Hippobroma longiflora

Star of Bethlehem, Madam Fate, White Devil's Trumpet

Message of the Flower

Divine Purity

The Mother’s Comment

It is happy just to be, in all simplicity.

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

This is purity, to accept no other influence but only the influence of the Divine.

The Mother, Words of the Mother - II: Purity

One is truly perfectly pure only when the whole being, in all its elements and all its movements, adheres fully, exclusively, to the divine Will. This indeed is total purity. It does not depend on any moral or social law, any mental convention of any kind. It depends exclusively on this: when all the elements and all the movements of the being adhere exclusively and totally to the divine Will.

The Mother, Questions and Answers 1954: 22 December 1954

What I call purity, the true purity, is not all those things morality teaches: it is non-ego.

There must be nothing but Him.

Him, not only because we have given Him everything and consecrated ourselves totally to Him (that is not enough), but Him because He has taken total possession of the human instrument.

The Mother, Mother's Agenda: May 21, 1960

There is a force of purity, not the purity of the moralist, but an essential purity of spirit, in the very substance of the being.

Sri Aurobindo, Letters on Yoga - IV: Sex

Colour

Pure white

Family

Campanulaceae

Cultivars

There are no widely recognized cultivars due to its less common cultivation.

Person who named the flower

(L.) G.Don

Flower Size

The flowers are large, up to 10 cm in length.

Flower Texture

Smooth

Number of Petals

Five

Floral Symmetry

Radial

Fragrance of Flower

The flowers are fragrant, especially at night.

Leaf Texture

Smooth with a slight hairiness.

Leaf Arrangement

Alternate

Leaf Color

Green

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

It is an herbaceous plant.

Life Cycle

Perennial in tropical climates; can be grown as an annual in cooler areas.

Blooming Period

Can bloom year-round in optimal tropical conditions; in temperate zones, it blooms in late spring to summer.

Climate

Prefers tropical to subtropical climates.

Water Requirements

Moderate; requires well-drained soil.

Soil Type

Prefers rich, moist, well-drained soils.

Temperature Ranges

Thrives in warm conditions; not frost-tolerant.

Sun or Shade

Prefers full sun to partial shade.

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Can be susceptible to common pests and diseases but no specific major threats noted.

Pollinators

Attracts nocturnal pollinators, including moths.

Habitat

Native to the West Indies and has been naturalized in various tropical and subtropical regions.

Role in the Ecosystem

Acts as a nectar source for nocturnal pollinators.

Ornamental

Can be grown as an ornamental plant for its striking flowers, with care taken to avoid its toxic sap.

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Its primary use is ornamental, with significant caution due to its toxicity.

Endangered Status

Not listed as endangered; however, its habitat may be threatened by general environmental changes.

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