I was in the Sundarbans in January this year. We were walking along the beach in an area affected by Cyclone Sidr at Kotkaon on the second day of our trip. As a nature lover, I take keen interest in plants, both common and uncommon, wildlife, flowers, etc. On the way back to our boat, I noticed a big tree with beautiful white flowers, which I had never seen before. So I asked our tour guide, who told me it was called ‘dagor’, which grows mostly in the mangroves, seashores and tidal rivers, and prefers well-drained sandy soil and exposure to sea breeze. I had never heard of this beautiful name. I fell in love with it instantly.

I have a hobby of collecting twigs and plants from the places I travel to, be it at home or abroad. I was desperate to get a bunch of the flowers. But the guide politely informed me we were not allowed to take anything from the forest. I was impressed by his professionalism, but certainly was sad. Then to my utter surprise, I noticed a half-damaged branch nearby, and got hold of it immediately. The guide and the guard almost laughed at me. They had told me it was ‘‘no use, it will never survive in Dhaka’’ without saline soil, water and air. But I was not discouraged. I told myself: I have to give it a try.

I brought the small branch home, started nurturing it on my own, all the way back to Dhaka. I tried to give it a feel of its own home. I kept it in a bottle with water mixed with some salt, and gave it a mixture of the same solution every day. New leaves sprouted after a week. I was happy and became hopeful, too.

Meanwhile, I researched a bit and came to know a few things about the tree. Its scientific name is Cerbera Manghas. It grows in tropical and sub-tropical regions, including China, Singapore, India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. The tree can be up to 15- 30 metres tall. The beautiful white flowers, with yellow or pink centre, grow together in a bunch and have a strong fragrance. The fruit of this tree is mentioned as poisonous, and it was used by hunters to poison animals in the past.

A month passed by, and my heart started pounding when I noticed tiny buds resonating to continued care! I held onto my breath, and, voila! After 41 long days of patient waiting that very branch gave me the most wonderful gift, the first bloom of the sweet smelling dagor flower. I got the second flower the next day. Now, I am waiting for the third, fourth and probably the fifth one to come into bloom _ with patience! n

The writer is owner of Ethnica,

a lifestyle boutique.

Photos: Writer

References: Flora Fauna Web,

Wild Singapore.