Tropical Singapore can surprise its people, twice a year.
You are now experiencing a “September spring,” the second of two blooming seasons each year.
Flowering time is usually triggered when heavy rains occur after a hot, dry period. In Singapore, March to April and August to September are the months during which this happens.
Residents are in luck as species such as the trumpet tree, pink mempat and yellow flame tree are flourishing.
Trumpets in bloom along the Singapore River near Kim Seng Road earlier this month. These trees are also commonly known as pink poui, but are often affectionately called “Singapore cherry blossoms”. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
The canopy of the yellow flame tree, which has clusters of bright yellow flowers that are about three centimeters in size, along Tiong Bahru Road on September 11, 2020. It is widely planted along the edges of the roads for its wide and beautiful crown and bright yellow flowers that occasionally cover the entire tree. PHOTO SAN: KEVIN LIM
And you don’t need to try your luck if you want to see them; To find out where the flowering trees are, please log into the TreeSG website here.
The online platform, which launched earlier this year, allows the public to share photos of flowering trees.
For example, those looking to see a tree can enter “trumpet tree” or its scientific name Tabebuia rosea and click “Am I blooming?” on site for exact locations.
Pink mempat trees in bloom provided a nice backdrop at Marine Cove in East Coast Park last week. The tree has light pink flowers and is a native species that was planted by founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1963 to mark the start of the national tree planting campaign in Singapore. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN
An elevated bridge at Lorong 1 Toa Payoh last Wednesday, adorned with bougainvilleas that had bloomed profusely in the recent humid weather. Bougainvillea is widely cultivated in Singapore because it is a plant that blooms throughout the year in the hot and humid climatic conditions of the Republic. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Blooming garlic vines outside the Nanyang Polytechnic at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 last Thursday. These plants are woody climbers with odorless leaves that give off a distinctive garlic smell only when crushed, which earned them the common name garlic vine. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
There are around 15,000 Tabebuia rosea trees in Singapore, and some places to enjoy the beautiful flowers are Bedok Road, Punggol Park, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, and Singapore River Promenade.
Oh Cheow Sheng, National Parks Board Urban Landscape Group Director, said: “We have been very encouraged by the response to trees.sg, where members of the public have been sending Treemails to their favorite trees and giving them virtual hugs. We urge you to more people to explore the platform to learn more about our trees and how they are cared for. “
Bougainvilleas on an elevated bridge on Bishan Road near Bishan Park in September 2020. Bougainvilleas are commonly found around the island, especially on elevated bridges and roads. It is widely grown in Singapore because it blooms year-round in hot, humid climates. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Trumpet trees (Tabebuia rosea) blooming along the Singapore River near Kim Seng Road on September 4, 2020. These large, showy flowers have five petals and create a stunning flower display. When they fall, they retain their color for a few days, forming a spectacular pink or white carpet around the tree. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Aside from the seasonal blooms, there are also plants that bloom all year round, such as bougainvillea; or they exhibit waves of young, reddish leaves, such as tropical crepe myrtle and kelat oil.
The blooming seasons have stabilized in Singapore, for now.
In general, plants evolve to respond physiologically to changes in the environment and flowering patterns will change in accordance with increased climatic variability.
Cratoxylum maingayi tree in full bloom at Jurong Lake Gardens on September 9, 2020. The tree can grow up to 10m tall. The flowers have pale pink or white petals and are pollinated by insects.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Yellow trumpet flowers seen outside Maybank Tower in Fullerton Square on September 11, 2020. Slightly fragrant, their bright yellow trumpet-shaped flowers are up to 5 cm long. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
Other environmental factors that affect flowering include temperature, light, and humidity levels.
An outing to see the flowers in bloom is a way to stop and smell the roses, with the coronavirus pandemic effectively ending leisure travel.
The blooms of these bright shower trees added some color to this stretch of Commonwealth Avenue last Thursday. Trees can grow up to 7m tall, providing shade for pedestrians.ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
People cycle through the bougainvillea garden in East Coast Park during the September school holidays on September 7, 2020. Bougainvillea is a plant native to tropical South America. Its common name is Paper Flower. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN
