Romduol, a small yellowish-white flower, is the national flower of the Kingdom of Cambodia via the proclamation of a royal decree by King Sihamoni of Cambodia in 2005. The Khmer common name is “Romduol” and it has a scientific name “Mitralla mesnyi”.
When you enter Cambodia for the first time, you are immediately captivated by a flurry of life and vigor. As someone who has not seen much of Southeast Asia before, it may be overwhelming at first that the sensation of being immersed in a whole new culture is indescribable.
People who visit Cambodia realize they are in Asia right away because of the things that make the country unique. When you dive in more profoundly, you may be curious about what makes Cambodia so fantastic.
When asked to name Cambodia’s symbols, the majority of people automatically recall the Angkor Wat temple. For such an iconic landmark, it’s hard not to think about the beautiful carvings and precise design that take you back in time. Here are the seven official symbols, including flowers, trees, mammals, fish, fruits, birds, and reptiles, making Cambodia distinct from other countries.
Learn more about the Romduol flower in this post, which will be elaborated on more in detail. This Cambodian national flower is so distinctive and aromatic that it has appeared in numerous Cambodian poetic works.
What is Cambodia’s National Flower? Understanding To Nature of Romduol Flower Plant
Mitrella mesnyi is a common synonym for Sphaerocoryne affinis, which is another name for Romduol flowers. If you are planning to have an Indochina trip, you may stop and take in the splendor of these Khmer flowers. It’s only fitting that Romduol has a beautiful figure and significance as a national flower to the Cambodians.
Rumduol flowers, which some people call Mitrella mesnyi (notable synonyms as Sphaerocoryne affinis), are grown across Cambodia. You can easily admire the beauty of these Khmer flowers while having an Indochina tour. Being the national flower, the Rumduol flower must have remarkable beauty and an important place in the daily life of the Cambodian people.
In 2005, King Sihamoni of Cambodia issued a Royal Decree proclaiming Romduol, a little pale yellow bloom, as the Cambodian national flower. In addition, “Mitralla mesnyi” is the technical term for what is commonly known as “Romduol” in Cambodian dialects.
Stem and Leaf
When grown in full bloom, the average Romduol plant may reach heights between 8 and 15 meters. The stem’s yellowish-brown bark is quite visible. Look at its leaf, it is a sole alternation with no spurs. You can imagine the size of this long-flat leaf is the multiplication between 2-4 cm and 6-10 cm measurement.
Flower
Romduol blooms are light-skinned in color and release a long-lasting scent between afternoon and evening. It’s no surprise that Romduol, standing as a national flower, is adored by the citizens of the country. This beautiful flower has a simple but striking beauty, with a blossom that seems spherical and dense with three petals stretched out and three curving inside, giving it a pleasant symmetry.
Fruit
Once the flower reaches maturity, the Romduol fruit acquires a rich dark red hue. To earn a livelihood from these Romduol fruits harvesting, a large number of people go out to the fields to gather the luscious and pungent berries and distribute them to the market.
On top of that, there are Romduol trees everywhere around Cambodia, and you can easily find them. Make sure that you can taste this delicious fruit if you are ever on a Cambodian vacation. Then, you may learn to appreciate it as much as the Cambodians.
What Makes This Cambodian National Flower Different?
The fragrance from the Romduol flower can be carried vast miles by the wind and becomes more potent at night, making it stand out from other types of incense.
For centuries, Khmer ladies have been described as the Romduol flower, which has an alluring scent and a graceful elegance. They have an enticing smell and constantly seem to be buoyant, energetic, and possess an exquisite beauty that extends well beyond the superficial.
Benefits of Using Romduol – Flowers of Cambodia
Beauty and Essential Oil
Kramuon Romduol is the wax used for lips that have fragrance for ladies and gets its name from the old Khmer practice of using the flowers’ aromatic perfume for manufacturing the wax. Moreover, in ancient times, the blossom of this plant may have been used to embellish women’s hair and create a hairstyle.
