Flora in Malaysia

Since the climate in Malaysia is tropical, many of the endemic plants here are what I am used to as house plants in California. And since it is a rainforest there are many vines, epiphytes, and bromeliads growing high in the trees. The bromeliads often have a whole ecosystem inside of them (note the crab inside one of the leaves in the photo below).

The vines are often the rattan plant that is used to make furniture. It is hard to believe all the spiky bits that need to be removed.

The national flower is the hibiscus which grows wild here. And the lotus flower is highly revered in Hindu and Buddhist cultures.

Many of the endemic plants are edible, for example, the butterfly pea flower (used to color drinks and rice), durian (grown on trees), and many spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and the curry and laksa leaves used in Malaysian cooking. As for nutmeg, the fruit is eaten and made into dried fruit or nutmeg juice and the seed is, of course, used as a spice. Malaysia was part of the Spice Islands as far back as the 16th century.

Butterfly pea flower Nutmeg fruit Cinnamon tree Durian tree

The other astonishing plants to see in the wild are the carnivorous plant called "monkey cups" and many types of wild orchids.

Other flowers include respectively Ying Ying which is used as the scent for Chanel No. 5 perfume, the stunning white bat flower and many begonias (growing wild in the forest).

There are many types of gingers including this soap ginger which can be lathered into a shampoo!

The ferns are incredible with many species. Bianca, I need your help to ID these!

The trees here are also amazing.

Here is one that shows where the "camouflage" design comes from with all of its lichens.

Here is a tree with a beautiful turquoise flower known as Strongylodon macrobotrys. I've never seen such a color in nature before!

There are many types of palm trees. Here is a red palm and a fan palm that got eaten by an insect resulting in a 'snowflake'-like cutout. Other palms include the Betel Nut tree for which Penang is named,, the red palm, and the traveler's palm which faces North and South and contains freshwater good for guiding travelers.

There are some enormous old-growth trees here as well known as chengal and menara trees that can be a thousand years old.

Here is a weird parasitic plant that looks like a coral called: Balanophora papuana.

Of course, the most famous flower in Malaysia is Rafflesia, or the corpse flower which is the largest in the world (up to 6 feet in diameter) and has a rotting stench. I hope to see it next summer while visiting Borneo.

Stock photo for now and hope to replace it with my own soon!