The Javan Cucumber Seed sculpture is in the outdoor Seed Dispersal Garden surrounding the Seed Bank at Singapore Botanic Gardens. The brass work was made by Chua Boon Kee and installed in 2019. From Botanic Gardens MRT, enter via Bukit Timah Gate and follow signs for the Seed Bank.
The sculpture depicts one winged seed of the climbing plant Alsomitra macrocarpa. The real plant packs hundreds of these thin seeds into a large fruit. Once released, a seed can glide away on its wings. The enlarged sculpture makes that shape easier to see.
- Location: Outdoor Seed Dispersal Garden, Bukit Timah Core.
- Look for: A brass sculpture shaped like a broad-winged seed.
- Starting point: Bukit Timah Gate from Botanic Gardens MRT.
How to locate the sculpture
Find the Seed Bank building on the Gardens’ visitor map and look around the outdoor garden. The official sculpture guide names the Javan Cucumber Seed under the Bukit Timah Core. Use the trail map for the gate where you begin.
What makes the seed glide?
Look at how far the wings extend to either side of the centre. On a real seed, those extensions give the air a broad surface to push against. The light seed can stay in the air longer than it would if it dropped straight down. The distance varies with the release height and the wind.
Compare wind and animal dispersal
Look for Chua Boon Kee’s Interactive Birds in the same garden. The birds illustrate how animals can transport seeds. Ask children how each seed gets moving and what carries it. If you plan to go into the Seed Bank gallery as well, check the gallery’s separate visiting hours.
Frequently asked questions
Is the sculpture inside the Seed Bank?
It is in the outdoor garden around the building.
Who made it?
Singapore artist Chua Boon Kee.
What plant does it depict?
Alsomitra macrocarpa, known as the Javan cucumber.