Family: Lamiaceae
Common name: Parrot’s Beak, Hedgehog, Wild sage, Badhara, Bulang
Parrot’s beak or Wild sage is a versatile shrub or small tree that can add beauty and uniqueness to your garden with their hanging bunches of yellow flowers with red bracts.
They are native to the Philippines, and are now grown in tropical countries around the world as ornamental plants.
Plant Characteristics
Parrot’s beak trees can grow to a height of 5-8 meters with strong brown branches that tilt downwards.
Leaves are elliptical in shape, dark glossy green on the upper surface and pale green on the lower surface. They are 5-10 cm long and 3-4 cm wide. The branching stems and leaves help the tree spread well, forming a dense green canopy overhead.
One of the most distinguishing features of the Parrot beak tree is its flowers – bright yellow with a unique, curved lip that looks like a parrot’s beak giving the tree its name.
The flowers are arranged in a beautiful pendant-like structure with overlapping red bracts.
The red bracts also look like parrot’s beaks because their color and shape. Once the flowers are pollinated, they produce small, spherical green fruits that are also protected by the bracts till they mature.
Mature fruits are yellow in color, pear-shaped and about 1-2 cm long. During spring and summer, the Parrot’s beak plant is covered with dense clusters of hanging chandelier-like flowers, adding charm and elegance to your garden.
Gardening Tips
Parrot’s beak plant prefers good sunlight and well-drained soil. They are tolerant of drought and do not need regular watering once the trees are established in the soil.
As with most tropical trees, it is good to plant them just before the rainy season so that young plants will get adequate water from the rains.
Pruning is needed only to maintain the shape of the tree and to remove any long, leggy branches. Fertilize during flowering season with a well-balanced fertilizer.
It is good to provide supporting structures for these trees during growing season to prevent them to leaning to the ground.
Uses of Parrot’s Beak tree
Traditionally, various parts of Parrot’s beak have been used in folk medicine in the treatment of eczema, headaches, wounds, nerve and joint disorders, coughs, throat irritation, and as a leech repellent.
They are mostly grown as ornamental plants, and as a valuable source of nectar for bees, butterflies, insects, and other pollinators.
Propagation
Propagation is typically through seeds, stem cuttings, and air layering. Air layering is where a small cut is made on the stem of the parent tree and covered with moss and plastic sheet to form an air-right environment. Once roots develop on this stem, it can be severed from the parent plant and replanted.
Photographed at: Lalbagh, Bangalore
