Marigold flower or Gada/Genda ful is a common garden flower in Bangladesh

Marigold flower or Gada/Genda ful in orange and yellow color

Tagetes erecta or African-American marigold or Boro Gada/Genda ful

Yellow color African marigold flower or Boro Gada/Genda ful

French marigold flower (Tagetes patula) or Kashmiri Gada/Genda ful

Bicolor French marigold flower or Kashmiri Gada/Genda ful

Red-yellow color sheds of a French marigold or Kashmiri Gada/Genda ful

Bud of a marigold flower or Gada/Genda ful

   Leaves of a marigold flower or Gada/Genda ful plant                                                     

Leaves of a marigold flower or Gada/Genda ful plant  

Tagetes erecta or African-American marigold or Boro Gada/Genda ful

Marigold flowers or Gada/Genda ful garlands

For celebrating spring season or Bosonto Utshob in Bangladesh; girls with marigold/Gada ful garlands

Month long celebration starts on the 1st Falgun or pohela Falgun with colorful dress in Bangladesh

In Gaye Holud or wedding shower yellow sharee and marigold or Gada ful garlands is a must

In Gaye Holud or wedding shower ceremony yellow color dress and marigold or Gada ful garlands is a must

Heap of marigold flowers or Gada/Genda ful garlands in a flower market 

Marigold flower is known as Gada or Genda ful in Bangladesh. Though marigold flower is native to Mexico but for centuries this flower has been cultivated in Bangladesh and has become naturalized here. The flowers are yellow, orange, red , light yellow or have bi color sheds and have pungent aroma. 

Marigold flower or Gada/Genda ful belongs to Asteraceae family and its genus is Tagetes.

Gada/Genda ful or marigold flower is also known as tagetes and is a genus that includes about 56 different species. Since the 1920s marigold breeding has developed hundreds of new varieties. In Bangladesh marigold flowers or Gada/Genda ful are seen in different colors, yellow and orange being the most common. White, red and multi colored tones of red yellow or orange are seen all over Bangladesh.

There are many varieties of marigold or Gada/Genda ful and some of them are common and available in Bangladesh. African-American marigold or Gada/Genda ful (Tagetes erecta) is known as Boro Gada/Genda in Bangladesh. The flowers are globe-shaped and large. These flowers are yellow, orange or light yellow in color. Plants can be 91-101 cm (36-40 inches) long in height. Another type of marigold or Gada/Genda ful – French marigold (Tagetes patula) is known as ‘’Kashmiri Gada/Genda’’ in Bangladesh. Plants can grow 12,5-20,5 cm(5 to 8 inches) high. Flowers colors are red, orange and yellow. Red and orange bi color patterns are also found. Flowers are smaller in size.

Now a days marigold or Gada/Genda ful plants grow all most all over the world. Today they are naturalized in the tropical and sub tropical countries. They are easy to grow and have a very long flowering season. They bloom from early summer until winter. In the garden, you will need to water only if the weather has been dry for two weeks. In fact, they need very little care.

Back to history, marigold or Gada/Genda ful is native to the Aztecs, now a day’s Mexico in North America. It is told that in the 1500’s native marigold flower or Gada/Genda ful seeds were taken from the Aztecs by early Spanish invader to Spain. After the Spanish invasion, the Aztecs considered the marigold flower or Gada/Genda ful as a living symbol of the Spanish massacre of their people, the red and the yellow blossoms representing the blood of Indians spilled on gold that the Spaniards had seized. The marigold flowers or Gada/Genda ful were cultivated in Spain and grown in monastery garden. From Spain marigold or Gada/genda seeds were transported to France and Northern Africa. But in Bangladesh and other areas of this region how marigold or Gada/Genda ful came and started to cultivate has different explanation. Some sources say that the Portuguese brought marigold or Gada/Genda ful from Brazil and exported it around the world, along with Bangladesh and the South Asian region in the 16^th century. Thus marigold flowers or Gada/Genda ful were introduced here. Marigold or Gada/Genda ful has become important in our everyday life. They are used in ceremonies, as offerings and for decoration all over this region.

In Bangladesh, marigold flowers or Gada/Genda ful have a vital roll in the folk – culture, like the marriage-ceremony, Bosonto Utshob(spring celebration). In the part of marriage ceremony in ‘’Gaye Holud’’ or ‘’wedding – shower’’ ceremony people can’t think without marigold flower or Gada/Genda ful. Yellow or orange colored sharee and marigold flowers or Gada/Genda ful garlands are the best combination for the girls and is a must. Even in the Bosonto Utshob or celebrating Spring season (according to bangla calendar spring season consists of bangla calendar month Falgun and Choitra) marigold flower or Gada/Genda ful is essential. From the 1^st Falgun people start to celebrate the month long festival by wearing yellow color dress and especially girls decorate themselves by  marigold flowers or Gada/Genda ful garlands.

