At the end of February and early March, in the cool humid spring weather, Hà Nội's streets become decorated as the tall, slender and fragrant rosewood trees (cây sưa in Vietnamese) bloom with white small flowers.
Hoa sưa, the flower of fragrant rosewood, arrives with white blooms like clouds hanging above the streets.
A relaxing white colour in the streets. — VNS Photo Trương Vị
The white colour puts people at ease and whenever the wind blows, thousands of tiny flowers swing in the air and their fragile petals fall on the road like snow.
Nothing is more tranquil than a walk under fragrant rosewood trees with white flowers, feeling the wind and the petals run over your skin.
Tiny fragile flowers. — VNS Photo Trương Vị
The flower adds another reason to fall in love with Hà Nội in March.
The flowers fully bloom very quickly. After a night, the whole tree may be covered with white flowers.
Two women take photos with the tree by Giảng Võ Lake. — VNS Photo Trương Vị
Then just after a few days, the flowers fall down and give way to bright green leaves.
The trees are planted on many streets, but Phan Đình Phùng, Hoàng Hoa Thám, Giảng Võ and Thanh Niên have the largets amount.
Around Lenin Park opposite the Flag Tower on Điện Biên Phủ Street, many fragrant rosewood trees stand with white flowers mingling with the violet colour of orchid trees.
The flowers draw both amateur and professional photographers. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhật Anh
At Hoàn Kiếm Lake, at the corner of Ngô Quyền and Lê Thạch streets, in Lý Thái Tổ Park, the flower is in full bloom.
The deciduous tree offers a high-quality wood, which is the reason while it has often been over-exploited and stolen from public places.
White flowers look like white clouds hanging on the streets. — VNS Photo Trương VỊ
In the last few years, Hà Nội authorities have planted more new trees of this kind and guarded the existing ones in parks.
Four compounds taken from the root of the tree, which is common in part of China and the north of Việt Nam, have been shown to contain antioxidant properties.
The fragrant rosewood tree is a highlight in the streets these days. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhật Anh
Don’t hesitate, forget the novel coronavirus and take a walk on the streets to explore the flowers’ beauty.
If you hesistate, in just a few days, they will all fall down and you'll have to wait till next spring to admire the white beauty. — VNS
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