Let See What I Have In My Garden
Bunga Bakawali in Bahasa Malaysia, but what is it called in English?
I tried many time searching and surfing for the name of the flower but with no avail. Maybe someone out there would come here one day with the name as this is what I’m hoping for.
A very lovely species, each flower only blooms once and starts blooming at late hours which is around 11 pm. It opens up almost as big as a plate and is white in color with sweet fragrance smell. This flower does not last; it drooped immediately the next morning as the sun rise.
Brought home and planted by my mother during her younger years. Mother really loved the flower. I remember sitting with her at the verandah one late night waiting for the flower to bloom at midnight. I could not make it though; I was already fast asleep when the flower bloomed. I saw the bloom only from the picture mother took but of course it was in black and white.
Much, much later after that, I started my own flower garden. Like my mother, I too love this flower. I planted it in a large clay pot and placed it beside the staircase at the front. Why there? So it would be easy for me to peep through the window without going out at late hours just to see it bloom. Can’t help imagining seeing something else…. ehh, scary!!
Again later, I saw the flowers sold in the market. When I asked what it is for, the Chinese lady being the vendor said it is for cooking; normally they make soup out of it. I did try making soup with the flower; it turned starchy and ****!!!, I just couldn’t take it. But maybe next time I’ll consider cooking it with cream corn and crab flesh just like the “soup jagung manis” recipe.
Then, as I moved here, I replant it in a smaller plastic pot and these are the first two flowers it has since. These photos were taken during sunset… I regret for not able to supply fully bloom photos because there is no way would I want to take photos of it at midnight. I’m so sorry.
6:43 PM | My Home |
cindy jane says:
Ehhhhh we used to have Bunga Bakawali back home in Mostyn too! I remember sitting outside with the whole family just to watch it bloom. Bestnya tengok!!!!
Anyway, I have no idea what it’s called in English too.
..and I wonder what happened to our Bakawali at home. Dah mati kot.
. 
Mati kah or maybe mum sudah masak soup sama pokoknya sekali..
July 31st, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Nessa says:
Eh, this is my late mom’s favorite flower la. She rajin wait for the flower to bloom at midnight. I once waited with her and it was such a beautiful sight and the smell was reali nice
I did some research, well, sia pi Google seja la. The English name is Dutchman’s Pipe and its scientific name is Epiphyllum oxypetalum (ya bah, berbelit lidah sia mo sebut). It’s a species of cactus. It also has another name ~ Night blooming Cereus.
Sia rasa macam mo tanam seja ni bunga cos it reminds me of my mom
Hopefully I can find it here in KL.
I also remember she made soup with this flower, she took the kelopak only. If I’m not mistaken, she mixed it with chicken. OK juga la taste dia.
Sorry about your mum…, and if you really want to plant just let me know your postal address ya, i can send you the cutting through courrier, anytime… Really it looks like a smoking pipe kan. Thank you Nessa, susah2 aje!!
August 4th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
shirley says:
bunga Bakawali…some call it Bunga Raja… i remember my mum..she use to grow this flower… it will bloom at night and smell so nice .. we ever cooked it with egg… nice taste…
Ppl here also said it bunga raja.. you made soup with egg kah? I’ll try next time..
August 4th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
john says:
I would like to have that flower..would u b kind enough 2 share some cutting..or how/where do I begin, tq.
I’ll send the cutting to the nearest bus stop ah! Can plant either the leave or the stem
August 5th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
kaDusMama says:
Erk..i never seen any bakawali in my whole life..punya lah bikin kesian me!
Mesti mau tengok, itu makanan hubby tu.. my Chinese friend said so, itu Chinese food..
August 5th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
flodawn says:
Oo i never see this flower too. But from all the description mcm I oso wanna smell its frangrance oo hmmm…
Smell dia macam “Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam”, ndak takut kah?HEHEheheeee!!!
August 5th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Shemah says:
I’m like kadusmama too.. never seen this flower in my whole life. Not that I’ve lived THAT long pun.. hehehe.. not frangipani kah?? hahaha.. main hentam saja..
Not all in my family has seen this either. There are 7 of us, but i’m the only 1 who plant this flower. Hehehe.. frangipani is cempaka cina. This one call Dutchman Pipe, Mumbling (Nessa) got the name for me…
August 12th, 2008 at 1:22 am
mariam kassim says:
aslmk semua akak ada tana Bunga Bakwali ini. Memang cantik sekali. Around 8.00 p.m dia start blooming sikit2 dan midnight full bloom. cantik sekali. Baru2 ni, dia bloom 6 kuntum but, sayangnya lepas subuh dia dah mula layu, tak dapat tunjuk kat kawan2. Tanamnya pun senang, just keratan daun atau btgnya sahaja. Lebih kurang macam pokok setawar saja.
Wlkmslm Cik Mariam! Terima kasih kerana berkunjung ke blog akak. Terima kasih juga kerana meninggalkan panduan untuk pengunjung2 akak yang lain.
November 9th, 2008 at 6:04 pm