Hibiscus Flower : Hibiscus court rosa-sinensis

[Cecil Lee]

This informative signage is placed amongst a bed of hibiscus at the newly TOP Livia condo at Pasir Ris Grove, Singapore
Hibiscus Court

Family Name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis member of the Malvaceae family

Common Name: In Singapore it is often called the bunga raya or "flower of celebration"

This plant with several hundred species is believed to have an Asian origin, hence the name rosa-sinesis which means "Rose of China". More details can be found when we look at the Greek word for Hibiscus, which means "Mallow" and therefore links the name directly to the Malvaceae family.

Hibiscus Tiliaceus or also called Sea Hibiscus is commonly found in Singapore.

All over the world, Hibiscus is available as tea. It helps clear up nose congestions and prompts proper kidney functions as well as reducing fevers. In Malaysia it was used to help cure epidemics and all other kind of diseases.

Whereas in China, Hibiscus was particulary used because of the juice you get from petals and flowers which make a popular dye for hair and eyebrows. This was then believed to be passed to the Arabs and the Portugese.

In Jamaica they use to polish their shoes with the large petals, this is why Hibiscus sometimes is reffred as the Shoe Flower. The bright and colourful flowers are worn by women in the Pacific Islands to show their status of being singple.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is found in abundance throughout the country, and for this very reason, was chosen to be the national flower (in 1960) by Malaysia's first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman