The Makiling Botanic Gardens (MBG) Plant of the Month (POM) for February 2022 is the “Mickey Mouse Bush”, scientifically known as Ochna serrulata (Hochst.) Walp. It came from the family Ochnaceae and is native to South Africa.
Mickey mouse bush is a small shrub that grows 1 to 2 meters high with dark shiny serrated leaves. Its yellow-colored flowers bloom during summer and have a sweet scent. The flowers’ petals tend to drop soon after they bloom. The plant’s fruit is a pea-like, green when young and turns black as it matures. Each flower produces 1-5 fruits attached to the outermost layer of the flower.
Trivia:
Did you know?
The plant was named after Mickey Mouse because of the blackberries that resemble its face. Ochna comes from the Greek word ochne meaning wild pear in reference to the fruit shape while Serrula is a Latin word that means “little saw”, which refers to its fine-toothed leaf margins. This plant is considered “weed” and an “Invasive species” in Australia and New Zealand.
By: AALimpiada and ACMalayba