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Monday, April 20, 2009

Red Hibiscus : Bunga Raya



The red Hibiscus flower is the national flower of Malaysia. The country I lived for more than ten years. They call it the Bunga Raya or Royal flower. This photo, I just spotted at one of the houses I walked past today. It happened to be the red hibiscus, but the photo doesn't do it justice.

I have  a big  pinkish bush outside my daughter's window. This flower is much bigger than the Bunga Raya.

Just last week, I was at a fruit and vegetable shop. At the check out counter was a couple of bottles with red liquid. As usual, I am very curious and saw that it is a Hibiscus drink. I did not know that you can have a drink made of hibiscus flower.

I asked the woman at the check out counter, "Is it nice?" 

She replied," People buy them."

I bought a bottle for two reasons. One to blog and two, for Sam to recycle the glass bottle. For some reason, Sam doesn't like to drink water from a plastic bottle.

According to the bottle, it is a fresh cooling drink made from the exotic Hibiscus flower. Popular for centuries, it became part of folklore and folk medicine in the Caribean, Egypt, and Asia.

Today the ruby red pigment of the Hibiscus flower is stimulating scientific inquiry into its many possible heath benefits and antioxidant properties.

I haven't drank my bottle because I have it in my fridge and my doctor tells me not to drink cold fluid when I have a flu.

Perhaps we should all go out and plant more Bunya Rayas. No wonder it is called the Royal flower.

Besides it is an exotic name to give your daughter. Actually I made it up when I wrote that short story. May be you may like a good laugh. http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2008/11/romantic-island-wedding-in-fiji.html.

1 comment:

Bitsa Lit said...

it sounds yummy! I dont think I could ever get it here though :( I have always loved those flowers, so beautiful!