Herbs Plants » Flowers

Flowers of Kerala –India
Kerala’s climate is so blessed that many types of flowers grow abundantly and naturally in the soil. Many flowers are so common and some are very rare. Some flowers are found on almost all household, while some are found only in specific locations of forests. There are different types of orchids that can’t be found elsewhere outside the silent valley forest of Kerala.

Different climates support different types of plants and flowers. Almost all types of flowers in south India are found in Kerala too. Trekkers identify new variety of orchids from the forests of Kerala. Flowers have a prominent place in the pooja rooms (prayer rooms) of Kerala, temples and churches. The most common types of flowers are china rose (hibiscus), rose, orchids and a wide variety of wild flowers.

Many of the flowers are of interest to Ayurveda practitioners because of their medicinal properties. The most common hibiscus flowers form a part of natural herbal shampoo that cleans the heads and hair of village women. Some flowers are poisonous too. Such flowers usually have a repelling smell too.

The flowers of many plants go into the production of Ayurvedic medicines, along with leaves, seeds, fruits and roots.

Ambal (Nymphaea stellata) -Flowers of India
Ambal (Nymphaea stellata), also known as water lily or blue lotus is a common flowering water flower, as much popular as lotus in India.

According to Indian mystics, lotus is the better half of sun while water lily is of moon.

The aquatic plant has roots firmly on the bottom of a pond or river, while the leaves and flowers float above water-level. There are different varieties of water lilies found in Indian water bodies. The plant is also found as an ornamental plant in almost all over the world.

Aambal is the Malayalam word for the plant. Water lily is used in different Ayurvedic medicine preparations too. The rhizome is the main usable part. It is used in the treatment of diarrhea, certain skin diseases, piles, and diseases that affect urinary tract and kidney. The leaves and seeds of the plant are used in stomach upset.

Arali (Nerium indicum) –Flowers of India
Arali (Nerium indicum) is an ornamental plant known for its bright pink to red flowers. Though the flowers make great visual display, they are also highly poisonous.

The plants grow as big shrub, reaching a height of 3 m. The milky secretion from leaves and seeds has toxic effects. The plant is grown in almost all parts of Kerala India, except in frosty and desert conditions.

Propagation can be either through stem cuttings or seeds.

Arali, also common oleander or pink oleander has different medicinal properties too. It is used as a diuretic, expectorant and emetic. Nerium indicum belongs to the family apocynaceae.

Arutha (Ruta Graveolens) -Flowers of Kerala
Arutha (Ruta Graveolens) is an perennial shrub that grows to a height of about 4-5’. The plant bears bunches of yellow flowers with about one cm diameter. The fruits bear many seeds.

Use of arutha as a vegetable or for culinary purpose is almost completely absent in India. It is reported that arutha had culinary importance in such cultures like Greek.

Arutha (English name is Rue) is used in homeopathic and Ayurvedic medicines. It is a wild variety found in forest or semi forest areas.

The oil extracted from arutha plant is anti-spasmodic and anthelmintic. It is used in the treatment of epilepsy (hysteria) and amenorrhoea. Ruta graveolens belongs to the family Rutaceae.

Balipoovu (Aerva Lanata) Flowers of Kerala
Balipoovu (Aerva lanata) is a herbaceous plant that produces clusters of tiny white to pale red flowers.

The other names of balipoovu are cherula and cherpula. Balipoovu is also spelt balippoovu, balipoove, balippoove, bali poovu and other variations.

This herb is used in Ayurveda medicine. The main usable part is root.
The plant is often sites as the best cure for kidney stones.

There are different decoctions prepared from this plant, which are used in treating such serious diseases like gonorrhea, problems to kidney and bladder, diabetes, etc. Decoctions prepared from the root of this plant are also used in the treatment of different kinds of headaches. Aerva lanata belongs to the family amaranthaceae.

Chempakam –Flowers of India
Chempakam (Michelia champaca), also known as champac, is a flowering tree found in Kerala and almost all parts of India and South Asia.

Flowers of chempaka are used in the production of certain essential oils for aromatherapy.

This plant has different medicinal properties. They are stomachic, carminative, and are used in the treatment of nausea, fever, renal diseases, etc.

Mukkutti (Biophytum Sensitivum) -Flowers of Kerala
Mukkutti (Biophytum sensitivum) is a very small flowering plant, which has only a few pinnate leaves with 8-10 leaflets on either sides spreading out from a common base. Each leaflet measures 4-5 mm and the total length of the leaf is less than five cm. Each plant produces five to ten small flowers with yellow petals. Mukkutti is an important flower for the people of Kerala.

The flower is used in athapoo, special floral formation that adores courtyards and public places during Onam, the national festival of Kerala.

Ayurveda also see this little herb as a good medicine, used as a tonic, stimulant and in the treatment of stomachache, diabetes and asthma. Biophytum sensitivum belongs to the family Oxalidaceae.