This is Vallaris glabra. You call it bread flowers in the west. We call it Kesidang in Malaysia. It is the state flower of Malacca, the historical state of Malaysia. This is my second post about the kesidang. My first detailed post about this plant is here.
I first met Kesidang at the Secret Garden of 1-Utama. It was a small plant but many visitors stopped to admire this plant. They were surprised to find Kesidang there. Then I met Kesidang again at the Hibiscus Garden of Kuala Lumpur. This time, it was spread over a huge pergola and it was blooming profusely.
“Kesidang for A Touch of White”, a copyrighted post, was written for My Nice Garden blog by Autumn Belle @ http://www.mynicegarden.com/ on November 25th, 2010.
The most wonderful thing about this plant is its fragrance. To me, it smells like cooked fragrant rice, pandan and nasi lemak. Many people say it look and smell like slightly burnt rice crusts. These are Kesidang flower buds and they do look like rice grains, don't they?
The flowers are tiny but they are beautiful and they look like splendid little stars. I have fallen in love with the Kesidang at the Hibiscus Garden of Kuala Lumpur, so I searched high and low for this plant. Finally, I found it and today it is growing happily in a flower pot in my garden. As this is a vine, it needs support when it is growing, so I have placed the plant near to the wall fencing.
The fragrance of the kesidang flowers is more pronounced in the mornings and evenings at the hour of sunrise and sundown. A whiff of pandan fills the air whenever I walk by, reminding me of the flavourful aroma of mom's cooking when I was young.
Little flowers, so pretty and sweet, pure and white as cream.
The kesidang plant was very popular a long long time ago, now its grandeur may be lost because people do not grow it any more. I have never regretted living together with my kesidang.
Lastly, to all my friends in the USA, Happy Thanksgiving!
This is my entry for Fertilizer Friday, thank you very much to Tootsie for hosting Fertilizer Friday here.
This is also my entry for Blooming Friday, the theme today is "A Touch of White". Thank you very much to Katarina at Roses and Stuff, her link is here.
Lovely stars! :)
ReplyDeleteOh so nice sparkling star flowers. What a beau..tQ
ReplyDeleteNow THAT's something that I wish I could find around here! I love the smell of fragrant jasmine rice and pandan, so I would gladly try growing such a glamorous and delicate plant even if it had to be kept in a container!
ReplyDeleteIm waiting for mine to flower which I bought at Pasar Tani at R&R Seremban. I remember my aunt used to put the flowers in her sanggul in those days gone by..Great micro photos Autumn Belle!
ReplyDeleteI have a pot of this at our old house. Kesidang is also called Bunga Kerak Nasi. The flower is often used by the Nyonyas in Melaka for bunga rampai (a mixture of flowers, pandan leaves and limau purut with perfume added) that is used for prayers offering.
ReplyDeleteThe fragrance is so sweet and travels far. I love having this plant in our garden, especially when the flowers are blooming.
I have seen this flower 25 years ago in a park in Orissa. There were two colours, one white and the other a palest pink. I have never seen this again. Thanks for the information about it.
ReplyDeleteThat is beautiful, but i haven't seen it here though. I can relate to the smell of pandan leaves and jasmine rice. Maybe the Thais also put them in making their sweet delicacies, as they are known to be using Jasminum sambac for a famous dessert.
ReplyDeleteThis flower is beautiful! I have seen them may be 20 yrs ago while i was child!
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful plant! Thank you for always introducing me to new and beautiful flowers!!! have a great weekend...thanks for linking in!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful little star-shaped flowers this vine has! Another plant that's not known to me, but I wouldn't mind having that in my garden.
ReplyDeleteLike Malar I think I used to see them when I was a child.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful star flowers.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots.
Have a nice weekend
Gunilla
I can almost smell the aroma while admiring your wonderful macros. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful plant!!! New for me.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day!
/Ruben
How lovely to have a fragrance that reminds you of food :-)
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend
It's beautiful! I love the soft green colors and hues.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful flower. White always enhances the garden I think.
ReplyDeleteLove it...!!
ReplyDeleteTjingeling
Wow...so lovely!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day! / Irene
Just dropping by..I do not buy plants in nurseries as a serious botanist, the skills for propagation, are necessary to keep a garden with signature.
ReplyDeleteNurseries are not
interested in the environment, Flora and Fauna, just profits...
I see tears....
ReplyDeleteWhy are the flowers crying?
all of them are beautiful and sweet
ReplyDeletecongrats
http://graceolsson.com/blog/2010/11/one-day-in-your-life/
Beautiful flower! I like the little star shape.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could smell this pretty flower through cyberspace!
ReplyDeletewhat a pretty flower! I still am not sure what pandan smells like. I'm imagining it like vanilla.
ReplyDeleteYour post reminded me how in temperate climates like mine, we don't enjoy often the wafting fragrances of flowers. I have to wait for a warm humid evening for that chance, but when it comes what a lovely experience.
ReplyDeleteI can sure imagine the whiff from the star flowers reaching me across the miles while I read your post Belle. :):) Lovely Pictures!
ReplyDeleteI have not seen this flower in a long time, almost forgotten about it! Yes, the Nyonyas love this flower. It is really lovely and fragrant. Will have to look for this plant on my next visit to the nursery! Thanks for reminding me!
ReplyDeleteCould you tell where I can purchase this plant in KL/sg buloh
ReplyDeleteLee PP, you can try Lot 21 Sg Buloh Green Lane. Or you can try the nurseries in Klang - NHY, Kelopak Emas. The links are below. You can also try asking your local nursery to propagate kesidang from cuttings for you.
DeleteSg Buloh Green Lane - http://mygardendirectory.blogspot.com/p/selangor-green-lane.html
NHY - http://mygardendirectory.blogspot.com/2010/08/nhy-nursery.html
Kelopak Emas - http://mygardendirectory.blogspot.com/2010/09/kelopak-emas-sdn-bhd.html
Thank u. After viewing more photos, think not suitable for balcony. Will try to find your blog to post balcony site for your ideas. Looking for flowery all year round plant to grow on post on balcony
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