Star : Hibiscus - Malaysia's national pride
Uncle Yap
28 February 2005
Hibiscus - Malaysia's national pride
By MICHELE LIAN
The hibiscus might not have the sensual allure and glamour of the
rose, or the mood-lifting appearance of the sunflower, but what it
lacks, it makes up for as a symbol of our forefathers’ bravery and
Malaysia’s independence.
Which is why the Government is all set to have it revived in the Bunga
Raya Semarak Negara campaign beginning this Thursday.
It is a lack of attention to the hibiscus which has caused it to lose
out to other blooms such as carnations, roses and orchids in the
popularity stake, laments Datuk Ismail Ngah, director-general of the
National Landscape Department which will execute the campaign.
“It is our national flower, a symbol of our strength and independence
yet it is not obvious in our physical environment.
“We definitely feel the need to ‘glorify’ it once more, especially
among schoolchildren.”
The hibiscus is easy to maintain and wonderfully adaptive, says
Ibrahim Ahmad, senior park superintendent of the Hibiscus Garden in
Kuala Lumpur.
Schools are where it will begin, says Ismail of the drive.
The aim of the campaign is simple: to make the flower more visible.
“We feel that most children are aware of what a hibiscus flower looks
like, but they have not seen a real one.
“What we will do is get schools to grow more hibiscus plants in their
compounds so the children can see them. It will cost the schools
nothing because we can supply the plants,” explains Ismail.
Apart from schools, they will rope in local councils, research and
non-governmental agencies, and private companies to help promote the
flower.
“We will direct local councils to incorporate the hibiscus into their
landscaping schemes in public areas, and get organisations such as the
Malaysian Nature Society and agencies like the Malaysian Agricultural
Research and Development Institute (Mardi) to carry out more research
on the plant.
“Every part of the plant, from the stem to the leaves and flowers, has
a functional role or medicinal value,” says Ismail.
The flowers have juices that can be used as a dye and shoe polish; the
seeds of Hibiscus abelmoschus have been used in India as a tonic; the
bark of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Hibiscus cannabinus can be used as
fibre to make ropes; and the roots of the Hibiscus tiliaceus have been
taken to relieve fever by the locals in Malaysia. In Java, Indonesia,
the leaves are boiled with sugar and taken as a remedy for coughs and
bronchitis.
Ismail says efforts will be made to encourage housing developers to
include the hibiscus in their landscaping.
While the campaign is still in its planning stages and a budget has
not been set, Ismail is optimistic that it will make the hibiscus more
visible around the country.
“We should be able to see the results of the campaign in a year’s
time,” he says.
The March 3 launch will coincide with the National Tree Planting Day
and National Landscape Day, both of which were conceived by former
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in1997 and 1998 respectively.
Our national flower, the Hibiscus rosa sinesis, is the most commonly
found species of hibiscus in Malaysia.
“This year, we will still celebrate National Landscape Day, but we
will focus on the hibiscus instead of tree planting.”
The event will also include the unveiling of a new hibiscus hybrid
whose identity will remain a mystery until the big day.
“In the past, after Merdeka, almost everything we did was related to
the hibiscus: the National Principles (the flower’s five petals
represent each of the five principles); our 10 ringgit currency note,
our crests, flags and badges, even our roads and buildings were named
after the flower.
“We want to bring back the glory days of the hibiscus by promoting it
among Malaysians because it is a shame that other flowers such as the
bougainvillea and orchid are more prominent than our national flower.”
The hibiscus or bunga raya as it is commonly known, was one of seven
flowers considered for the status of national flower, says Ismail.
The others were the bunga kenanga, melur, tanjung, teratai, mawar and
cempaka.
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis – the most commonly found species of hibiscus
in Malaysia – was declared our national flower in 1960. It was chosen
because of its big, red flower – characteristics that were thought to
symbolise bravery and strength.
Malaysians, it seems, favour flowering plants that bloom abundantly.
“The bougainvillea flowers profusely, has a colourful impact, and is
easier to maintain,” Ismail admits, but adds that the hibiscus has its
own merits.
The shrubs flower all year round and thrive in our sunny climate.
“It is so easy to maintain and wonderfully adaptive,” says Ibrahim
Ahmad, senior park superintendent of the Taman Bunga Raya (Hibiscus
Garden) at the Lake Gardens in Kuala Lumpur.
“They can grow in many types of soil.”
The hibiscus needs at least six hours of sunlight daily – preferably
in the morning – to grow optimally. The afternoon sun is fine too
because it can tolerate the heat.
Though the hibiscus is hardy, it is sensitive to smoke and pollution,
which is why it is seldom planted in the city.
“The flowers last a day. It blooms in the morning and fades in the
evening but because there are so many buds, it appears to flower
continuously,” says Ibrahim.
When in full bloom, the hibiscus flower – one of the world’s largest –
is visually arresting. It is also known as the “Queen of Tropical
Flowers” because of its size.
The plant, which is a member of the cotton family, is said to have
originated from China. It comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and
colours, and comprises at least 197 different species and countless
numbers of hybrids worldwide, says Ibrahim.
Datuk Ismail Ngah, director-general of the National Landscape
Department
Growing it is simple.
“The easiest way to grow the hibiscus is to cut off part of the stem
and plant it,” says Ismail.
Another way is to bud-graft, which involves taking the bud (on the
stem) of one plant, and wedge grafting it onto the stem of another by
carving V-shaped incisions on both, and securing them together with a
string.
“Bud grafting is usually performed to produce flowers of different
colours on a single plant,” explains Ibrahim.
Diseases of the plant are not rampant here, he says, but the hibiscus
is prone to attacks by insects such as ladybugs, grasshoppers, beetles
and caterpillars.
“We spray the plants with insecticide every two weeks.”
The signs of an unhealthy hibiscus plant are easy to pick up: white or
black spots, and pale or yellow and wilted leaves are signs of mineral
deficiency or a lack of water.
It is high time the hibiscus regained its prominence, says Ibrahim.
“It has not been getting the attention it deserves.”
The National Landscape Department can be reached at 03-40452416, and
the Hibiscus Garden at 03-26176000.