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Special Feature<br />
Sunflower – Ukraine<br />
It is interesting how Sunflower has this<br />
unique tendency in turning its “head”<br />
and follow the sun across the sky and<br />
drops down towards the ground as<br />
night falls; precisely why it is called a<br />
Sunflower. This bright, sunny cheerful<br />
flower was originally cultivated in<br />
America and is the national flower of<br />
Ukraine. In present days, 60 per cent<br />
of the world’s Sunflowers are now<br />
grown in Russia and Europe. It is<br />
believed that Sunflower signifies<br />
fertility, solar power and vigour.<br />
Orchid – Hong Kong,<br />
Honduras, Singapore<br />
Do you know that there are more than<br />
25,000 different Orchid species? An<br />
extremely popular and widely<br />
cultivated flower, Orchids resemble the<br />
human face in that they have a bilateral<br />
symmetry. And here’s an interesting<br />
fact: Orchids are featured in a<br />
traditional beverage called “Sahlep” in<br />
Turkey. This beverage has also made its<br />
way to London, England during the<br />
16th century where it was sold in street<br />
stalls before coffee was introduced.<br />
Chrysanthemum and<br />
Cherry Blossom –<br />
Japan<br />
The only country that has two national<br />
flowers – Chrysanthemum and Cherry<br />
Blossoms – is Japan. Cherry Blossoms<br />
signify the fragile beauty of life as it<br />
blooms only just for a short time.<br />
Chrysanthemum, on the other hand,<br />
has been a symbol for the Japanese<br />
royal family for centuries and is<br />
celebrated each year during the<br />
“Festival of Happiness”.<br />
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