UPDATED PHOTOS ON MAY 15th SHOWING BLOOMS DESPITE THE HEAVY RAIN
The Na Tree (Ceylon Ironwood) with Latin name Mesua Nagassarium is the National Tree of Sri Lanka. ( Wikipedia uses the Latin name Messua Ferrea - so someone with better knowledge than me can enlighten me on the difference)
It was declared as the National Tree in 26th February 1986 according to the official Government of Sri Lanka web site which also states that "It is believed that the first visit of Buddha was to a grove of NA Trees at Miyanganaya and also the next Buddha (Mithriya) will attain enlightenment under a NA tree."
Why I chose to highlight this in my blog today was that I had planted the tree a few years ago, when I bought a seedling, and for the first time this year it bloomed and I was pleasantly surprised at the extent of buds and blooms, especially as I drive by the Na Tree lines Parliament Drive in Kotte where hardly a tree has bloomed, maybe the higher being does not approve of the shambolic state of some of the jokers in Parliament whose first job was to approve duty free vehicles to all, and so did not think it fit to grace the new parliament with a potentially magnificent sight of Na blooms.
I will later investigate other traits of the tree and include in the blog as I understand there are ayurvedic properties also associated with various parts of the tree.
In the meantime just appreciate what I see, just a wonderful sight to walk out of the front door to!
A few days later the blooms increase and now it is the only Na in the island with so many blooms. I challenge anyone to contradict me!!!
