Healthy specimen: The Ipoh tree at Persiaran Sultan Azlan Shah in Taman Lapangan Terbang.
IPOH: There are only two iconic Ipoh trees left standing in public spaces in the city. The tree, which gave the city its name, has just about disappeared.
One can be seen at the Ipoh Railway Station Square, while the other is located at Persiaran Sultan Azlan Shah in Taman Lapangan Terbang.
Ipoh City Council mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin said the one located at the square was planted in February 2018 to replace a 100-year-old Ipoh tree that fell during a storm in April 2017.
He said the tree at the square is less fertile because of limited space due to the concrete around it, adding that the tree is maintained monthly.
“As for the large and fertile tree near the airport, it is estimated to be around 30 years old, with a height of about 12m.
“This one is growing well due to its good root system, probably due to the open space, with the council carrying out grass cutting regularly,” he said in an interview.
On Aug 31 last year, an Ipoh tree at the DR Seenivasagam Park fell due to rot in its roots. That tree was estimated to be at least 30 years old.
Young replacement: The Ipoh tree located at the Ipoh Railway Station Square. — RONNIE CHIN/The Star
Rumaizi said there are plans to replant the tree at DR Seenivasagam Park, but the location may need to be reviewed.
“This is because the Ipoh tree has a very poisonous sap. Planting it in an area where children are usually present will be risky, as the sap can even cause death,” he said.
“As such, the replanting needs to be done in a location far away from the general public or it needs fencing around it, just like how it is done at the square.”
(The sap of the tree was used to make a virulent poison for blowpipe darts. Indigenous groups, for instance, would use it for hunting.)
On a brighter note, Rumaizi revealed that there are five Ipoh trees, scientifically known as Antiaris toxicaria, at the council’s nursery.
These trees, he said, were 2.4m tall.
They will be used to replace the current trees if they develop problems.
Rumaizi said in 2021, the city council prepared a working paper on the tree inventory, involving the inspection of mature trees at DR Seenivasagam Park, including the Ipoh tree, by a certified arborist.
However, the tree fell last year, possibly due to decay at its structure caused by lightning and termites.
“We have plans to carry out a tree risk assessment by the arborist at the field near the airport,” he added.
“There have only been three trees all this while under the council’s landscape department’s control.”
As for the raintrees located at the Raintree Walk of the Taiping Lake Gardens, there are five trees that require treatment, especially to their roots, as well as pruning and fertilising.
Taiping Municipal Council president Khairul Amir Mohamad Zubir said most of the trees at the Lake Gardens are 136 years old.
“However, due to decay, a few trees have fallen or had to be cut down for safety reasons.
“The health of the five trees must be checked by a certified arborist to assess the required treatment, and also to ascertain which tree has the risk of falling,” he said.
“Pruning of the trees is done at least twice a year.
“Sometimes, you can’t just look at the external physical condition of the tree to determine the probability of it falling.
“We need to look into several other factors such as continuous heavy rain or strong winds that could also be the reason for trees coming down, besides root and fungus issues,” said Khairul Amir.
