Time for Letting Go...

It was last week when I saw these beautiful Jacaranda flowers in full bloom. Only few days later, the flowers began to fall, carpeting the green lawn with their charming violet color. I felt sad at the first moment. Then I realized the ultimate truth of separation.

Everything that happens has to end somehow. Better not holding on to the past but letting go…

‘Night Jasmine’ – A Tree of Sorrow

One of the most strong fragrant flower in my garden is ‘Night Jasmine’ or ‘Parijat’ (or กรรณิการ์ in Thai). Native to India, Night Jasmine flowers bloom at night and cast off in the morning so the tree is sometimes called the ‘Tree of Sorrow’.


The orange tube in center of the flower can be used as a sourse of yellow dye for clothing while many parts such as leaves and seeds have been used as traditional medicine.

Delightful Fragrance of Indian Cork Tree

I love early morning walk in my garden. Most of the time I see the green lawn’s carpeting with silvery-white, delightfully fragrant flowers of the Indian Cork Tree (Millingtonia Hortensis) or ‘Peep' (ปีป) in Thai. I couldn’t help myself picking up some fallen flowers and put them in a small jar for a long lasting freshness scent.

With more than 10 meters in height, this fast growing tree is the tallest plant in my home garden. Blooming all year round but have prolific flowers after rainy season.

In ancient Thai, dried Peep flowers chopped and wrapped with Nelumbo lotus petal were used as herbal smoking cigarette.

Gustavia Augusta... A Heaven Lotus

Originate in Equator countries like Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia, Gustavia augusta or Heaven Lotus (‘บัวสวรรค์’ in Thai) seems to grow well in my tropical garden. Though this Lotus-like flowers have a very short blooming period before fallen, I still love its sweet pink color and pleasant fragrance.

Once A Year Blooming ‘Parameria’

Cool season in Thailand seemed to last only a week this year. Fortunately, my favorite Parameria barbata or ช่อมาลี in Thai was fully bloomed just in time.

A sweet unique fragrant of this quick growing vine flower makes it worth waiting for...

Violet Ixora Is Not Real 'Ixora'

This beautiful blue/lilac flower is usually called ‘Violet Ixora’ or ‘เข็มม่วง’ in Thai though it is in the family of Acanthaceae, not Ixora’s Rubiaceae. Violet Ixora or ‘Blue Twilight’ (mostly called by the Americans) looks great in mass plantings, especially during this time of year.

Colors of the dark green leaves and violet flowers will turn lighter when growing in all day direct sunlight.

The Most Popular Tropical Flower?

‘Ixora’ is probably the first tropical flower I know since I was a child. I remember the red big bold Ixora that I brought to a ‘Teacher’s Day Ceremony’ as ‘Ixora’ in Thai name - 'Khem' represents a sharp wisdom. Considered a very popular flower in Thailand, Ixora can be seen in every park and mostly on street isle.




There are so many species of Ixora in variety of colors. Some have pleasant fragrance like Siamuse white lxora and ‘Ixora Spectabilis Wall’ while some are edible like Ixora longifolia Sm. or West Indian Jasmine.

A Scent of Ixora

It is my new year resolution to update this Tropical Flowers Blog which has been inactive for months. I then started to get into my garden last Saturday morning. The first breath I took was full with a sweet, pleasant scent of ‘Ixora Spectabilis Wall’ or ‘Khem Luang’ (เข็มหลวง) in Thai – a latest plant in my home garden Ixora family.







Like all Ixora species, this one blooms all year round and does best in direct sunlight.