Globe amaranth(Gomphrena globosa), also popularly known as Everlasting or Bachelor’s Button, is native to Panama and Guatemala in Central America. Like other tropical ornamentals, it is now widespread in the tropics throughout the world and it is a popular bedding plant in many gardens. The flowerheads are usually a striking purple in color, but hybrids have been developed with red or white flowerheads.

In Thailand, Globe Amaranth is popular as a cut flower in flower arrangements and displays. In particular, during the celebration of the Loy Krathong, a harvest festival that takes place in mid November, the globe amaranth is used liberally in the miniature floral arrangements inside the Krathong (Banana Boat). See thumbnail picture on the right. In addition, Globe Amaranth plays a prominent role during the engagement ceremony for newlyweds in Northern Thailand. According to Lanna tradition, one of the ceremonial offerings presented by the groom to the bride’s parents is a large tray (Bai Si Nom-Maew) that uses banana leaves in cone shapes resembling cat-shaped blossoms. Filling the cones is a beautiful floral display, of which the globe amaranth flower is used to signify eternal love between the couple. Hence, Globe amaranth is called everlasting; this has a twofold meaning - the flowers never lose their color and the flowers symbolize eternal love.

What strikes me as sort of funny - bachelor’s button and eternal love (everlasting) seem to be in conflict with each other. Oh well…

References:http://www.roychapin.com/thailand03.htm

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 2nd, 2006 at 3:41 am and is filed under Thailand, nature, travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.