Barleria prionitis

December Flower, Porcupine Flower, Barleria, Vajradanti

Message of the Flower

Mental Opening

The Mother’s Comment

The first step of the mind towards transformation.

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

Opening is a release of the consciousness by which it begins to admit into itself the workings of the Divine Light and Power.

The Mother, Words of the Mother - II: Openness

In this Yoga the whole principle is to open oneself to the Divine Influence. It is there above you and, if you can once become conscious of it, you have then to call it down into you. It descends into the mind and into the body as Peace, as a Light, as a Force that works, as the Presence of the Divine with or without form, as Ananda.

Sri Aurobindo, Letters on Yoga - II: Opening

What you should do is to throw the doors of your being wide open to the Divine. The moment you conceal something, you step straight into Falsehood. The least suppression on your part pulls you immediately down into unconsciousness. If you want to be fully conscious, be always in front of the Truth—completely open yourself and try your utmost to let it see deep inside you, into every corner of your being. That alone will bring into you light and consciousness and all that is most true.

The Mother, Questions and Answers 1929 - 1931: Union with the Divine Consciousness and Will

Widen yourself to the extreme limit of the universe… and beyond.

Always take upon yourself all the necessities of progress, and resolve them in the ecstasy of Unity. Then you will be divine.

The Mother, Words of the Mother - II: Wideness

Colour

Golden-yellow

Family

Acanthaceae

Person who named the flower

Carl Linnaeus

Flower Size

1 to 2 inches

Flower Texture

Smooth and slightly velvety

Number of Petals

Four visible lobes from fused petals

Floral Symmetry

Bilateral symmetry

Fragrance of Flower

Mildly fragrant

Leaf Texture

Rough, with fine hairs

Leaf Arrangement

Opposite

Leaf Color

Dark green

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Shrub

Life Cycle

Perennial

Blooming Period

Fall and winter

Climate

Tropical and subtropical

Water Requirements

Moderate, drought-resistant

Soil Type

Well-drained, fertile, adaptable

Temperature Ranges

Warm temperatures, not frost-tolerant

Sun or Shade

Full sun, tolerates partial shade

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Spider mites, leaf spot

Pollinators

Bees, butterflies

Habitat

Native to India and South Asia, tropical/subtropical gardens

Role in the Ecosystem

Nectar for pollinators, protective barrier due to spiny stems

Quotations

None noted

Ornamental

Bright flowers, used as a hedge plant

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Traditional health remedies, home gardens

Endangered Status

Not endangered