You can detect Romduol’s enticing aroma although it is a few kilometers away. To manufacture aromatherapy plus with essential oils, producers need to dry out and ground Romduol flowers into a powdered form.
Construction and Decoration Items
Tree trunks also offer firewood and basic wood that people are using to create homes, boats, and other structures in their everyday lives. You may find decorative goods in the form of a “Romduol Flower,” like jewelry and marketing materials such as banners, posters, and venue decoration.
Traditional Medicine
You may be surprised that we can use flowers to cure dizziness and blood pressure. Its bark can stop your fever, according to Cambodian widely-practiced traditional medicine in the countryside.
Romduol Flower is Widely Spread Out To Various Aspects
Fruit Sales For Living
During Romduol fruit maturation season, individuals who live near the forest are constantly picking fruits from Romduol flowers to trade for a livelihood.
Names of Places Are Attached With This Cambodia Flower
Romduol is a word that appears in the identities of many locations in Cambodia. For example, Prey Veng province’s Romdoul District and Battambang province’s Ou Romduol commune.
Song and Literature
Romduol flower is a prominent topic in Khmer art and literature because of its strong aroma and rustic texture.
Song titles like Song titles like Romduol Dang Stung Sangkae, Romduol Dang Stung Siem Reap, Romduol Pursat and Romduol Surint by Mr. Sin Sisamouth, and Romduol Kratié by Mr. Im Song Serm are the creations of Cambodian authors.
The earthy elegance in Romduol’s color is less striking than the colors of some other flowers, yet it may make a lasting memory for those who see it.
Decoration in Public Places
If you’re looking for Romduol, there is a high chance that their smell will allow you to find them before you get to see them. They may be commonly grown in public places like streets and parks as well as private gardens and establishments like bars and hotels.
As a consequence, the Romduol trees are popular among local people as a means of ornamentation in public spaces and private residences.
Why Romduol is The National Flower of Cambodia?
Cambodians love Romduol because it embodies their citizens’ welcoming and cheerful attitude. With some knowledge of its rich and fascinating background, you will learn to appreciate the Cambodian people’s cheerful and positive outlook and appreciate why they chose a simple but powerfully fragrant bloom to stand as a national flower. Once you get to realize Romduol, you will see that they are precisely like Cambodians in that they are outgoing in appearance yet refined on the inside. Here are the reasons that designated Romduol as the National Flower:
- Meaning: Based on its attractiveness and robustness, they compared the beauty and characteristics of Romduol Flower to the Khmer women as Barnh Chea Pit Kalyanei “Perfect Woman” (Women who possesses the five beauties: beaty of hair, lip, teeth, skin and age). Khmer women are gentle, friendly, dignifies, and firm. The designation of Romduol as a National Flower reflecting the values of women in Cambodian society, which in line with matriarchy theory of original Khmer culture (មូលធម៌) since ancient times, influenced by external civilization (India). We can see all these ideas and values through various slogans, proverbs, poems, and literatures.
- Beauty: it is a kind of flower and a plant that has a beautiful and attractive shape. This flower blooms for a long time, does not easily wither. Due to its beautiful shape and thickness layer making it more resistant to the heat of the sun or weather conditions than other flowers. Another reason is its strong fragrance aroma that does not fade easily. Its yellow color symbolizes Buddhism, the state religion of the Kingdom.
- Value: As mentioned above, Romduol is a flower that consists many values or benefits. Apart from decorative plant, it can be used as a medicine for the treatment of various ailments such as its bark can relieve fever; its flower can relieve dizziness, syncope, and heart disease; its pollen can used as a medicine to support strengthen, blood, etc. While its fruits can be eaten as food.
According to a Royal Decree promulgated by King Norodom Sihamoni, the Romduol flower became the country’s official national flower in March 21, 2005. The state has also designated this blossom as an environmental protection symbol.
