to mask the otherwise smelly parts of the city. Chanel No. 5 uses the extract from ilang-ilang.

5. Alibangbang (Bauhinia malabarica) — the small tree has good structure and can be used is a variety of urban settings.

6. Banuyo (Wallaceodendron celebicum) — called the “honey tree” the banuyo has yellow blooms. It is useful for erosion control for risk-prone coasts and rivers. It is also salt-tolerant.

7. Dita (Alstonia scholaris) – this tree can grow to 50 meters, although in urban setting slightly shorter. It is an ideal street tree. It is now planted along both sides of the renovated Ayala Avenue.

8. Anahaw (Saribus rotundifolius) – I add two palms to this list as not all situations can accommodate trees. The anahaw is a beautiful palm to line avenues and create alleys with.

9. Manila Palm (Adonidia merrilii) — slightly shorter than the anahaw, the Manila palm is perfect for parks and as an accent ornamental because of its bright red cluster of fruits.

10. Molave (Vitex parviflora) — this is a tough tree and suitable for coastal areas too. Many are familiar with President Manuel L. Quezon’s directive — “I want our people to be like a molave tree. Strong and resilient, standing on the hillside and unafraid of the rising tide, lighting and the storm, confident of their strength.”

Going native means being true to our strengths. We have suffered adversity because we have surrendered to development that works against nature and the environment. Planting more native trees will help us recover that innate strength we have as a people and help build better cities — with a natural infrastructure that is more robust, effective and sustainable than thousands of tons of concrete or steel.

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Feedback is welcome. Please e-mail the writer at paulo.alcazaren@gmail.com. For information, contact Bridgebury Realty

Elizabeth Locsin, marketing and communications director at 462-5211, 0917-5295023 or  e-mail erl@zuelligbuilding.com