First blooms of my Rangoon Creeper, My Parijat Plant.
Mom has gifted me a Rangoon Creeper vine and planted it herself for me in a corner of our roof terrace. I love natural fragrances and what can be more enchanting than the heavenly fragrance of The Parijaat flower. It's two months now that she got me the sapling with just a few leaves and I must say that it is her green thumbs which has made my Parijaat grow so fast. It has given it's first bloom.... two small lovely clusters and surprisingly they are not drooping down as these flowers generally do. Instead they stand up bold and bright as if they are proud of their exist and the fragrance which they would be sharing in the days to come. Am posting a few photographs to share with you all and also sharing some details about this extremely spectacular vine which in over about a 3 day period the flowers starts out white, turn solid pink then dark pink and purplish red, then finally turns bright red on maturity.
Combretum Indicum
Commonly known as the Chinese Honeysuckle or Burma Creeper or Rangoon creeper, we call it Parijaat in my mother tongue Manipuri.
Other names for the plant include Quiscual in Spanish, Niyog-niyogan in Filipino, Madhu Malti or Madhumalti in Hindi, Malati in Assamese, Akar Dani in Malay, Pullani in Malayalam and Radha Manoharam in Telugu.
Family: Combretaceae
Genus: Combretum
Scientific name: Quisqualis indica
The name derives from the Latin words quis, "who", and qualis, "what". It was given by the early botanist Georg Eberhard Rumphius as an expression of his surprise at the variability of the plant's growth and flower color.
Plant Type: Evergreen, branching climber
Native of Asia, Tropical Africa, South Africa
Height: 10ft - 40ft or more
Rate of Growth: Quick
Salt Tolerance: Medium
Soil Requirements: Rich, moist, well-drained
soil.
Water Requirements: Water freely during growing season, less water in winter
Light Requirements: Full sun with some mid-day shade.
Form: Freely branching perennial climber
requiring a very sturdy arch, wall or fence to climb.
Leaves: Mid to deep-green to 8" long
Flowers: Slender-tubed, fragrant flowers, 1.5 - 3" long with 5 spreading lobes, in pendent, terminal racemes, 4" long, initially white, they
change to pink, purplish red, then bright red over a 3 day period.
Fruits: Small dry drupe-like seed with five angles and five wings
Pests: Aphids, scale insects and caterpillars.
Uses: Parijaat has got high medicinal properties. Decoctions of the root, seed or fruit can be used as antihelmintic to expel parasitic worms or for
alleviating diarrhea. Fruit decoction can also be used for gargling.
The fruits are also used to
combat nephritis. Leaves can be used to relieve
pain caused by fever. The roots are then used in treating rheumatism.
"Indeed a charming beauty with values...
It's fragrance, an element that entices...
I am all for it. How about you?"
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