A Lovely Common Weed.

Growing up, I’ve seen a lot of these everywhere. I used to call it as “buntot ng pusa” (Filipino term for cat’s tail) then I learned that it is another plant that bears that name. This particular one is referred …

Aratilis: The Flower.

Here in the Philippines, my generation grew up enjoying the fruits of Muntingia calabura – locally known as Aratilis. Me, my siblings and our playmates would flock, almost everyday, our neighbor’s tree and picked those sweet fruits that seldom reached …

Doña Aurora.

Mussaenda philippica is of the Rubiaceae family. Also known to us Filipinos as Doña Aurora, named after the wife of former President Manuel L. Quezon. I read another’s blog that all the wives of the of our countries’ president have …

Sunflower On A Rainy Day.

My nephew planted this sunflower. He’s a bit disappointed when it bloomed and showed that it’s just small, consisting of single layer petals. There are over 60 varieties of sunflower around the world, and I guess he thought he excitedly …

Flowers From The Summer Capital.

Summer is almost over here on this side of the planet. And to cap off my summer flower series is this collection of flowers from Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines. While walking around I stumbled upon several wild …

Summer Flower #04: Spider Lily.

Spider Lily is one ordinary name for the many different species of plant that fall under the family Amaryllidaceae. This particular one is within the Lycoris genera, which is specifically named Lycoris sanguinea or the Orange Spider Lily. And obviously, …

Summer Flower #03: Gardenia.

Gardenia or Gardenia jasminoides is a shrub with greyish bark and dark green shiny leaves. They are known here in the Philippines as “Rosal”  with the white flowers the bloom during summer and are highly fragrant. Related articles Gardenia: Jaime …

Summer Flower #02: Dendrobium Pierardii.

Now also known as Dendrobium culcullatum, this orchid is best planted on a tree branch to make a waterfall of blooms. The petals seem to sparkle when the sunshine hit them and they have this fuzzy yellow lip.   Related …

The Lotus And The Bees.

What really caught my attention during my visit to the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand are these bees flocking these two lotus flowers that I passed by as I walked around the compound of the palace. They don’t seem to …

Pollen Nation.

Pollens wouldn’t be the same without those flying insects. They play a big role in the reproduction system of the flowers/plants, especially the bees. That’s why, I think, an insect definitely completes the picture a flower. Last week I signed …