Scented Gardens

New Straits Times, May 22, 2010 | by Elaine Yim

ELAINE YIM introduces the kesidang for a scented garden.
I’VE written about plants that are versatile and easy to care for such as bunga kantan and hibiscus which have culinary, medicinal, decorative as well as ornamental uses.
Next was the kitchen garden where I showed you how to grow pandan, lemongrass and okra.
Now, you already have a garden where you can harvest herbs and spices for cooking, taste some nutritious, organic food and at the same time enjoy beautiful views among cool, refreshing surroundings. You can do all this while contributing towards a greener Earth.
Today, we are going a little bit further. How about a scented garden?
My article is about a timeless beauty that is native to our region and also the state flower of Malacca. This plant is easy to grow and manage. When we grow a hardy plant like the kesidang, we introduce a marvellous natural perfume into our garden.

Kesidang
The kesidang flower is a symbol of the grace, charm, respect and honour of traditional Malay culture. It was a popular flower a long time ago but a rarity now.
Kesidang was documented by G.E. Rumphius (1627-1702) in his works on Herbarium Amboinense, a catalogue of the flora in the Indonesian Archipelago during the 17th Century.
In old-day Malacca, Malay women, Peranakan nyonya and chitty women liked to wear kesidang flowers in their sanggul (bun) and used them in bridal rituals and wedding ceremonies. The plants were commonly grown at stately homes, temples and churches. The flowers were used to decorate the venues at state ceremonies and official events characterised by pomp and pageantry.
Even though the kesidang flowers are tiny, they have a lingering fragrance that mesmerises. Like the flower, the state of Malacca, with its multi-ethnic background, is rich in history and tradition. Hence, it was selected as the official state flower.

Kesidang is grown for its fragrant flowers. The clusters of creamy white flowers have the colour and smell of rice crusts, hence its other name, kerak nasi. It carries the scent of pandan leaves or freshly cooked fragrant rice (beras wangi) due to the aromatic compound, two-acetyl-one-pyrroline.
Kesidang is a popular plant in many botanical gardens of Southeast Asia. It is slowly gaining popularity again in home gardens. Many modern garden designers use them in landscaping. So why not try growing the kesidang at home?
If you have not seen or heard about the kesidang, you may wish to sample one. There is a huge kesidang plant growing over an elegant pergola walkway at the Hibiscus Garden, Kuala Lumpur. Go there in the morning to bask in its glory and to smell the sweet aroma of freshly cooked nasi lemak. There is another smaller kesidang plant at The Secret Garden of 1Utama. Kesidang is mentioned in two local novels, Warna Hati and Kasih Yang Suci by Meen Zulaikha.
Plant Profile
Scientific name: Vallaris glabra
Common names: Kesidang
Kesidang is also known as kerak nasi in the northern states, Tikar Seladang or tikam seladang in the east coast and sikudangan in Johor. In the west it’s called bread flowers, in Pakistan, it is soniya or buttercup vine and in Singapore, it is sometimes called pandan vine.
Family: Apocynaceae
Native of: Java, Indonesia
Category: Perennial Vines and Climbers

How to grow
You can buy the seedlings from local nurseries, Sunday market or pasar tani. It costs about RM10, depending on the maturity of the seedling. Grow in full sun to partial shade. Water regularly but do not over water. It is easy to care for and it can tolerate a wide range of conditions.
Kesidang is a woody climber, therefore it needs some kind of support whether it is grown on the ground or in a container. When grown on the ground, let it climb and cascade down a pergola, trellis or fencing. When trained on a gazebo, it fills up the space beautifully to provide some shade and a scenic view of the garden.
The plant can reach a height of 1.8 to 3m. You can also grow it as an ornamental plant in a container where it can be trimmed down to a compact bush. It grows fast but does not flower well in pots. Like in the old days, kesidang is best grown near a balcony, in the patio or beside a window.
When you open the window in the morning, a fresh and light floral fragrance fills your room and lingers in the air. On a pergola, it branches out like an umbrella, so put a bench or swing underneath where you can sit down and enjoy its sweet, aromatic scent.
When does it flower?
Flowering occurs intermittently, sometimes as many as eight times a year. It blooms in attractive clusters of 10-20 flowers each. The flowers are cup-like, creamy white and have a diameter of one to 1.5cm.
The pretty blooms look like splendid little stars when photographed. They open in the morning and gives off a sweet aromatic fragrance which become more pronounced in the evenings. It is usually during the hours of sunrise and sunset that we get to enjoy its signature scent. The flowers attract bees, butterflies and birds. Each flower lasts only a day but they are replaced by new blooms in the cluster.
Leaves
The leaves have an elliptical shape and are light green in colour. They are between seven to nine cm long and four to six cm in diameter. Veins are clearly defined.
Stems
The stems are woody and light brown in colour.
Caution: Be careful when plucking the flowers, leaves or stems, as it oozes out a white watery sap that sticks to the hands and is difficult to wash off with soap and water.
Propagation
There are two methods of propagation:
1. Marcoting or air-layering
This method is usually done by plant breeders or experienced gardeners
2. Ground layering
Anchor a portion of the stem to the ground with a brick or stone. Roots and shoots will grow to develop into a new plant.
Uses of kesidang flowers
It’s popular as bunga rampai for wedding rituals and aromatherapy.
It’s an ingredient in the making of bunga rampai. The other ingredients used are fresh rose petals, thinly sliced pandan leaves, fresh cempaka petals, jasmine and plumeria flowers. All these are mixed together in a bowl and a few drops of aromatic jasmine oil is added.
Bunga rampai is used at Malay weddings. At nyonya weddings, bunga rampai is sprinkled on the marital bed to encourage romance on the first night. Alternatively, you can also put the ingredients inside a potpourri bag and hang it in the room or car as an air freshener.
Put some kesidang flowers in a mini container or basket and place it on your work desk. The long lasting scent is very therapeutic and helps to relieve stress. A natural perfume is always better than synthetic ones.
In the old days, it was popular as hair accessory. It was used to adorn the sanggul. And on a tepak sireh, kesidang flowers are used as decoration.
When it comes to ornamental and landscaping purposes, it is used to decorate gazebos, pergolas and trellises. When space is limited, it can also be grown on a container.
Tips
Native plants are those that grow naturally in an area or region before humans introduce plants from distant places. They grow vigorously, are hardy and require less watering and fertilising. They also require less care and attention, giving you more free time for other pleasure pursuits. You save costs in the long run and reduce on the usage of noxious and toxic insecticides.
Bees, wasps, butterflies, birds, bats, spiders and frogs are beneficial visitors to the garden. Bees, wasps and butterflies help to pollinate the flowers while spiders and frogs are natural pest predators. Birds and bats are pollinators as well as pest predators.
Certain plants are drought tolerant while others need more watering. Plan your watering regime accordingly in order to conserve water. You need not water on rainy days. Over-watering can kill.
* mynicegardenblog@gmail.com

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