Every spring, both amateur and professional photographers flock to U Lam Terrace in Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan district to capture a fleeting glimpse of Handroanthus chrysanthus, also known as the golden trumpet tree or yellow poui tree, in full bloom.
On a fine day, the combination of bright blue skies and the textured granite walls of the residential terrace – a stone’s throw from the famous Ladder Street – create the ideal backdrop for a line of the trees and their magnificent, vibrant yellow blossoms.
The deciduous tree – formerly classified as Tabebuia chrysantha – is native to Central and South America and the Caribbean; it was named the national flower of Venezuela in 1948.
In Hong Kong, the trees usually bloom in March or April, and for just one or two weeks.
The shape of the blossom is said to resemble a wind chime, bell or trumpet. This inspired the tree’s Chinese name, which loosely translates as “yellow flower wind chime wood”, or “yellow bell wood”.
Hong Kong’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department lists a number of flowering species of note on its website, and the best times and places to view them; presently, it is tracking the progress of these golden blooms at four locations.
