Come January, amid the din of traffic, India’s Silicon Valley is abloom with soft pink petals which pave over the busy streets of Bengaluru. The season of spring is marking its territory. The first three months of every year, the city witnesses the enthralling phenomenon of blushing trumpets. Often confused with Japanese Cheꦍrry blossoms, Bengaluru's Tabebuia Rosea trees are not native to the cit✱y but they have become a familiar sight that citizens look forward to every year.
Bathing the city in shades of soft pink, the Tabebuia roseas’ flowers bloom in a similar fashion to Cherry blossoms—during specific seasons of late winter or early spring. However, some bo🎶tanical gardens or parks may import cherry blossom trees for special displays or events. It's best to check with local botanical gardens or horticultural societies for any special exhibitions or imported trees. During their bloom season, Tabebuia trees create a beautiful spectacle sim𝓀ilar to the Cherry blossom festivals in Japan. Cherry blossoms are typically found in regions with a temperate climate, such as Japan, Korea, and certain parts of the United States.
Cherry blossoms, also known as Sakura, have their origins in Japan. They signify beauty, renewal, and the fleeting nature of life, and hold great cultural significance in Japanese society. The practice of Hanami,ꦺ which basically means flower viewing, during cherry blossom season is a centuries-old tradition in Japan. People gather to appreciate the delicate beauty of the blossoms. Hanami gatherings are popular in Japan, ✤and are celebrated with food, drinks, music, and sometimes poetry, with people typically picnicking under cherry blossom trees during the brief period when they are in full bloom. The practice symbolises the ephemeral nature of life and the beauty that can be found in fleeting moments.
India got its own version of Cherry blossoms—Pink trumpets—from the Britishers. Our colonial rulers pl💜anted the trees in Bangalore to remind themselves of the spring back in their native land, therefore valuing the exotic and ornamental species, just like ♐they did in other colonies in the world. Blooming during early spring, these trees are known for their wintery feeling.
India’s Colonial rulers had styled their colonies with Tabebuia Rosea to maꩵke the streets aesthetically pleasing. The first seeds of Tabebuia Rosea were planted in Bengaluru by botanists John Cameron and Gustav Herman Krunbiegel, who shaped Lal Bagh itself. Post-independence era, in the 1980s, horticulturist SG Neginhal picked up the practice of planting them as avenue trees across the city.
Years later Tabebuia Rosea trees flowering in their full glory line Bengaluru’s streets from January to March. Their blossoms are celebrated for their beauty and symbolism of renewal and transience. However, the tradition of Cherry blossom festivals and viewing parties, common in Japan and other countries, is still relatively new to In🅘dia.
In 2018, the Department of Horticulture in Karnataka announced plans to plant cherry blossom trees in Bengaluru's iconic Lalbagh Botanical Garden. The initiative was aimed at adding diversity to the garden's flora and attract tourists. Bengaluru, which is known for its beautiful gardens and parks, such as Lalbagh Botanical Garden and Cubbon Park, where visitors can enjoy a variety of flowering trees and plants native to the region serves its visitors to witness its very own beautiful version of Cherry blossom trees. While the trees may not bloom𝕴 as abundantly as in cooler climates, their presence adds to the city's botanical richness and offꦏers residents a chance to appreciate their beauty during the flowering season.
These efforts are part of initiatives to diversify the city's flora and enhance its beaut🐻y they are becoming increasingly associated with the city's botanical landscape and cultural events. If you're interested in experiencing Cherry blossoms, you may need to travel to regions where they are cultivated or visit botanical gardens that have specific species of cherry trees.
