Country: National Flower
By vingyan06
@vingyan06 (2486)
Malaysia
August 21, 2009 1:36pm CST
I have a discussion yesterday about the Independence day in your country. And now I want to have another discussion too related about nationalism, patriotism, and loving for your country. National flower is a official symbol of a country.
Bunga Raya, or it is called hibiscus in English, is the national flower of my country. This five petaled flower is found in abundance throughout the country, and for this very reason, was chosen to be the national flower (in 1960) by Malaysia's first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. It comes any many colors like red, pink, yellow and white. The red hibiscus is the common color. I know not much about the flower though, hence you can share more about it here. And I do wish to know more about the national flower of your country! Thank you in advance,
1 person likes this
6 responses
@Archie0 (5636)
•
21 Aug 09
My country's national flower is Lotus.And we chose this flower as our national flower because, the long time ago when many other people from certain country thought my country was low standard,but we always wanted to show everyone that a country about whom every person from outside thinks is bad, then let us tell them that a lotus which is born in a mud pool is the most beautiful flower than every other flower that blooms in the best gardens.What it takes is just the sight of the lover and not the mind of a cruel.
@suparnodatta (362)
• India
21 Aug 09
I am from india too.Our national flower is lotus(as already mentioned by Archie0).Its a extremely beautiful flower,basically a aquatic plant with bright floating leaves and bright aromatic flowers which grow only in shallow water.It symbolizes divinity fertility,wealth and knowledge.Its also regarded as a symbol of triumph,as it can survive for thousands of year.
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@vingyan06 (2486)
• Malaysia
22 Aug 09
Hello my friends from India, glad to hear from you. I like lotus. We can easily found lotus here. In fact, lotus plant is so useful. We use the lotus seed to cook soup as a dessert. It is served in sweet taste. We also use the lotus root to cook soup with meat. Archie0, I don't think India is what you called the low standard country. i wish I have the chance to travel to India one day. There are many of my friends here are Indian too. They are friendly and I get to know a little tradition of Indian from them. I think they are from India too.
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
22 Aug 09
The red hibiscus is a very common flower here in India too and is widely used in religious ceremonies specially for the goddess Kali. Her worship is incomplete without the red hibiscus.
At home too, we have these hardy shrubs flowering profusely in different colours. They do not have any smell but as you said, comes in different colours and shapes too.
India’s national flower is the lotus though its difficult to spot the lotus in the cities. It grows on water bodies and we all know how scares ponds and other water bodies are in the cities. In the countryside though, one can see lots of lotues blooming in ponds and canals.
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@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
24 Aug 09
No, we have not tried the soup version but we do have lotus stems curry and also fry them...they do indeed taste delicious!
@vingyan06 (2486)
• Malaysia
1 Sep 09
Hello Sudip,
Thanks for the reply again. Maybe you can try the soup version 1 day. It is very simple. Just boil the lotus stem with some meat. Yeah, we do fry the lotus stem. But we never do it with curry.
Indian like to eat curry? There are many Indian that I know is very good in cooking curry. Thanks for sharing the national flower in your country.
@vingyan06 (2486)
• Malaysia
23 Aug 09
Hello Sudip, thank you for your time here. It is glad to hear that you know hibiscus plant and you can easily found it in your country. As for your national flower, it is a beautiful lotus. I like lotus, sometimes I can see lotus in the pond near the parks. I like to eat lotus root, it can be made delicious soup! Have you try this before?
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
22 Aug 09
I am from Philippines, and our national flower is called Sampaguita. It's a small flower with white color. It closes at daytime and opens at night. It is also very fragrant and I just learned that it belongs to the jasmine family.
Some Filipino vendors actually sell Sampaguita made into leis and churchgoers usually offer those flowers to the statue of Mother Mary and the Saints.
1 person likes this
@vingyan06 (2486)
• Malaysia
23 Aug 09
Hello my friend from Philippines. I never heard of this flower before. It is so special than other flower, close at daytime and open at night! 
. I might want to goggle search and see how is this flower look like. I like flowers that has nice smells. , thanks for sharing!
. I might want to goggle search and see how is this flower look like. I like flowers that has nice smells. , thanks for sharing!
@hsofyan (3446)
• Jakarta, Indonesia
21 Aug 09
I lived in Indonesia and also celebrates independence day (August 17).
There are 3 interest as defined national interest, namely:
1. Bunga Melati (Jasminum sambac) as the flower of the nation symbol.
2. Bunga Anggrek Bulan (Phalaenopsis amabilis) as the flower of enchantment symbol.
3. Bunga Padma Raksasa (Rafflesia arnoldii) as the flower of a rare symbol.
@kl_blueknight (381)
• Malaysia
21 Aug 09
Did you know you can suck nectar from Hibiscus flower? My mother taught me this trick and now I am teaching it to my kids. Just pull the flower part from the green bottom part of the flower and suck the detched flower bottom. You will get a drop or two of sweet nectar.
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@vingyan06 (2486)
• Malaysia
22 Aug 09
Hello Kl_blueknight, thank you for dropping by my discussion. I never know that we can suck nectar from flowers or hibiscus. I think this can only be done by bees, LOL. I have planted some hibiscus in front of my house. I will try out what you share here. I wish I can get few drops of sweet nectar like the bee. Thanks for that useful information.
@corrycrystal (1775)
• Malaysia
22 Aug 09
I read somewhere that the hibiscus was selected from the other seven flowers because of the five petals, which symbolize the Rukun Negara (National Principles). There are many colors, but red hibiscus becomes the national flower because it means courage.
1 person likes this
@vingyan06 (2486)
• Malaysia
9 Sep 09
Hello Corrycrystal,
I never know of our National flower which is symbolize the Rukun Negara. Thanks for sharing this information with me! And now I know of it! Thanks again.
Do share more of your thought in my other discussion!
