• Specie: African Tulip tree (spathodea campanulata 火焰木)
• Location: end of Wun Sha Street, Tai Hang; Wanchai; edge of the tennis courts of the IRC on Eastern Hospital Road.

No, I’m not talking about some bigger than life diamond veiled in mystery and intrigue, but something no less glamorous. The African Tulip tree does come from Africa and it does bring bright and beautiful ornaments to Hong Kong, but it does it with its blooms, which are huge, ostentatious and now emerging in select areas of the city.

This particular individual is found at the end of Wun Sha Street in Tai Hang. It’s quite a tall tree so I couldn’t get a close shot of the flowers on the branches. That said, one fell to the ground completely intact to pose for me.

As you can see, the wallet-sized flowers are spectacular. They also give the specie its scientific name, spathodea campanulata, which refers to Greek words describing the hoodie-like structure of its flowers.

African Tulip trees are quite common across Hong Kong, but in select districts and areas. These bordering the Indian Recreation Club are in full bloom.”

Other areas to find these trees are:

Wanchai is full of them. There are lone individuals on Johnston Road, Wanchai Road near the market and others. 

I’ve also seen a row of them on the street near the Kowloon Motor Bus Depot facing Manhattan Hill Towers near Mei Foo. 

There is also a tall, mature specimen in Happy Vally alongside Wong Ngai Chung Rd between Blue Pool Road and Sing Woo Road facing the race course.

Look for those bright orange blooms next time you get a chance to browse the streets, you are bound to come across them.

Categories:African Tulip tree, Street trees, treelover, urbantrees, Urbantrees of Hong KongTags: African Tulip tree, Hong Kong tree, Street trees, Urban tree of Hong Kong