Sampaguita Vendor

ByMaria

I took this picture when we went to Laguna, Philippines a few years back. This is a typical sight outside Catholic Churches in the country, vendors selling sampaguita leis. Parishioners likes to buy them as an offering to God or their favorite saints.
Sampaguita or Pikake in Hawaiian is made as leis for other occasions like graduations, birthdays, weddings and other special occasions. It is white in color and very fragrant. Most of the leis are almost always made with another fragrant flower called Ilang-ilang. The flower has five petals and are lime green in color. It has a very intoxicating smell that it is widely used in the perfume industry. Did you know that it is one of the secret ingredients in Chanel perfumes?
Anyways, back to the girl in the picture, what an honest way to earn a living, selling the most wonderfully fragrant flowers in the world.

Similar Posts

  • Lantana

    ByMaria

    On my way to church last Sunday I came across these little purple flowers called Lantana. The profusion of flower clusters really caught my attention. Lantana belongs to the verbena family of perennial plants. They are called honey plants because the bees like them so are the butterflies especially swallowtail butterflies. Even birds like them…

  • Orchids

    ByMaria

    Orchids have been amusing us with their unsurpassed beauty and assortment of colors depending on their variety and even today, I always get amazed by their tenacity to be the focus of attention of so many flower enthusiast and gardeners like me. I am not a collector but I admire their beauty so once in…

  • |

    Calendula

    ByMaria

    Calendula (Calendula Officinalis) belongs to the  daisy family often known as marigolds.  It is also well known as Pot Marigold because during the old days calendula are utilized like herbs in a pot of stew hence the name “pot marigold”.

  • Poinsettia

    ByMaria

    Poinsettia is well known as a Christmas plant maybe because it changes color during the Christmas Holidays or winter. This poinsettia was from last year’s Christmas and I just took care of it up to now and I noticed the leaves are changing color. I did not do anything special really. Basically watering it diligently…

  • Orchids/Cattleya

    ByMaria

    I bought this orchid from the Farmer’s Market for only five dollars. I just like the bright colors of the flowers. I like orchids because they are not really hard to care for. Just water them thoroughly when dry and leave them alone. They don’t like to be moved about so what you do is…