The Flower of Bethlehem, my parents favourite flower.

The buds which the plant throws out once a year. There are many plants that we tend to ignore,as they are not impressive to look at. The ‘Star of Bethlehem' is one such plant. It is a cactus with strange flat 'leaves' and tall stems. Plus even though it needs the support of a tree or a fence, it is not a parasite. Through the year it will grow quietly stretching itself with it’s flat ugly leaves and is usually just shoved into a corner, like my brother did. He just planted it against an uglier Christmas tree growing at the back of the garden. Lucky I watched it grow and nurtured it as I knew how my mother adored the plant.

The stunning flower that blooms for one night The 'Star of Bethlehem' in our garden flowered this week and it was an emotional moment for us as Mum had only just passed.When it bloomed my Dad would bring in the pot in our old Bangalore bungalow and give it pride of place in the verandah. Then Mum or Dad would phone us and we would arrive in the dead of night to enjoy the beauty of the flower which would die with the first rays of the morning sun.

Apparently a house in Mangalore. Must have been breath taking. Mum was so proud of her plant and Dad very gentlemanly organised coffee for all the neighbours, who came in to enjoy the spectacle. So in true Hayes Road tradition, I broke off one bloom and took it around the building to show interested flower lovers. Like Mum I was happy to enjoy their oohs! and aahs and promised to show them the bloom when it did come on the plant itself!

The beauty of the pristine white flower Once a year, the plant will come into its own and bring much joy to all plant lovers. Its nocturnal blooming and strong fragrance have made this plant very popular and as soon as it flowers, I get requests from all over the city for a piece. Ofcourse I will give everyone a piece as they are the easiest plant to grow. The plant is tropical in nature and easy to grow in Bangalore. One just has to stick a piece into some rich compost and it will obligingly throw roots and grow into another plant.

A giant bloom as I fed it well with compost Its giant blooms appear in the dead of the night and disappear before dawn. So when I saw the buds appear one day while feeding the garden a meal of compost, I decided to put on my alarm to avoid missing the spectacle and remember my generous parents who loved them. 'The spectacular bloom symbolises Christ's birth in a manger. Look inside the open flower', said my Mum while we were kids, explaining the various flower parts, 'and you will see angels hovering around, announcing the birth of Jesus who is wrapped in a flower-decked bed and the 'stable' in the backdrop (the big petals) with a star above.' Absolutely spectacular, the flower amazes one with its beauty.

A few hours to enjoy the scent and then it's gone forever. The plant takes a few years before it begins flowering. Just be patient. It needs to establish and grow to a certain height to be able to flower. Feed it wet waste compost and watch it grow and make sure the pot has a few little earthworm friends which help to aerate the soil.