The Chiang Mai Flower show is on RIGHT NOW, but this post isn't about that. I love flowers and plants and so continue to whip out my camera near cafés, on sidewalks and in front of people's houses and over their fences, to document some of the more unusual ones I encounter around Chiang Mai and beyond.
If you know any of the names, please leave a comment. Dad...please drag Mum to the computer for a look see :)
1. I'll start with the most impressive find, which reminds me of a character from the 'Little Shop of Horrors', because it appears to have eye lashes.
2. OK...this is probably a weed, but it's pretty. Oxalis triangularis...purple shamrock. I see these purposely potted in hanging baskets.
1. I'll start with the most impressive find, which reminds me of a character from the 'Little Shop of Horrors', because it appears to have eye lashes.
The open flowers span about 8 cm across and grow on stems which protrude horizontally, directly out from the tree's trunk. This one is located in the grounds of Wat Chiang Man.
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| Flower from the Sala Tree |
3. Curly and creamy? Ylang Ylang flowers.
4. Below - I put this on my other blog a while ago...suspecting they weren't real. Solanum mammosum is commonly known as Nipplefruit, Titty Fruit, Cow's Udder, or, ambiguously, "Apple of Sodom".
5. This vine is growing very effectively, trained over a pergola. The hanging roots are much redder in real life.
6. These are gorgeous! Not sure if you can make it out, but the red/orange odd shaped flowers, are dangling on the end of a long hanging stem.
7. Curly white petals on the end of pinkish, ultra skinny trumpets. Bunches and bunches of them.
8. The camera doesn't pick up just how beautiful this one is. The clusters of unopened buds are very round and look like sprays of small white balls. Almost look like they belong in the alps.
9. Shaped like propellers, pink and literally velvety to touch...
... and on mass.
10. Tree with uber long seed pods.
11. Pink bells
11-12. Water plants.
13. Below - From a distance these look like scallions or spring onions (depending on where you come from), except the spikes are hard and solid. They do flower around December...if I recall correctly...I just can't recall what the flowers look like :(
14. Firecracker plant? Perhaps related to cuphea ignea?
Lantana...we have plenty of this in Australia, but I haven't seen one with solely hot pink flowers before.
15-17. And three more..again, I haven't got a clue.
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| A vine |
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| Some type of succulent JJ caught on film at the entrance of Doi Suthep. |
I hope to snap some more pics tomorrow at Chiang Mai's 35th Flower Festival 4th - 6th February.
Snap's other blog Chiang Mai Thai
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10 comments:
Great photos Snap.
I'll take the top few and leave others to thrill you with the rest.
The tree with the flowers growing out of the trunk is called a Sala tree. Buddha was born under a Sala tree and came to enlightenment under a Bo tree (ficus religiosa. And that's why both are found at Wats.
There are two versions. One is fragrant and one not. I've already forgotten which is which.
The curly creamy flowers are called Ylang Ylang (cananga odorata). I had several in my garden just for their flowers. I'd float the flowers in bowls of water and let the scent waft around. Some in Thailand use the flowers for tea.
You can also get the Climbing Ylang Ylang Vine (Artabotrys hexapetalus). They are are found all over Bangkok. Very easy to propagate, just look around the foot of the vines and select the fallen fruit, or, take them right from the vine. Years back I grew several huge plants from Thai seeds. The flowers are quite striking and feel like wax. These are not scented but the mature plants make great cover for shade.
I'll leave you to the rest... and to your spaghetti tree as well ;-)
@Catherine The Sala Tree is just magnificent! And, I know the Ylang Ylang fragrance, but had no idea thats what the plant looked like...didn't smell the flowers, as it was right outside someone's window.
I'll do some post editing as I get the names of the plants...and perhaps number the photos to make identifying easier.
these are all very nice
@Mirza Thank you, and thanks for visiting Cooee.
Hi Snap: We have a 13 and 17 in our garden. 13 was nearly murdered by the builders just at the time it was due to flower. Can't help with the names though, we just buy on sight.
We are to gardening what Hannibal Lecter is to vegetarianism.
@DanPloy Dan, I've been known to 'off' more than a few plants, back in Australia. There we rely on tank water (that wouldn't be an issue right now) and our ground is what I call 'dead'...no nutrients, just rocks varying in size.
13 and 17 look like they actually might survive there.
These are gorgeous! I saw some that looked very like ylang ylang in the temple of Mengwi yesterday, except they had bright orange stamens, and didn't have the scent.
@Theodora I passed by the Ylang Ylang tree yesterday and this time stopped for a sniff. Who would have thought such a dweebie looking flower could have such an incredible scent!
By the way, the Mengwi temple looks impressive...on Google image search ;)
That low plant with the small mauve flowers (also in white) that you asked me about is also a Cuphea its called cuphea hyssopifolia.
The flower festival photos look great!!! Glad you found the name of the Sala Tree, it is embedded in the Buddist religion, born under, died under etc.... any luck with that succulent from Doi Sethep?
JJ
@jj I want a Sala tree in yard...I'm guessing we can buy them in Oz? No luck with your succulent yet :( There were none on display at the 'real' flower show either.
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