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Pemphis acidula
Also called Bantigue, Bwadamann
In Singapore: Pemphis, Shrubby Coral Pemphis, Small-leaved Mangrove, Mentigi, Mentigi Laut, Kabantigi, 水芫花 (Native to Singapore, Critically Endangered)
Ironwood mangrove is a stocky, dense shrub or small tree from coastal tropical Indo-Pacific shores, prized as a bonsai subject. Its key to growing it is full sun, sandy or well-drained soil, and warmth.
Pemphis acidula, commonly known as bantigue (pron. bahn-TEE-geh) or mentigi, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lythraceae. It is the only species in the genus Pemphis.
It is found growing in sandy and calcareous soils in littoral zones, rocky shores and mangroves throughout most of the tropical Indo-Pacific.
The wood of this species has been traditionally valued in many cultures for it is hard and heavy, as well as resistant to rot and warping. It also has naturally a fine finish and may be fashioned into walking canes, fence posts, tool handles, and even anchors. In Réunion and Mauritius it is known as bois matelot. In the Maldives this hardy wood was used in traditional shipbuilding to hold the planks of the hull together, as well as to fashion "nails" in local sorcery.
[Contains information from Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Heritage Trees from data.gov.sg (National Parks Board), made available under the terms of the Singapore Open Data Licence version 1.0]
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Pemphis acidula by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
