When Yemen Blooms

Portaits of the blooms on display from gardens of Yemen

Despite little rainfalls, the fields surrounding Sanaa are green with apricot trees, almond and walnut groves in bloom. The rains were carrying now cloudy night skies and other gifts the wind had given it. In a while the rains slowered to a drizzle and then stopped. The breeze shock water from the trees in Wadi Dahr valley and Hadda village. For a while it rained only under trees. The light and the space, and the color that sweep in way of brown color of the earth, reflection the color of age. All around Sanaa as far as the eye could see, were ranges of hills ornamented with countless houses in brick and stone.

Yemens magnificent fanfare of blooms is one of the country’s most striking aspects. Just a quick glance can bring a moment of joy that is beyond simple explanation while a close – up can yield awe and wonderment. It is hard not to be moved by the radiance of color often beyond the power of mind to translate into definite thoughts while passing by the flowers that flourish along the roadside and in the gardens of Yemen. While we are aware of their beauty, few of us know the plant names or what the flowers really look like. Flowers are one of the most recognizable features of plants. A close look at some of most commonly seen flowers in Yemen

Sodom Apple
One of the most distinctive plants growing wild is Sodom Apple. Its beauty lies in its star-shaped purple flowers with their off-white centers. The five petals are a miracle of symmetry. Sodom Apple blooms in spring and its bloom is followed by the formation of kidney-shaped, green fruits.

Bougainvillea
If you have caught sight of a tangle of riotous color, it is probably the spectacular Bougainvillea with its eclectic, vibrant colors and sensational bloom of duration.
The "floral" displays that provide the color are actually flower-like papery bracts.
The diversity of color is extensive, from frosty white through to a range of yellow-gold, bronze-orange, apricot-red, delicate pink and red-purple.

Oleander
One of the most striking and widely grown plants is the common oleander or pink oleander. It displays its attractive and delicate flowers clusters on branch and twig tips and we are blessed with its long duration of bloom. Both the single and double flowers have a varied color range: pale and dark pink, salmon, white. The single flowers, pale pink form with its five petal can be seen growing wild in the wadis. It is normally a broad and bulky evergreen shurb, which grows in dense clumps and reaches up to four meter high and wide. Noticeable are the narrow, long dark green leaves with a vein down the center.

Hibiscus
Many are familiar with the striking flowers of the hibiscus which can be seen swaying freely in the breeze. It is not really surprising that the name is attributed the meaning of "delicate beauty". There are thousands of hues and combinations involving six basic colors in the color pattern, white, yellow, orange, pink and brown. The flowers can be singles or doubles. The hibiscus, an evergreen shrub, reaches about four meters. It is deep green with oval leaves

Barbados Pride
Barbados Pride is most noticeable for its five flaring, golden-yellow petals and its display of elegant, long cerise red stamens, which gracefully from the center of the flower. It is mostly orange in color but yellow and cerise red forms can be seen in abundance on branch tips. It is very decorative shrub with its lacy mimosa-like foliage.

Scarlet Cordia or Geiger tree
When you see a stunning tight cluster of bright orange flower you are probably looking at the showy blooms appear in large open cluster at the end of branches. These consist of wonderful funnel-shaped flowers made up of six rounded and wrinkled petals that appear practically all year around. Flower and white oval fruits are often present on the tree together.

Canna Lily
The Canna Lily is simple stunning. It is an elegant plant with multi-colored exotic blossoms, through white and yellow to red. The large flower heads with their reflecting petals appear in the spring and summer.

Zinnia
You will see the colorful exhibitions of zinnia in full bloom all summer along the sides of major roads. There are many different varieties and the color range is extensive, white cream, yellow, orange, pink, purple, maroon, scarlet red, salmon and violet.

Flame of the Forest
The flamboyance of the Flame of the Forest when in flower known also as peacock flower has lead to claim that it is the most colorful tree in the world. In summer you will see it smothered in exuberant, clusters of flame=red flowers that balance on the end of bare branches.

Marigold
One of the first of the annuals, provide a profusion of bright warm colors in the summer months. These attractive flowers can be the bold pompon types, of the tall upright. They are often multi colored. Colors may be yellow, orange, golden yellow, rust red.

Further reading:
Gardening in the Middle East, Eric Moore, Stacey International, London and
The Language of flowers by Kate Greenway.