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| Flower of fragrant rosewood bloom in a corner of Hà Nội. — VNS Photo Trương Văn Vị |
HÀ NỘI — When the chill of winter still lingers among bursts of golden sunlight, hoa sưa, the fragrant rosewood flower, begins to bloom along the streets and corners of the capital.
In Hà Nội, sưa flowers are most abundant on streets like Phan Đình Phùng, Hoàng Hoa Thám, Phan Chu Trinh and Thanh Niên. Not bright or overwhelmingly fragrant, the sưa flowers offer a gentle and serene feeling to the city’s residents.
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| The tiny, fragile fragrant rosewood flowers. — VNS Photo Trương Văn Vị |
Fragrant rosewood is a light-loving tree that thrives in high humidity. After the damp, drizzly days of spring, Hà Nội becomes more romantic and gentle, adorned with the pure white blossoms of sưa flowers blooming in the streets.
The blossoms grow in clusters from the leaf axils, emitting a subtle fragrance. These tiny blooms emerge as delicate buds before blossoming into pristine white clusters.
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| The blossoms grow in clusters. — VNS Photo Trương Văn Vị |
Sưa flowers are most beautiful when they bloom in the morning. This is the perfect time to capture images of these exquisite blossoms.
In bloom for only 2 to 3 weeks each year, when sưa flower petals fall, they give way to fresh green leaves. This fleeting season brings a unique beauty, captivating many who are enchanted by the flowers’ pristine fragrance and pure white colour.
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| Fragrant rosewood blossoms add a poetic touch to Hà Nội. — VNS Photo Trương Văn Vị |
According to Nguyễn Thanh Hằng, a resident from Ba Đình District, sưa flowers possess a pristine beauty. One must have a sensitive soul to appreciate their delicate charm and the gentle, soothing fragrance of sưa blossoms.
“I love wildflowers that are small and grow in clusters. Sưa flowers are just like that. What makes sưa special is their pristine white colour. When the wind blows under the tree’s canopy, the tiny sưa blossoms dance in the air, resembling a snowfall. These are the qualities I adore about sưa flowers,” Hằng said.
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| Two young woman take photos by a fragrant rosewood in full bloom. — VNS Photo Trương Văn Vị |
Amid the hustle and bustle of the streets, the white sưa flowers offer a soothing respite, easing burdens and alleviating worries, balancing the vibrant colours of urban life. Each corner adorned with sưa blooms evokes a sense of nostalgia for the essence of Hà Nội. VNS
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| A couple sitting in front of a fragrant rosewood tree in Thống Nhất Park. — VNS Photo Trương Văn Vị |
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| The white blossoms charm both Hà Nội residents and tourists alike. — VNS Photo Trương Văn Vị |
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