Marigold or Gada/Genda ful plants have many uses as medicinal purposes.  Marigold or Gada/Genda ful plant is used to treat a number of skin diseases including eczema, juvenile acne and skin ulcerations. In Bangladesh  marigold or Gada/Genda ful plant’s leaves  sap is used to stop bleeding. Most of the households in Bangladesh have marigold or Gada/Genda ful plants in their garden or in flower pot.

S: en.wikipedia.org; flowerforyou.org; ehow.com; theflowerexpert.com; kew.org
    All the images are collected from different web sites

Jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower (Beli ful) - strong scented flower in Bangladesh

Jasmine/Arabian jasmine flowers and leaves (Beli ful o pata)

Another variant of jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower (Beli ful)

Another variant of jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower (Beli ful)

Bud of a jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower (Beli fuler kuri)

Yielding bud of a jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower (Beli ful kuri)

Jasminum sambac - Jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower (Beli ful)

Another variant of jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower (Beli ful)

Jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower (Beli ful)

  Jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower (Beli ful)

Jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower's buds (Beli fuler kuri)

Bangladeshi girls with jasmine flowers garlands as part of
their hair decoration (Beli fuler mala)

Bangladeshi girls with jasmine flowers garlands as part of
their hair decoration (Beli fuler mala)

A Bangladeshi girl with jasmine flowers garlands as part of
her hair decoration (Beli fuler mala)

  

A blond woman with jasmine flowers garlands(Beli fuler mala)

Garland of jasmine/Arabian jasmine (Beli fuler mala)

Threading wreath with jasmine flower(Beli fuler mala gatha)

Garlands of jasmine/Arabian jasmine flowers ready to sell in a market

Jasmine flower is commonly known as Beli ful in Bangladesh. In English this flower is also widely known as ''Arabian jasmine''. Scientific name of jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower (Beli ful) is Jasminum sambac. It belongs to the family Oleaceae and specis is J.sambac. Jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower (Beli ful) is the national flower of Philippine and Indonesia.
Jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower(Beli ful) is native to South and South East Asia, that is Bangladesh and eastern part of India. This flower is widely grown throughout the tropical areas from the Arabian peninsula to South East Asia and the Pacific Ocean region.
Jasmine/Arabian jasmine(Beli ful) has been cultivated for thousand of years not only for the beauty of its small,white, star like flowers, but it has also been prized for its intoxicating scent.
This flower plant is a small shrub or vine growing upto 0,5 to 3 meter in height. The leaves of the jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower(Beli ful) plant are ovate, 4 to 12,5 cm long and 2 to 7,5 cm wide. The flowers bloom all through out the year and are produced in clusters of 3 to 12 together at the ends of branches. They are strongly scented, with a white corolla 2 to 3 cm in diameter with 5 to 9 lobes.The flowers open at night, usually around 6 to 8 in the evening and close in the morning. Infact, jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower(Beli ful) is widely cultivated for their attractive and sweetly fragrant flowers. Tipically, the flowers are harvested as buds during early morning. The flowers are used for perfumes and for making tea. The Hindu and the Buddist offer this flower to their goddes and to the Buddha.
There are numerous cultivars of Jasminum sambac which differ from each other by the shape of leaves and the structure of the corolla. There are at least 20 to 30 different varieties of jasmine plant. Only a few varieties reproduce by seed in the wild. Other wise, generally cultivated Jasminum sambac do not bear seeds and the plant is reproduced solely by cuttings, layering, marcotting and other methodsof asexual propagation.
Jasmine/Arabian jasmine flower(Beli ful) is one of the most important flower in wedding ceremonies for Indian, Bangladeshi people and also for Indonesians, especially in the Java island. In Bangladesh and India women use the flowers in their hair for their beautiful fragrance.

S: en.wikipedia.org; care2.com(jasmine,indian flower);toptropicals.com; floridata.com;

Read also: White water lily or Sada Shapla is the national flower of Bangladesh
                   Kadam/Kadambo is a rainy season flower in Bangladesh
                   Water hyacinth (Kochuripana) beauty and death
                   Silk Cotton tree - Shimul ful/Shimul Tular Gash

Night jasmine or coral jasmine(shiuli/shefali ful) of Bangladesh

           Night jasmine plant or shiuli/shefali ful gaash


         Night jasmine flower or shiuli/shefali ful

  Heap of night jasmine flower or shiuli/shefali ful

            

Night jasmine flower bud or shiuli/shefali ful er kuri 

Leaves of night jasmine flower(shiuli/shefali ful)

Heap of night jasmine flower or shiuli/shefali ful

Night jasmine flower or shiuli ful have fallen from the tree early in the morning

 Night jasmine flower's fruit or shiuli/shefali ful er fal

  

      

Coral jasmine commonly known as night jasmine is known in Bangladesh as shiuli ful.People call it as shefali ful also. Night jasmine or shiuli ful is a highly perfumed flower.The tree is sometimes called the ''tree of sorrow'',because the flowers lose their brightness during daytime. Its scientific name is Nyctanthes arbor-tristis. It belongs to Family:Oleaceae; Genus:Nyctanthes; Species: N. arbor-tristis.

