Amid spring days, some streets in Hanoi are becoming increasingly elegant for visitors to enjoy the pristine beauty of Ban trees in full bloom.
Soon after Tet holiday in February and March, Hanoi’s street scenery changed their appearance with beautiful purple Ban (Bauhinia flower) Flower.
Originating from the north-western mountainous region, the Ban flowers are often poetic inspiration in allusion to the charm and beauty of Thai and Tay ethnic minorities women. Photo: Cao Anh Tuan
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the cold weather in the late days of the Lunar New Year, the Bac Son street and surrounding areas still attract youths come to admire the flowers’ beauty and snap some shots.
The Ban Flower season starts in spring, adorning Hanoi streets with their pure beauty. The flowers can be white, or red, but the majority are purple. Photo: Cao Anh Tuan
It is a great chance to enjoy a peaceful and fresh atmosphere when strolling along the Hanoi streets where Ban Flowers are in full bloom. Photo: Cao Anh Tuan
Thanh Nien, Hoang Dieu and some Hanoi streets are dressed with the purple color of the flowers. Photo: Cao Anh Tuan
Amid colds weather and rain, the whole Bac Son street is still extraordinarily beautiful with vivid light-purple colour of Ban Flower blooming everywhere. Photo: Doan Bach
As this year’s weather is rainy and cold, the Ban Flowers in Hanoi bloomed about 2-3 weeks earlier than usual. Quite a few Ban flowers have now already fallen in Hoang Dieu street, Ba Dinh district. Photo: Cao Anh Tuan
Ban flowers are scentless. Each flower consists of four to five petals, pink pistil and purple veins. A Ban tree is two to six meters tall. It has rough, grey bark and abundant long branches. Photo: Cao Anh Tuan
The first ever Ban Flower tree was plant in Bac Son street in Hanoi, in front of President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, around the Hoan Kiem and the West Lake in 1960s. Photo: Cao Anh Tuan
It is said that Ban flower symbolizes sincerity, faithfulness and constancy in love. The Ban flowers can also be eaten as salad or boiled dishes accompanying with some specialties of ethnic minority groups. Photo: Cao Anh Tuan
Photographing Ban Flowers in full bloom every spring is the joy of many young people in Hanoi. It can be easily seen the image of a girl wearing a charming ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) stands next to a Ban flower tree, trying to find ideas for posing. Photo: VnTrip
Thuy Duong
