Hello there. Today, I want to share with you something from my garden. It is green Magnolia Champaka. This is the first flower, since I planted it. I am so happy to see it flower. It lifted my spirits.
Magnolia is known as Champaka in Sanskrit, Champa in Hindi and Sampenga in Telugu.
Magnolia trees/shrubs were found in most of the gardens of South Indian houses, when houses were built in big plots. Now, because of pocket sized gardens and apartments in cities, we hardly find any of these plants. But during the season, our markets flood with these flowers, which come from small towns and flower gardens cultivated by the farmers.
I only know three colours of this variety. One is the yellow or golden coloured one known as the Golden Magnolia. This is the most common variety. Here we call it as Simhachalam Sampenga, and Lord Narasimha in Simhachalam(near Vishakhapatnam) is worshiped with these flowers. It is also found in abundance in the areas surrounding the temple.
Green coloured one is also popular. This is known as Aaku (means leaf)Sampenga. The yellow and green flowers are sold in the markets during the flowering season. But the white one is very rare and I have not seen its flowers in open market.It is said that this plant thrives well in Himalayas and likes colder climate.
The yellow and white ones are trees where as the green one is a creeper. But I am maintaining it as a shrub.
The scent of each of these varieties is different. I love all the three, but the white one is very delicate to look at and also, its fragrance is very subtle. The flowering season is also different as far as I can remember. The green and the white flower in winter. But the yellow one flowers in summer. I need to closely watch the flowering now.
Though I had all the three varieties, the yellow one gets attacked by termites. I have planted it twice and both times as it grows, the termites attack and kill it. I am not able to save it no matter what I do. So I have to plant a new one. Here take a look at the white and green flowers from my garden.
The green ones are very difficult to find between the leaves. One has to rely on one's nose to locate these flowers :).
These flowers are used in offerings to Gods and Goddesses and also worn in the hair by women. Usually a single flower (or at the most 2 to 3) is worn in the hair. These are also used in perfumes and incense.
It is said that snakes get attracted to the scent of these flowers and I have heard many stories from my mom and grand mother how these shrubs are infested with snakes. But here in the city where I live, no snake would dare to enter, our human infested jungle..:)...
You can read more about these trees and flowers here:
I will keep you posted.......
