Patchouli: From the Sunshine to the Shade

...Climate Change, Shrinking Habitat
Then: It is known that some mothers’ mothers planted Patchouli saplings in the sunshine near their laterite wells to draw water from for their growing plants. Patchouli plants grow better with regular watering when the laterite soil around them is moist; not caking and dry.
 
When the winds of the North East monsoon blew bringing the rains with them, the plants would give forth their white blossoms competing in brilliance with the soft, off-white mundu and neriyathu drapes worn by these grandmothers.

Patchouli was extensively grown in several regions of the Western ghats in area receiving good sunlight. In the Malayalam language, Patchouli is known as ‘patcha ella’; in Tamil as ‘patcha ellai’ which translates to ‘green leaves’ in English. Patchouli derives its name from these two languages.

Now: These days it is difficult to grow Patchouli in direct sunlight. The leaves get scorched and the plants just dry up and have to be discarded.

Growing patchouli under the shade of trees helps. Some plants start to flower when the winds of the North East monsoon blow.

Patchouli planted in the shade in Thiruvananthapuram flowering

An observation: Young kittens without a mother to care for them and having a startled-response to stimuli, preferring to to hide behind tall ferns.......

.......after a few months seem more relaxed when they spend time under flowering patchouli.

One of the kittens- seven months old

Waiting for the Monarch butterfly.....blossoms of Calotropis gigantea

 ...in the October rains, North East Monsoon.

It takes about fifteen months after planting saplings of the shrub Calotropis gigantea to flower. Calotropis gigantea is commonly known as 'Arakku' in the Malayalam language and 'Madar' in Hindi. 

Planted the saplings in a place with direct sunlight. Saplings did not need much watering. Found that plants could be watered once in three days even with day temperatures high as 29 degrees celsius. Possible that humidity in the environment helps.

Observed that visitors like butterflies and bees hover and linger for quite some over the flowers.

Flower Buds of Calotropis gigantea

Waiting for the Monarch butterfly ...blossoms of Calotropis gigantea

Blossoms in the October rains, North East Monsoons

Calotropis gigantea shrubs growing in a sunny area in the laterite soil