I would like to tell you the story of a small friend whom I came across on my journey ever on. My friends’ name is Virali. Oh, that’s what her Tamil friends call her lovingly. Her official name is Dodonaea Viscosa (impressive, eh?).
She’s found the world over, from India to Africa to Middle East to Australia to America to South East Asia to Hawaii (a real world trouper!). No wonder, her fruits which are cream to red are winged, usually two-winged, but sometimes three or four winged!
She’s a flyer!
She’s a very hardy species and can re-sprout from the base. She has wide tolerance for different soils, winds and heat.
She's strong!
She can grow healthy in all kinds of soils, even in rocky, gravelly or limestone ground or on disturbed ground. She requires very less maintenance if you want to cultivate her. She’s drought and cold resistant. In Hawaii were for every occasion guests are garlanded with flower/fruit necklaces, a garland of dried Virali fruits would be a compliment to you for your resilient and hearty nature. In the Nilgiris, the indigenous community hangs the leaves of Virali from the thatches of their huts on auspicious occasions like a marriage. The tender leaves of Virali are succulent, analgesic (pain-killer!) and have mildly euphoric effect (stimulating was another word!) and slightly toxic in overdose, among numerous other medicinal properties. She favours areas that receive full sun (don’t ever be miserly with her in matters of love, give it fully!). Her kind is propagated through wind, when the pollen dances on the wind horse from flower to flower!
So if you find a faint whiff of a fragrance around you, ah! there she is…
She’s the best sort of friend you would want and keep. Resilient, hearty, loyal, winged, pretty, adventurous, and slightly intoxicating, one whose deep love for performing arts defines her very world!
For a dose of stimulation, please check out http://virali.wordpress.com
