• Name: Sea poison tree/ Fish poison tree
• Local name: Botong/ Bitoón
• Scientific name: Barringtonia asiatica
• Native to the Philippines

Interesting Facts

• Tree:
  • Grows on sandy beaches, mangroves, and coral-sand flats in tropical areas like the Philippines.
  • Called the fish poison tree because the tree contains toxic saponins, which can stun fish and thus is used to catch fish.
  • Its seeds can cause poisoning if not prepared properly or ingested directly.
  • Although poisonous, its seeds and roots are used in traditional medicine as cure for stomachache, rheumatism, and as worm remedy.
  • Ecologically vital in the Philippine biodiversity, playing a crucial role in coastal stabilization.
  • Part of a unique poison‑bearing but ecologically resilient species.
  • Used for coastal greening because of its ornamental flowers and shade-providing capabilities.
• Flower:
  • The flowers bloom only at night and the blossoms fall by sunrise.
  • The flowers bloom at sunset or early evening, releasing a strong sweet fragrance that attracts pollinators, such as bats and moths.
  • The blossoms fall to the ground by sunrise, carpeting the concrete paths and shores.
  • The flowers are large and have thin and long pink-tipped stamens with yellow pollen at its ends.
  • Each raceme (flower spike) can hold up to 20 large flowers, creating the visually striking pompom look that makes this tree popular in coastal landscaping.
  • The calyx (outer bud covering) splits into two uneven parts as it opens—an unusual trait compared with most tropical flowering trees.
  • The flower doesn’t float, but its its structure develops into a box‑shaped, buoyant fruit after pollination. Its fruit can float for years, which makes the species spread across coastlines.

Sightings & Stories

I have frequently seen this flower along beaches before, but it was only while walking around Balay Buhay sa Uma Bee Farm in Sorsogon City that I started to really take notice of it. Although already fallen on the ground, they looked lovely and delicate resting on a bed of rough weeds.

It was at Plantation Bay in Cebu when I really paused to observe this flower. I was attracted to its uniqueness—a simple-looking white flower and yet overflowing with thin, long, and graceful white strands with ends that seem to have been dipped in soft pink ink and punctuated with tiny yellow beads.

Field Notes

While walking around one early morning at Plantation Bay, I saw this flower scattered on different beds—on the ground against weeds and leaves, on exposed tree roots, on coarse sand, and on water. Some flowers were open and some closed, but no matter where they fell to rest and lay, their beauty remained unchanged. They were consistently alluring and graceful that I wondered whether one can tell them apart from each other.

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Now learning about the botong tree flower makes me wish to see this flower in bloom while still clinging to the tree. I long to breathe in its fragrance. I wish to watch the blossoms fall gently to the ground. Do they fall all at once or is there a rhythm and flow to their descent?

Its unique nature reminds me how beauty is fleeting. To witness its blooming is a limited privilege, only possible for a brief window in time. To feel the accompanying quiet sadness of its blooming and descent is a gift—an ode to the impermanence of things, a feeling that the Japanese so beautifully capture in their concept of mono no aware.

I have long wanted to write about mono no aware. I have half-formed thoughts waiting to be completed in unfinished drafts. Today, I feel grateful for the chance to briefly write about mono no aware and with a flower fitting to catch the weight of that reflection.

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This post is part of a mini project called Flora Field Notes: notes and observations on Philippine flora.

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This post also joins Terri Webster Schrandt’s The Flower Hour.