Last updated on January 1, 2019
Jasminum sambac , a popular species in the genus Jasmine is the National Flower of Indonesia, where it is known as Melati.
It is used in Indonesia as a popular garnish. It symbolizes purity, eternal life, nobility, and the beauty of a girl. It is the most important flower in wedding ceremonies for ethnic Indonesians, especially on the island of Java.
The existence of the Jasmine flower is described comprehensively in the script called Siwaratrikalpa (old Javanese literature). It also stated that Jasmine is a good flower to worship Ciwa, the name native Javanese use for God. In Bali people plant this in the main temples or the family temples. In Borneo it is the custom among the women to roll up Jasmine blossoms in their well-oiled hair at night.
Jasmine is a very popular around the world, especially in tropics because of its unique fragrance. It is native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the old world.
Jasmine flowers are white in most species, with some species being yellow flowered. Jasmine is believed to have originated in the Himalayas in western China.
Photography by Albert Huwa