Siam Villa Garden: ต้นจำปี

Magnolia × alba, also known as the white champaca, white sandalwood, or white jade orchid tree, is a flowering plant of hybrid origin that is commonly cultivated in Southeast Asia and tropical regions of East Asia. Although the exact origin is uncertain, it is considered to be a hybrid of Magnolia champaca and Magnolia montana.

Magnolia × alba is widely cultivated as an ornamental in Asia, particularly tropical and subtropical regions of China and Southeast Asia for the strongly fragrant flowers.

This great white flowering shrub is primarily used as a natural hedge or screen. Large enough to block out views of unsightly adjacent land uses and even cloak unsavory odors with its fragrant flowers. Works well in sideyards to divide multistory homes with foliage. May even have some sound attenuation benefits when used streetside to mitigate taffic noise. It also serves as excellent evergreen background for large garden features such as a palapa or gazebo.

In Taiwan, the flowers are plucked from trees before they open and bunches of them are strung together on wire, to be sold at roadside to truck and taxi drivers. The flowers remain fragrant for several days, before wilting and being disposed of.

In Indonesia, the pleasantly fragrant flower is used and arranged together with Jasminum sambac as flower garland, especially wore by brides during traditional wedding ceremony. The flowers are similarly used in Thailand, where they are worn as traditional wedding garlands by the bride and groom.

An essential oil is extracted from the flowers. In China, where it is known as bai lan (白蘭), the flowers are used to prepare yulan tea. In traditional Chinese medicine, the flowers are used to move qi and relieve cough.