Kabatete is MBG’s Plant of the Month for April 2026

Kabatete is MBG's Plant of the Month for April 2026

This month, the Makiling Botanic Gardens features a remarkable climbing plant known for one of nature’s most elegant seed dispersal mechanisms: kabatete (Alsomitra macrocarpa (Blume) Roem.), a member of the Cucurbitaceae family that produces winged seeds capable of gliding through the forest canopy. Where It Grows Kabatete is native to…

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Pukingan is MBG’s Plant of the Month for March 2026

Pukingan is MBG's Plant of the Month for March 2026

This month, the Makiling Botanic Gardens features a versatile climbing vine that has served communities across the tropics in multiple ways: pukingan (Centrosema molle Mart. Ex Benth.), a member of the Fabaceae family native to the United States of America that has spread across tropical regions worldwide. Growth Habit and…

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Kantutan is MBG’s Plant of the Month for February 2026

Kantutan is the Makiling Botanic Garden's Plant of the Month for February 2026

This month, the Makiling Botanic Gardens features a plant that might assault your nose before catching your eye: kantutan (Paederia foetida L.), a vine from the Rubiaceae family with a pungent reputation and a long history of traditional uses across Asia. A Name That Tells a Story The scientific name…

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Kopsia is MBG’s Plant of the Month for January 2026

Kopsia is MBG's Plant of Month for January 2026

This month, the Makiling Botanic Gardens features a striking ornamental shrub that catches the eye with its color-changing flowers and glossy foliage: kopsia (Kopsia fruticosa (Roxb.) A.DC.), a member of the Apocynaceae family that has found a home in gardens across the tropics. Origins and Name Kopsia is native to…

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Pingol-Bato is MBG’s Plant of the Month for December 2025

Pingol-Bato is MBG's Plant of the Month for December 2025

This month, the Makiling Botanic Gardens features a plant that embodies the remarkable diversity of Philippine flora: pingol-bato (Begonia nigritarum (Kamel) Steud.), a stunning endemic begonia that has served both culinary and medicinal purposes for generations. Where It Grows Pingol-bato is a creeping plant that grows in moist or damp…

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