Dwarf pinwheel flowers on a park hedge

This one is just a quick record. After taking the kids to the dentist, I always take them to a nearby park to go down the slide or play on the equipment. I happened to notice the dwarf pinwheel flowers (Tabernaemontana 'Dwarf') on the hedge next to it in beautiful bloom, so I took a few photos.

This is a dwarf variety, often seen in landscape hedges, and a very approachable plant.

One thing to be careful of, though: when it is broken it exudes a white milky sap that is toxic, so take care if you want to collect some to grow.

About this plant

The following is researched information.

• Flower shape: Singapore's National Parks Board describes white flowers with 5 petals arranged anticlockwise like a pinwheel and a white corolla tube, blooming all year round.
• Sap: When the plant is injured or broken it exudes a white milky sap, which the National Parks Board marks as toxic if eaten.
• The name isn't settled: The Catalogue of Life in Taiwan gives Tabernaemontana pandacaqui for the plant commonly called 馬茶花 in Taiwan, while Singapore's National Parks Board lists the dwarf form under T. divaricata; the two do not agree.

There is more on the dwarf pinwheel flower plant page.