The Geisha Sister of the Biznaga

If the Biznaga is the symbol of Malaga and the Wisteria is its sister Geisha.

Wisteria gazebo in the Botanical Garden

There's probably no other scent as closely associated with Málaga as that of the biznaga. Whether because it's become a symbol of the city, because it's typical of our land, or because of its significance.

Don't think the biznaga is something modern; its name comes from Arabic, meaning "gift of God," and we know that for centuries, it was used to perfume homes and as a natural remedy against mosquitoes. And, as tradition dictates, the person who sells biznaga, or "biznaguero," can't do so in any old way. They wear the traditional marengo costume, which consists of a white shirt with a red sash, black pants, and espadrilles. And they carry the biznaga skewers strung on a penca, that is, a prickly pear leaf.

But the biznaga has a sister.

Yes, you read that right, a Geisha sister.

A sister found in the Botanical Gardens named Glicinia.

Coming from the firmament of botanical stars that arrived in Malaga from China.

Freetour Malaga

In this intoxicating image, a slow shower of petals can be seen on the old gazebo, hovering over a festival of bees and bumblebees, whose nervous fluttering joins the murmur of a pond flanked by Adam's ribs, like a paradisiacal place impossible to imagine in the most succulent of dreams.

The Loring family planted twelve trunks to cover their gazebo in what is now the Botanical Garden. This wrought iron gazebo was made by the La Constanza de Heredia ironworks many years after the death of Manuel Agustín Heredia, and the business was in the hands of his son Tomás, brother of Amalia Heredia, the owner of the former La Concepción estate, and owner of the neighboring San José estate.

At the end closest to the pond, one of the twelve trunks that make up the enormous vine has vigorously twisted the nineteenth-century ironworks, replacing it and becoming the structure's support.

The estate was purchased by Jorge Loring Oyarzábal, Amalia Heredia Livermore's husband, in 1855. The palace and garden were built first, and between 1865 and 1870, the gazebo was built, which played a vital role in the hacienda's social life, serving as a place for sewing, tea parties, lunches, dinners, parties, and even regional dances.

The Wisteria, Star of the Botanical Garden, has celebrated its 140th anniversary since the Lorings planted it, and its cuttings have been sent to the palace of the Marquis of Salamanca on Madrid's Paseo de Recoletos and to botanical gardens throughout Spain.

It's clear that the sap of Málaga will continue to flow through its trees, and its flower petals will continue to rain down from its branches all over the world.

Learn about its history and many interesting facts on the free tours of Málaga that you shouldn't miss. Book for free now!