The popular champak flower

The champaka flower which you see above usually comes in three colors. The white like the above, dark orange and the yellow.

The white one has a mild scent while the dark orange and yellow has a strong scent; a heady perfume which can cause headaches to people and that includes me.

Unlike other flower plants, the Champaka is a tree and a tall one at that. The trunk is sturdy but not wide and therefore can be prone to falls if heavy winds blow.

The flowers are loved by many women in India and they keep it on their hair just like jasmine and rose.

Champaka flower is used in the perfume industry and one usually gets scented incense sticks, perfume bottles and even toilet soaps.

Once the tree starts flowering, it yields a huge produce and summer is the best time. The leaves are perennial and also provides shelter to many birds, especially during nesting and migratory season.

image source - sayee