Tuesday, May 3, 2011

I KALACHUCHA


Since the latter part of March, the kalachucha has been in bloom.  Also known as plumeria and frangipani.  They make great floral leis and are a staple at Catholic May devotions.

These flowers are believed to be native to Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America, but also to Polynesia. As they are found in a very wide area, they go by different names. They are now found all over the world.

More than likely this flower was introduced to both the Philippines and the Marianas via Mexico, because the Filipinos call it kalachuchi and the Chamorros kalachucha, which are both based on the native Nahuatl name for the flower, which is cacaloxuchitl. Xochitl is Nahuatl for "flower."

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