Tags
B Khan, bracelets, celebratory occasions, Chamba, chambeli, compost, diminishes flowering capacity, drainage, early autumn, early spring, flavour cultivated in ground, fragrant shrub, garlands, highly resilient plants, jasmine, jasminium, mogra, motia, national flower, organic manure, Pakistan, perfume industry, plant roots cool, popular tea ingredient, single perfumed white flowers, traditional clay pots, Urdu, weddings, white flowered varieties, white yellow flowers, yellow flowered species
Found just about all over Pakistan, both in the wild and in cultivation, our national flower is truly a marvel, and tough cookie that it is, it is highly representative of our national spirit too!
Botanically known as jasminium, more commonly as jasmine and affectionately as chambeli in Urdu, this gorgeous, often fragrant shrub or spectacular climber comes in just about as many varieties as there are dialects in this hugely diverse country. With either white or yellow flowers, which can be single or double, large or small, these highly resilient plants have many uses too.
Top of the favourite list are the powerfully fragrant motia and mogra both of which are traditionally used in the perfume industry and are also woven into the garlands and bracelets so popular with women of all ages for weddings and other celebratory occasions, plus are merrily purchased from roadside vendors whenever an opportunity arises. Chamba, with its single, very perfumed, tiny white flowers is a popular tea ingredient which can also be used to flavour ice-creams, cold drinks and even salads.