| August 27, 2006, Suva, Fiji: Over 250,000 people attended this year’s 9-day hibiscus festival. The Suva Retailers Association is cooperating with the Suva City Council in planning a “bigger and better” festival next year. Reported at www.fijitimes.com
June 27, 2006, Sidney, Australia: The much-loved 175 year old giant tortoise, Harriet (note earlier news item here on Nov. 15, 2005), died of a heart attack. She had been ailing and hadn’t moved from her little shed for several days. For a full account go to:
http://www.abc.net.au/goldcoast/stories/s1672026.htm?backyard
June 15-18, 2006 Bradenton, FL: The American Hibiscus Society held its National Convention here. For a well-documented pictorial by Tom Miller and Pat Merritt that describes it, go to
www.rozpat.net/ahsjune2006.htm
June 7, 2006, Chiba Institute, Japan: Can a hibiscus find people trapped by an earthquake or similar events? Yes! Engineers have developed a robot with six tread crawlers, flipper arms and an IR camera to detect body heat as it rolls through rubble. It was christened, “Hibiscus”. From blog.scifi.com
January 18, 2006, Kampala, Uganda: The hibiscus species sabdariffa is being used in a successful wine-making business operated by a 10-person woman’s organization in collaboration with a health food company. From a feature article at allafrica.com. To learn more about the fascinating sabdariffa (aka the Florida cranberry) please go to: www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/kitchen/2003su_redsorrel.html
November 15, 2005, Sidney, Australia: Harriet, a giant tortoise, celebrated her 175th birthday at the Australia Zoo with a cake, and munched hibiscus flowers. Harriet is one of three tortoises collected in 1835 by Charles Darwin when exploring the Galapagos islands. He named them Tom, Dick and Harry. Harry turned out to be a female. Reported at http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=52860
November 10, 2005, Red Herring, CA: Toyota is planning to make a low-speed scooter that can be used on side walks, and that can be morphed into a street-legal dune buggy that can go 30 mph. Its body is recyclable and is made of kenaf, a thread-like material made from Hibiscus Cannabinus. From www.redherring.com
September 16, 2005, Putrajaya, Malaysia: A nationwide campaign to reestablish the hibiscus as the national flower is continuing and growing. It is proposed that every household have a least one plant. The simultaneous planting of 48,000 hibiscus plants is planned which will eclipse the previous record of 20,000. The city of Johor has already planted more than a half-million. This was a big story on http://thestar.com.my Postnote: The simultaneous planting took place on September 29 and took 15 minutes. Reports differ as to whether 48,000 or 45,000 were planted.
September 6, 2005, Suva, Fiji: Plans are underway to hold a major hibiscus festival during August, 2006. The hibiscus festival was “once loved, now faded.” Suva is the capital of Fiji. From www.fijitimes.com
August 5, 2005, Kantipur, Nepal: An article touted the value of hibiscus for hair care. Dry 5 hibiscus syriacus blooms, boil in water, squeeze and mix drippings with olive oil, egg, honey, glycerin and lemon juice. Massage this on your hair for 5-10 minutes and shampoo. Repeat weekly. If your hair is oily, use yogurt instead of glycerin. From www.kantipuronline.com
June 16-19, 2005, Orlando, FL: American Hibiscus Society held it annual convention. Click and see pictures of this event.
June 9, 2005, Santa Fe, NM: CNN.com reported on an Andy Warhol exhibit at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum which included a large, splashy painting of four hibiscus blooms based on a color photograph which appeared in Modern Photography magazine. Warhol often used flower themes.
May 31, 2005, Punta Gorda, FL: Hurricane Charley’s destruction last year didn’t prevent this city from planning its 2nd annual hibiscus festival, which will be held on June 16-18. The festival theme will be “Eye of the Storm”. The festival story was at sun-herald.com.
May 21, 2005, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Matrix Concepts Group is donating 10,000 hibiscus plants to support a government campaign to emphasize their country’s national flower. A spokesperson said, “Hopefully, Malaysia will turn into a hibiscus country.” Reported by Malay Mail Online at www.mmail.com.my
May 6, 2005, Wallaku, Maui: The state flower of Hawaii, a yellow hibiscus (ma’o hau hele) is blooming again on Haleakala for the first time in over a decade. It had been nearly wiped out by deer. Reported by the Honolulu Advertiser at http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/May/06/ln/ln18p.html
February 28, 2005, Malaysia: An article in a Malaysian news web site at http://thestar.com.my described government efforts to vigorously reaffirm the hibiscus as Malaysia’s national flower and a symbol of strength and independence. The campaign will begin with school children.
December 9, 2004, Brooksville, FL: Hernando Today’s online edition reported that police have been called to the Hernando County government center every once in awhile for the past 8 years, because of reports that marijuana is growing around the building. It has always turned out to be hibiscus.
October 13, 2004, US News & World Report: This national magazine had an internet story called “Flower Power” with the subtitle, “Add hibiscus to your heart-friendly diet.” which evidently was based on the Taiwan results (below). It was posted at: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/briefs/heart/hb041013b.htm
October 3, 2004, Boston, MA: A Boston Herald Sunday article suggests saying “Hi” to hibiscus, which are reported to be “hot again”. This article notes that Dorothy Lamour can be remembered for the hibiscus bloom she tucked behind her ear (as well as for wearing a sarong). And, hibiscus designs are found in old Chinese porcelain, and in the Taj Mahal, too.
September 14, 2004, WebMD Medical News: A Taichung, Taiwan medical institute study showed that Hibiscus flower extract may help cut cholesterol and heart disease. It contains many antioxidants including flavonoids which are found in red wine. Reported at http://my,webMD.com
August 30, 2004, Japan: Typhoon Chaba (Thai word for hibiscus) struck southern Japan early Monday morning with 130 mph winds. Many dead, thousands homeless. From BBC news.
August 23. 2004, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa: Typhoon Chaba is headed toward Okinawa. Chaba is the Thai word for hibiscus. From a story in the Stars and Stripes Pacific Edition.
August 13, 20004, US Virgin Islands: The Virgin Islands Olympics team will appear in the Olympics Opening Ceremonies wearing royal blue outfits which feature a gold hibiscus. Reported in the Virgin Islands Daily News.
August 9, 2004, Del Ray Beach, FL: An explosion of the iguana population is feeding on flower gardens and consuming hibiscus flowers and leaves, with just naked stems left behind. From the Miami Herald.
July 30, 2004, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Agreement reached between Mieco Chipboard and Matsushita Electric Works to establish a Kenaf fiberboard plant. Kenaf is Hibiscus Cannabinus, a base raw material for biocomposites. Story from thestar.com.my
July 29, 2004, Houston, TX: “Plant is called hibiscus but it won’t get you high”. Houston Chronicle story describes 10-man narcotics task force raid targeted at pot plants, which turned out be hibiscus.
May 18, 2004, Sandakan, East Malaysia. 20,000 hibiscus plants were planted within one minute on this date to commemorate Sandakan as a Nature City. 13,000 people were involved. Reported in East Malaysia Daily Express.
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