 Night jasmine or shiuli ful is native to southern Asia. It grows in Bangladesh, as well as in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and other countries. It is a tropical plant. The flower is the official flower of the state of West Bengal, India and for Kanchanaburi Province,Thailand.

The night jasmine tree or shiuli ful tree can be tall up to 10 meters with a flaky grey bark. Leaves of the tree are opposite,simple,6-12 cm long and 2-6,5 cm wide, with an entire margin.Large attractive leaves are rough and hairy like sandpaper.Night jasmine or shiuli ful is a sweet scented flower and small in size, 2,5-5 cm, attractive shape, with white corolla and an orange-red tube in center; they are produced in clusters of two to seven together. The flowers bloom profusely, opening at night and casting off in the very early morning. The fruit is a flat brown heart-shaped to round capsule 2 cm diameter, with two sections each containing a singel seed.

Night jasmine or shiuli ful has a important place in Ayurvedic treatment.Even the flowers have been used as a source of yellow dye for clotning.Hindus and Buddhist use this flower for worship to God.In Bangladesh children use night jasmine or shiuli ful to make garlands.

This flower is more known for its important place in Hindu mythology and the romantic story behind it. According to mythology, this is a heavenly tree brought to earth by the god Krishna. A quarrel over it ensued between Satyabhama and Rukmini, Krishna's wives.But Krishna planted the tree in Satya bhama's courtyard in a way that when the tree flowered, the flowers fell in Rukmini's courtyard. Another romantic story woven around the tree is about Parijataka, a princess. She fell in love with the sun but when he deserted her she committed suicide and a tree sprung from the ashes. Unable to stand the sight of the lover who left her, the tree flowers only at night and sheds them like tear-drops before the sun rises.But these are apparently only flowers that Hindus offer to God picked from the ground instead of plucking from the tree.

S:en.wikipedia.org; rareflora.com; toptropicals.com; worldagroforestrycentre.org; flickr.com .

Read also: White water lily or Sada Shapla is the national flower of Bangladesh
                   Kadam/Kadambo is a rainy season flower in Bangladesh
                   Water hyacinth (Kochuripana) beauty and death
                   Silk Cotton tree - Shimul ful/ Shimul Tular Gash
                    

Water hyacinth(kochuripana) beauty and death

 Kenyan govt. spends 290 million Ksh to destroy water hyacinth from Lake Victoria-2011

           Lake Okeechobee in Florida in USA

          One part of Lake victoria in Africa full with water hyacinth  
   
Water hyacinth in Bangladeshis known as Kochuripana. It is a tropical floating aquatic plant. Its scientific name is Eichornia crassipes. Of its Genus has seven variant species. Its origin in Latin America. Then it spread out gradually all over the world. Water hyacinth grows and spreads rapidly in fresh water. Just imagine, a singel plant under ideal conditions can produce 3000 others in 50 days and can cover an area of 600 sq meters in a year.
Water hyacinth or Kachuripana was introduced from its native home South America to various countries as well as in the USA in the 1880's, in Australia in 1890's, in Africa in 1950's and in Bangladesh sometime in the latter part of the 19th century.
Water hyacinth(Kachuripana) plant is a free-floating aquatic plant that sends down a large bunch of long fibrous roots from a leafy main stem. Its dark green leaves are 10-20 cm across and float above the water surface. They have long, spongy and bulbous stalks. Water hyacinth(Kochuripana) plant size ranges from a few cm to a meter in hight. The flower of this plant develop on a spike and have six individual petals that join at the bottom to produce a tube-like bloom. The colour of these flowers vary from a lighter shade of blue to violet with a yellow marking-like eyr or spot on the petals.
Still now water hyacinth(Kochuripana) is a problem in the USA. In the beginning they used arsenic to destroy and wipe out this plant and could partially clear the weeds but poisoned the ecosystem. They tried also with fire and explosives. In Africa lake Victoria's many areas are now paralyzed due to this plant.
In Bangladesh water hyacinth(Kochuripana) was also a very big problem. Water ways were blocked and nevigation were almost impossible. In the provincial election in 1937 all the major political parties promised to eradicate the water hyacinth. After the election the politicians kept their words and that worked. Now in Bangladesh water hyacinth(Kochuripana) is not seen as a problem, it still exists in haors and beels.
If you make a heap of water hyacinth(Kochuripana), when decayed, make wonderful fertilizer for cropping.Moreover, some crops and vegetables grow luxuriously on the dressed water hyacinth (Kochuripana) heaps. This has attracted many landless peasants to accumulate and heap water hyacinth(Kochuripana) to make floating fields for agricultural production.
S:en.wikipedia.org; water-hyacinth.com; banglapedia.org; aquaticcommunity.com; naturia.per.sg/buloh/; wiki.bugwood.org/archive:bcipeus/eichhornia_crassipes; environment.go.ke .

Read also: Floating garden-uses of water hyacinth(kochuripana)Bangladesh way to solv the problem