Can you tell the name of this flower?

Yes, can you please tell me the English or botanical name of this flower? Apparently this flower is quite popular among the Tibetans. Its Tibetan name is Dolma Metok (???????????????).



I like how these flowers are planted in used paper packets and old rusty tins. This white Dolma Metok is planted in a Amul milk packet. Amul dairy products are a favorite of exile Tibetans. [Amul, by the way, has an interesting story behind its inception as a farmers' cooperative society in the Indian state of Gujarat.] This photo was taken at Mussoorie's Tibetan temple and these flowers belong to an older monk, whose name I don't know. Tibetans are quite ingenious about their flower pots. My mother has a couple of begonia (Chuzin Metok) plants in broken thermos cases. My friend Tsering Chophel, in Clementown Dhondupling Settlement, has, for example, cut empty plastic jars into halves and made two flower pots, one with the lid on, of each plastic jar!

Gen Tamding-la, of Tibetan Homes School, told me how they used to take care of Dolma Metok. Apparently this is a perennial flower. Winters in Tibet are cold, so they keep the flowers indoor during night and they take it outside in the morning when the sun rises. Dolma metok is a special "ornament" of Losar (Tibetan new year) decoration. Interestingly, the white flowers have a nice subtle scent, which the red ones don't seem to have. Dolma metok also comes in yellow and other colours.



Here (above) is a close-up photo of Dolma Metok. Even the red ones on the back is Dolma Metok.



The older lama's flower collection overlooking the Himalayas. He has many kinds of geranium (Trung Trung Metok) and marigolds (Serchen Metok).



This (above) daisy-like flower is actually chrysanthemum. Now, there are many Tibetan names for chrysanthemum such as Khenpa (??????), Lugmig (????????) and Drangsong (?????????). Khenpa is the most commonly used name. Lugmig is the name used in Tibetan medicine, I think, so I should consult an expert on Tibetan medicinal plant names about this. And Drangsong, which means old sage or ascetic in Tibetan, is a specific kind of chrysanthemum. Drangsong metoks have fluffier blossoms with longer petals, see below.



If you wish to learn Tibetan flower names, see this post. I would love to hear from readers about flower names. Please share.