I was told this is Brahmakamal (Saussurea obvallata) – a rare flowering plant, found in the Himalayas.
Night Blooming Cereus
Photographer: My camera phone
So yesterday night we had gathered around the white magnificent flower and enjoyed its full bloom and its heady fragrance for few hours.
We are supposed to get rich!!
We are supposed to have a shower of blessings!!
To find out all the myths and lores I went to surf the net and found that it is not Brahmakamal but Queen of the Night – cactus – Night Blooming Cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum). In Maharashtra at least there is misconception about this plant being Brahmakamal.
But it is not that rare plant and flowers once a year(?) unlike Brahmakamal which is said to flower once in 14 years!
Looks are indeed deceptive here!
Does this flower belongs to waterlily family? No, not.
The inmates inside the flower’s own design cave kingdom!
The small plant in a pot
Now after busting the myth of Brahmakamal the million dollor question is: Am I still going to be rich?
But I did feel blessed by its serene white beauty!
(If you want to know more about flowers of India I strongly recommend this site.)
I had 5 Brahma Kamal flowers blooming yesterday in my house and it was magnificent to watch them and felt blessed.
It’s been 5 years now each year i see these flowers blooming.
Oh Feel Blessed! Yesterday 26/6/2011 Brahma Kamal bloomed in our house. We have captured the minute moments while the flower was blooming. We have seen this flower for the first time. Do not know any myth about it, but yes if any are going to experience it.
But surely can say it was a wonderful experience nature is toooooooooo beautiful.
I also experience it first time yesterday at my father-in-laws house at Khar, Mumbai.. I think it blooms at the same day. Its truly nature’s magic.
Thanks
Sushil
thanks for the info. well, people around my area are all excited about this flower being “brahmakamal”. It just bloomed in my house about 2 hours ago. Looks so pretty. Sad to know its not what we all thought it to be. But anyway… i’m still in love with it! 🙂
The photographs are of Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Brahma Kamal ) belonging to Family Cactaceae.
Botanical name of Brahma Kamal is Epiphyllum oxypetalum belongs to Family Cactaceae . It start blooming at about 8 p.m. at night and closes just before sunrise . I have got it in my garden. Flowering takes place in Rainy season from July to September.I have some photographs of the plant bearing flowers at the margin of large serrated leaves
The plant can be propagated easily by stem or leaf cutting. Adventitious roots from leaf margins or stem cuttings help in establishing plantlets.
This does not appear to be Brhma Kamal, which grows at high altitude only. its leaves are paper thin with greenish yellow hue. you may like to check some images in Wikipedia.
i am from UP. i have brahmakamal at my home from last 10 years.
we have this saying that it grows in only those homes where Lord Brahma resides.
Tonight, 15/12/2010 at 10.30 pm we witness this Epiphylum oxypetalum flowering. Magnificent view! Rajendra Shinde
At present we are having nine buds of brahmkamal,it may bloom with in 2 or 3 days .we are feeling good and prosperity since2009, when it started bloomung in our house.
Meerut, U.P
19th. Nov.2010
Thanks for valuable information,I am form Maharashtra as we also called it ‘BRHAMAKAMAL’but now it is Epiphyllum oxypetalum conformed from enternet.