Bakawali Bloom Again .... Bakawali Berbunga lagi

looking over my tiny garden

i saw my pot of bakawali with a new pinkish white bloom

the 3rd bakawali flower this season

a beauty in the morning sunlight

as the sun goes up... this bloom closes up

the previous blooming Bakawali > 

the 2nd bloom that caught my attention

Bunga Bakawali ~ Bunga Wijaya Kusuma

 my small pot of ' bunga bakawali'

originates from Makteh Asrah's  laman in Melaka

I had waited a long time to see its white bloom but missed viewing it

since it only opens up middle of the night

Epiphyllum Angulige, also known as Moon Cactus,

Queen of the Night (since it bloom at midnight only)

and in Malaysia it's common name 'bunga Bakawali'

while  Indonesians called them 'bunga Wijaya Kusuma'

It belongs to the cactus family and  said to originate from Mexico.

It is grown in gardens for its ornamental value because of its beautiful fragrant

 flower that bloom for a few hours only at night.

Both the flowers and  stems/leaves of Bakawali also known for its medicinal properties.

My Potted Laman

~ a hanging potted  'ginseng Jepun'

common name       :  Ginseng Jepun/Akar Som Jawa

botanical name  :  Talinum Paniculatum Gaerth

Said to be a wild plant , now it has become a household potted plant and its known for its medicinal properties both from the roots and leaves - to treat cough/asthma, and to reduce swelling of abscess,

Can be eaten either fresh as 'ulam'/salad  with sambal belacan or as a fried/boiled vegetable dish

a corner of my tiny Laman

Bunga Telang>Butterfly Pea>Pigeon Wings>Clitoria Ternatea

Had a fun trip this morning to Banting, my hubby's hometown located in Kuala Langat and took less than 2 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur via Klang. Visited  an interesting family friend  and came home with a bunch of the 'bunga telang' seedlings  ...

bunga telang seedlings

....became interested and curious about bunga telang when I was posted to work in Kelantan and got to taste Kelantan well known  'blue nasi kerabu'. My brief info on this particular blue flowering climber plant  > .....Bunga Telang - Laman 2008

nn

 

http://hajjah-mytravellogue.blogspot.com/2008/08/laman-2008.html

the  bunga telang  plant 

where those seedlings came from

Colok Cina/Water Candle ~ Tyhpa Angustifolia

Flower arrangement & design ~ Landscape Design

this piece of flower arrangement was done some time ago.

 ( http://cikjahonlineflowers.blogspot.com )

taken at Putrajaya Floria 09

                                                (ref : wikipedia.org)

PetalFlies~Oxalis Regnelli

More on 'Petalflies'

displayed - Putrajaya Floria 09

                                                    (ref:  wikimedia.org)

Got to know some facts on this particular plant   (posted on September 6, 2009) , it is named as 'Oxalis Regnelli' ...ref: Laman Impiana Edisi 23.pg.085

It attracted my eye and took a shot during the last Putrajaya Floria 09 last August 2009. Then later in the week, I met a Malay lady entreprenuer in Gadek (Alor Gajah) who has a Landscaping company and often sells herbal plants, flowers and other gardening needs at the Friday farmer market in Tampin. She named this plant 'petalflies' and has several potted in her garden.

Oxalis Regnelli - the beautiful purple color of the leave,the long stems for the ground are topped with a cluster of three triangular-shaped leaflets, which folded at the mid-vein and look like purple butterflies. Would be beautiful if planted bordering or edge of flower beds. Its white beautiful blooms creates an attractive outline in any garden.  It is said to originates from Argentina and has over 800 species worldwide.

I believe there could be other uses beside being a garden plant but probably not known here in Malaysia.

Something That Inspires Me > Ideas for my Flowers Arrangement

cabbage - "centerpiece"

Cabbage is a good source of vitaminC  and  contains glutamine plus amino acid. The Malay Midwifery (amalan perbidanan Melayu) often advises mothers with engorged breasts problems

to wrap cabbage leaves so  to reduce discomfort.

Torch Ginger - High and Mighty

Torch Ginger

Torch Ginger (Etlingera Elatior) commonly grown in Malaysia mainly for cooking, especially to flavour 'assam' dishes. Now it is also used  in fresh flower arrangements.

Roselle - Sweet and Fresh

Roselle  or Hibiscus sabdariffa , known to have anti-hypertensive effects and used in traditional medicine as a diuretics or as a mild laxative. Roselle flowers are sometimes use to make herbal tea and believed to help reduce cholesterol . In Malaysia, fresh roselle  calyxes (calyx- a certain part of the roselle flowers) are made into health juice because ot its high vitamin C content. This plant is recently introduced by the farmers association in Malaysia but it has been  known extensively in Thailand, China, US  and Africa.

