(GLO) - I have just returned from Srơn village (Chư Krêy commune, Kông Chro district), where the vibrant yellow flame tree has been causing a sensation on social media these past few days.
In late May, Kông Chro experienced widespread scorching heat. The sun blazed down with thousands of intense rays. Yet, under the flame trees along the road in Srơn village, dozens of people patiently waited in the sun for their turn to take pictures with the carpet of golden flame tree blossoms, appearing in this area for the first time.
The flame tree is about 9 meters tall, with a trunk diameter of only about 0.35 meters at its widest point. It grows straight with many branches reaching upwards, laden with vibrant yellow flowers. From its exposed roots to its bark and trunk, its leaf type, and flower shape, this flame tree is no different from other ordinary flame trees. The only difference is the yellow color of its flowers compared to other flame trees of the same type that bloom in red, purple, white, pink, or colors close to yellow, as many people know and have seen. The unique and unusual color of this flame tree has attracted a number of people to come and take souvenir photos over the past few weeks, even though Srơn village is more than 20 km from the center of Kông Chro district and hundreds of kilometers from Pleiku.
In late May, Kông Chro experienced widespread scorching heat. The sun blazed down with thousands of intense rays. Yet, under the flame trees along the road in Srơn village, dozens of people patiently waited in the sun for their turn to take pictures with the carpet of golden flame tree blossoms, appearing in this area for the first time.
The flame tree is about 9 meters tall, with a trunk diameter of only about 0.35 meters at its widest point. It grows straight with many branches reaching upwards, laden with vibrant yellow flowers. From its exposed roots to its bark and trunk, its leaf type, and flower shape, this flame tree is no different from other ordinary flame trees. The only difference is the yellow color of its flowers compared to other flame trees of the same type that bloom in red, purple, white, pink, or colors close to yellow, as many people know and have seen. The unique and unusual color of this flame tree has attracted a number of people to come and take souvenir photos over the past few weeks, even though Srơn village is more than 20 km from the center of Kông Chro district and hundreds of kilometers from Pleiku.
Traveling over 30 km, the teachers of 30-4 Kindergarten in Cho Long commune took a commemorative photo next to a yellow flame tree in Srơn village. Photo: Nguyen Quang Tue.
After seeing photos of the yellow-flowered flame tree on social media, teacher Vu Thanh Tuyen and four colleagues from the 30-4 Kindergarten (Cho Long commune, Kong Chro district) decided to come and take pictures. They brought traditional ao dai dresses to get the best photos. Ms. Tuyen happily recounted: “After attending the year-end ceremony at school, my colleagues and I rode our motorbikes over 30 km to get here. Hearing about it from friends and seeing photos on social media, we thought the yellow-flowered flame tree was so unique that we were restless all week; we couldn't resist going to see it and take some pictures.”
Meanwhile, Dang Hong Tham (from Lo Po village, Chu Krey commune, a 10th-grade student at Ha Huy Tap High School) has become a tour guide for students from Le Quy Don Secondary School (Kong Chro town) to visit this unique and unusual flame tree. Tham shared that she feels very happy and proud that her commune has such a beautiful and unusual flame tree.
Similarly, Gan (from Srơn village) happily said: "My family lives here, so I know this flame tree very well. For the past few weeks, women from all over have been coming here all day to take pictures, dressed up in beautiful clothes. It's so much fun."
While stopping to admire the flame tree, I met Mr. Dinh Hoang Nguyen Son, a civil servant currently living and working in Pleiku City. He confided: “When I saw the pictures online, I initially thought they were photoshopped. Then, I came here with some colleagues hoping to see the flame tree with its golden flowers in person. When I arrived and saw how beautiful it was, I was truly amazed. Nature is truly amazing!”
Why is there this unusual flame tree? We went to find out. It turns out that the "creator" of the yellow flame tree that's currently trending on social media lives right in the house opposite it.
Mr. Hnhâch, who planted the yellow flame tree, around 2001. Photo: Nguyen Quang Tue
Mr. Hnhâch (born in 1937) recounted: Around 2001, the school in the commune gave him some flame tree saplings. He planted them on his land, which is now where his son, A Nơt, lives. Only two of the eight flame trees have survived to this day. One is tall and stands by the village road, while the other, also bearing yellow flowers but smaller, is hidden behind the house.
According to Mr. Hnhâch, many years ago, these two flame trees would bloom with red flowers in the summer as usual. However, in the last few years, they have started to change. Initially, half the tree had red flowers, and the other half had yellow flowers. From last year until now, true to the summer schedule, the flame tree has only had yellow flowers. "For the past few weeks, people have been coming here, parking their cars at my house and then taking pictures. I'm happy about that," Mr. Hnhâch said.
According to documents, the flame tree (or flamboyant tree) has up to five flower colors: red, pink, white, purple, and yellow. Some believe that the yellow flame tree originated in the Americas and is now planted in several places, including Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province.
Chư Krêy is a commune located in a revolutionary base area, in the northwest of Kông Chro district. The Bahnar people here mainly practice slash-and-burn agriculture, and their lives are still fraught with difficulties. Since the flame tree bloomed with vibrant yellow flowers, the peaceful village of Srơn has become more widely known.
Source: Gia Lai Newspaper - Nguyen Quang Tue
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