Pakalana
History
The Pakalana or Telsoma cordata is a native plant of Northern India and China. It belongs to the Asclepiadoceae family. It was first brought to Europe for its beauty and ornamental growing purposes in 1784. More recently it is being heavily cultivated throughtout Asia and well into the Pacific Rim where it is coveted for its unique fragrances. In Hong Kong it is known as the ye hung which means "white flowers."
About Pakalana
The leaves are often long stemmed, opposite, thin, and broad heart-shaped. They are usually pointed, about one to two inches long and the notch at the base of the vine is rounded. Flowers are short-stemmed clusters at leaf axils; they have a yellowish-green color with five-parted leaves. The sepals measure 0.25 inches long and the corolla about 0.5 inches in diameter with spreading oval lobes equaling the sepals. It's an evergreen wooden twine which grows to approximately 15 feet in length. The flowers bloom in late winter and early spring. The flowers also can withstand temperatures of 50 degrees F. This plant is harmless to humans but the stems can often cause death to pigs if ingested.
Uses
In Hong Kong it is often seen in small pots on balconies and doorsteps growing up bushy pea sticks. In Hawaii it is used frequently in leis and in perfumes and oils because of its sweet and distinct fragrance. In leis it is quite pricy because the flowers are so small and it takes so many to make a lei of an adequate size.
Myths
The pakalana is said to have ended a war in the pacific between to rival factions in the early years of its colonization. It is believed that the warriors from both sides smelled its sweet fragrance which initially put them into a trance and shortly thereafter the war ended.
My mom also had a personal supernatural experience with the pakalana. It was at Puaena Point while I was camping for boy scouts. My mom and a couple other parents were under the cooking tent while the boy scouts were on a hike. They smelled a sweet fragrance and started walking around the area trying to figure out where the fragrance was coming from. One of the scout leaders who stayed back with them at camp could supposedly “see” supernatural beings. When my mom had asked him what he saw, he replied “I'll tell you later” because he didn't want to scare them. She was later told that whenever someone smells the pakalana it means that the lady of the beach is close by. The lady of the beach can only be seen by certain individuals.
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