These pictures of common vegetable plants were taken from my previous visits to the flowers exposition. Browsing the images gave me inspiration to do flower arrangements

http://cikjahonlineflowers.blogspot.com/ 

Solanum Mammosum - Terung Susu/Mackaw Bush/Cow's Udder

Terung Susu - ' Solanum Mammosum" 

Found this shrub in the Putrajaya Garden & Landscape Nursery. Its attractive fruit can be poisonous. Was told that there is an ongoing research done by the government to identify its medicinal properties.

(www.flickrs.com/photos)

A tropical shrub that has thorns on its stem, its small pear-shaped and bright yellow fruit looking like cow's udder (because of its nipple-like ends) often used in flower arrangements,  and has violet colored flowers. If one touches the surface of its green leaves , one can feel fine spikes.  

Its local name ' terung tetek kambing' also known as 'mackaw bush' and its scientific name is ' Solanum Mammosum'. Its fruit can be poisonous and said to originate from South America.

Uses :

*  its fruiting brances often used  in tropical design flower arrangements (which I am particularly interested in at the moment...)

** also  known to be used in traditional Malay medicine to cure hypertension/diabetes/breast cancer but no details on this as yet

"PetalFlies" - ANY INFO ON THIS INTERESTING PLANT?

Purple colored  'butterfly-shaped' leaves with 5-petals white flowers

- "Petal Flies"-

Pelargonium Radula - (Jeremin- Halau Nyamuk)

Bought this pot of  'Pelargonium Radula' for only RM6 at Tampin Farmers Market recently. Would like to test whether this plant can repels mosquitoes.

This : shot taken at Putrajaya Floria 09

(image at: flickrs.com/photos)

General info on Pelargonium Radula :-
-  is said to originates from South Africa
-  gives somewhat a camphor-rose-lemon scent
-  known locally as 'Jeremin/Pokok Halau Nyamuk'
-  Insect repellant : crushed  leaves emits  a fragrance that acts  insect  repellant
- the leaves can be dried for pot-pourrie and bath frangrance

Parsely, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme

Parsely

Often used as garnishing as well as to flavour soups, stews and stocks, parsely leaves can be dried for making 'Parsely Tea'. Infuse 1/2 teaspoons of the parsely leaves or even its roots in a cup of near-boiling water and let it stand for about 10 minute in the covered cup. Parsely tea may help to flush out harmful toxins from the body and also in reduce flatulance problem. Can be use as a poultice - apply pounded parsley leaves on insect bites and stings to lessen its poison/pain.

Parsely grows well in most soils, must be well-drained in full sunlight or partly shaded.

Sage

Sage - its texture, colour and fragrane plus its many uses in the kitchen has become popular in "Kitchen Garden" - edible landscape , easy to grow . Sage also has medicinal properties, can be used as antiseptic and antifungal. To use sage as a tea drink or as a gargle, take 2to4 tablespoons of fresh leaves or 2 teaspoons of dried leaves in a cup of hot water. Care must be taken not to take too much for too long period because itc an cause rapid heartbeat, dizziness as it contains ' tactrine' which can cause pososibility of ulcer and liver problems.

Sage can be grown outdoors, in pots as well as hydroponic and need full sunlight.

Thyme
Thyme - Thymus vulgaris, is an aromatic herb that can be easily potted and placed on the kitchen sill/window ledge. It grows well in dry, sunny condition and lean soil because too much water can rot the plants. Can be grown from seed but growing from cuttings is much easier.

Thyme also has antiseptic an preservative properties. Thyme tea often used as a mouthwash to treat a sore throat or infected gum. Can also be used in perfumes making.


Rosemary - its Latin name , Rosemarinus officinalis - means "dew of the sea" is greatly used in the Mediterranean cooking/seasoning such as pastas, pizzas , soups and salads. A beautiful ornamental potted plant emits sweet fragrance , both leaves and the flowers can be eaten. Rosemary flowers come in shades of blue, pink and white. Can be used as an antiseptic and breath freshner. Its fragrance is said to have calming effects on the nerves. Rosemary tea is said to counter poor circulation, fights rheumatism, headaches and fever.

Can be grown from either seedlings and cuttings, which is much easier. It needs enough sun, good drainage and good air circulation.

Rosemary & Thyme

There is an English album in the 1960s titled ' Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme' by Simon & Garfunkel