Golden shower in full bloom lights up capital city

Flowers are like a mirror of the seasons, reflecting the passage of time. Golden shower trees, or Muong Hoang Yen in Vietnamese, are in blossom and decorate the streets of the capital city of Hanoi with their brilliant yellow, telling people that summer is finally here. The Muong Hoang Yen blooming season starts in May and lasts until the end of July. Residents enjoy a stroll around the streets dazzled by shimmering golden flowers, despite the hot and sunny weather. Every tree is covered with countless bunches of yellow flowers and green buds, dazzling the streets as though they come from paradise. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Besides the Vietnamese name of 'Muong Hoang Yen', the golden shower is also called 'Lantern Flower', 'Water Scorpion', 'Yellow Scorpion', and 'Late Blooming Apricot', among others. The trees are in their full glory this time of the year. They grow best in places with full sunlight and good drainage. The tree is usually 10 or 20 meters high, with a trunk diameter of about 40 centimetres. In Vietnam, the species grows wild in forests in the Central Highlands provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, and Dak Nong. It is also grown in other big cities, besides Hanoi, such as Nha Trang, Da Lat, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Together with giant crape myrtle and flamboyant blossoms, golden shower blossoms add vibrancy and joy to the city’s streets during the summertime. The species is native to the Indian subcontinent and adjacent regions of Southeast Asia. It can be seen throughout India, to Myanmar and Thailand and also in Sri Lanka and southern Pakistan. It is a popular ornamental plant and also used in herbal medicine. In Vietnam, a golden shower tree is usually 10 to 20 metres tall with a trunk diameter of about 40 centimetres. Its yellow flowers come in clusters, each being around 20 centimetres long, with dozens of small, beautiful flowers along with buds. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Each of these splendid flowers has five small petals that look like tiny lanterns hung from above. Their mild sweet fragrance is most intense early in the morning. However, the beautiful flowers are short-lived, with their blooming season lasting only about a month and a half. The species is native to the Indian subcontinent and adjacent regions of Southeast Asia. It ranges from eastward throughout India to Myanmar and Thailand and south to Sri Lanka and southern Pakistan. The golden shower is both the national tree and national flower of Thailand and is known as “dok khuen”. Its yellow flowers symbolise Thai royalty. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Golden shower trees grow best where there is good sunlight and drainage, although they are tolerant of drought and salinity. Its yellow flowers grow in clusters, each being around 20 centimetres long, with dozens of small, beautiful flowers and buds. Its blooming season starts in May and lasts until late July. Flowering is profuse, with trees being covered with yellow flowers, many times with no leaves being seen. The tree is planted extensively as an ornamental plant in many Southeast Asian countries. Together with giant crape myrtle and flamboyant blossoms, golden shower blossoms add vibrancy and joy to Hanoi streets during the summertime. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

In Laos, blooming golden shower flowers, known locally as “dok khoun,” are associated with the Lao New Year. People use the flowers as offerings at the temple and also hang them in their homes for the New Year in the belief that the flowers will bring happiness and good luck to the households. They normally use golden shower blossoms to mix with clean water, turmeric and perfume to make the holy water for pouring on Buddha statues in their houses and temples, as well as on elderly people, which shows their respect. At parties, Lao women might be seen creatively wrapping the flower branches around their heads to make themselves look beautiful. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Golden shower flowers enter full bloom along Nguyen Van Huyen street in Hanoi. The trees are covered with thousands of tiny yellow flowers, evoking a sense of tranquillity and pleasure among visitors to the lake. In Vietnam, it grows wild in forests of the Central Highlands provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, and Dak Nong. It is also grown in other big cities, besides Hanoi, such as Nha Trang, Da Lat, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. Flowering is profuse, with trees being covered with yellow flowers. Sometimes, they cover the leaves entirely. Their sweet fragrance is most intense early in the morning. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The tree is planted extensively as an ornamental plant in many Southeast Asian countries. The golden shower is both the national tree and national flower of Thailand and is known as dok khuen. In Laos, its blooming flowers known locally as dok khoun are associated with the Lao New Year. People use the flowers as offerings at the temple and also hang them in their homes for the New Year with a belief that the flowers will bring happiness and good luck to the family. They normally use golden shower blossoms to mix with clean water, turmeric and perfume to make the holy water for pouring on Buddha statues in their houses and temples as well as elderly people, which shows their respect. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Golden shower trees grow best where there is good sunlight and good drainage, although they are tolerant of drought and salinity. Its yellow flowers grow in clusters, each being around 20 centimetres long, with dozens of small, beautiful flowers and buds. Blooming season starts in May and lasts until late June. Flowering is profuse, with trees being covered with yellow flowers, many times almost no leaves can be seen at all. The tree is planted extensively for ornamental reasons in many Southeast Asian countries. The golden shower is both the national tree and national flower of Thailand and is known as “dok khuen.” Its yellow flowers symbolise Thai royalty. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

West Lake is a famous scenic spot in the capital city that gets dressed by these stunning yellow golden shower blossoms. Every tree is covered with countless bunches of yellow flowers and green buds, dazzling the streets as though they come from paradise. Each of these flowers has five small petals that look like tiny lanterns hung overhead. Their mild sweet fragrance is most intense early in the morning. But the beautiful flowers are short-lived, with the blooming season lasting only about a month and a half. The tree is native to the Indian subcontinent and adjacent regions of Southeast Asia. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Every tree is covered with countless bunches of yellow flowers and green buds, dazzling the streets as though they come from paradise. Each of these flowers has five small petals that look like tiny lanterns hung overhead. Their mild sweet fragrance is most intense early in the morning. But the beautiful flowers are short-lived, with the blooming season lasting only about a month and a half. Golden shower blossoms can be found on many streets across Hanoi, but the best place to enjoy the flowers’ beauty is at West Lake, where the sun, water, wind and flowers form a great combination that could not be any better for sightseeing, particularly at dawn. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The trees are covered with hundreds of tiny yellow flowers, evoking a sense of tranquility and pleasure among the visitors to the lake. In Vietnam, it grows wild in forests in the Central Highlands provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, and Dak Nong. It is also grown in other big cities, besides Hanoi, such as Nha Trang, Da Lat, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. Its blooming season starts in May and lasts until late June. Flowering is profuse, with trees being covered with yellow flowers, many times with almost no leaves seen at all. Their sweet fragrance is most intense early in the morning. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Golden shower blossoms can be found on many streets across Hanoi, but the best place to enjoy the flowers’ beauty is at West Lake, where the sun, water, wind and flowers form a great combination that could not be any better for sightseeing, particularly at dawn. The hue of the sky at dawn creates such a beautiful backdrop for the yellow flowers. Simply walking around the lake in the shadow of golden shower blossoms would fill your frame with pictures of the breathtaking scenery. The plants with wonderful brilliant yellow flowers can brighten up a corner of the lake, even when the tree stands alone. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Besides the Vietnamese name of “Muong Hoang Yen”, the golden shower is also called 'Lantern Flower', 'Water Scorpion', 'Yellow Scorpion', and 'Late Blooming Apricot', among others. Together with giant crape myrtle and flamboyant blossoms, golden shower blossoms add vibrancy and joy to Hanoi’s streets during the summertime. It is a popular ornamental plant and also used in herbal medicine in the Indian subcontinent and adjacent regions of Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, a golden shower tree is usually 10 to 20 metres tall with a trunk diameter of about 40 centimetres. Its yellow flowers grow in clusters, each being around 20 centimetres long, with dozens of small, beautiful flowers along with buds. (Photo: VietnamPlus)