Rare Fragrant Flowers

[M Farooq]

Does anyone have an experience with growing Artabotrys sp? It is called "Hara champa". I had purchased this plant from a local nursery in Karachi on the assumption that the flowers will be highly fragrant and the fragrance spreads in the lawn during the evening (flower picture attached). However, the tree has been blooming from years but literally the flowers have little or no fragrance, even the yellowish mature flowers have very little fragrance. If we search the internet, it is called the ylang ylang vine and noted for its strong and wafting fragrance. I was bit disappointed by this tree.

Secondly, I have been searching for "kewra"- Pandanus odoratissimus for years but none of the major nurseries have it. In fact most of them did not even know about this highly fragrant flower. We used to have this plant and the sweet fragrance could be enjoyed several feets away. A single bloom is enough. Does anyone know of an source of this plant? More details here: http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Pand_odo.html

Thanks.

[khabbab]

Welcome to the forum farooq. First, check this thread about hara champa http://www.gardeningpakistan.com/viewto ... ?f=16&t=41. Remember the vine form has more fragrant flowers than tree form. I hope you have vine form. Second, i spent quite a time on sniffing the flowers of this vine in lawrence gardens lahore. Very old specimen with lots of green and yellow flowers. The fragrance is felt only when there are lots of yellow flowers and fragrance is not as over powering like motia or marwa. This is my just experience. Some gardeners may feel otherwise.

kewda seeds you can find easily from international Palm seeds dealer on internet.

[M Farooq]

This is a tree form and most people would agree that the fragrance of Hara champa is not as strong as motia or Cestrum nocturnum. I have planted a dwarf variety of Cananga (again sold as highly fragrant), but its smell is quite mild as well. The petals when crushed become more fragrant.

Has anyone smelled Michelia? Is it strong or just a myth like Artabotrys sp?

With ordering seeds, I have bad experience. Someone had ordered seeds from USA for me but they never reached...although the seeds' company had sent it but the package vanished into thin air in Pakistan. Does our postal system allow seeds from foreign countries to be transported?

I am wondering the Pandanus we used to have never bore seeds. Are there different varieties of aromatic kewra?

[Muhammad Arif Khan]

Yes I had one. The flower was just like the one shown in above picture and mildly fragrant. It had grown 6 feet high when I threw it out. Last year I have planted its vine version, it hasnt yet flowered. I hope it earns its berth.

[UMAR KHAN]

First elcome to the forum mr Farooq.frankly speaking hara champa is what i,l call bakwas.replace it with jasmeen & gardenia family.tuberose & freesia are good fragrant bulbs.last but not the least fragrant roses a wonder in a garden.if u want a tree with few flowers but strong fragrance then go for mignolia grandiflora.

[M Farooq]

This means that Artabotrys fragrance is not that great. I thought that I had a different species with little fragrance but everyone seems to agree. The nursery man had sold praising it in such way that the tree is so fragrant that it is also called "naag champa". It took few years to bloom and no fragrance! There is another vine similar to Artabotrys but is quite expensive ~ Rs. 3000 in Shalimar nursery.

Thanks for suggesting Magnolia grandiflora but it is one of the slowest growing tree ever.

I am more interested in fragrant tropical trees like Mimusops elengi (Molsari), Nyctanthes etc. These tree are doing well and produce lots of flowers. Currently looking for Michelia champaca (the yellow one) and Cananga odorata (ylang ylang). If someone has experience with them, please share.

Thanks.

[khabbab]

Try Tabebuia, a tree from bignonia (tecoma) family with fragrant flower and very suitable to our climate. IMO magnolia champaca has less chances of survival than michelia figo. Although both are not ideal to lahore climate, not sure about karachi though. Molsari is good you should get it but it is very very huge tree.

There is another tree very fragrant flowers called tree gardenia. Botanic name is rothmannia globosa aka september bells from Rubiaceae family. If you can get its seed do grow it. And why not acacia trees!! they are native to our region as well. Try acacia mimosa/Acacia baileyana/sweet acacia. There is a shrub/tree Robinia from same family having very pretty fragrant flowers growing good in lahore.

The list is long but these are the ones coming to my mind right now.

[khabbab]

Tabernaemontana holstii is a fragrant species of chandni plants. The common in our region is divaricata aka crape jasmine. No source of seeds or cuttings so far. But Tabernaemontana coronaria, another fragrant species is available from chilten seeds UK.

[M Farooq]

Thanks for suggestions. We used have Tabernaemontana plants around the old house. I remember the fragrance was mild.

As a side note, I have had bad experience with ordering seeds from USA. Someone had gifted seeds but they never reached here. I felt the seeds were thrown away in somewhere by postal service. Are there any regulations regarding ordering seeds? Is any phytosanitary certificate required? I have attempted once again, but this time I requested the company (Banana Tree Inc. ) to register the seeds. Hope they reach this time.

Thanks.

[khabbab]

More than 100 seeds packets received during last 3 years from around 7 countries and never lost a packet. No regulation regarding small amount of seeds even 300 grams seeds are fine. No certificate required unless order is of plants/bulbs and very large.

Best of luck this time