"Mimosa, where did you come from?"

Báo Đắk Lắk•22/05/2023

06:32, 21/05/2023

“ Mimosa, where did you come from? Why did you come to this land? Da Lat, with its rolling hills and mountains, Da Lat, with its vast sky, clouds, and water…” The lyrics of this song resonate in my mind every time the mimosa blooms.

This year, the weather has been favorable, so the mimosa flowers are blooming beautifully, captivating everyone. The whole of Da Lat is ablaze with yellow, like a magnificent "mountain princess" in a dazzling, enchanting golden dress!

Mimosa trees near Bao Dai's palace.

The legend of the mimosa tells that, long ago in beautiful Australia, there was a handsome young man and a beautiful young woman deeply in love, vowing to be together for life. He was the son of a poor fisherman, strong, dark-skinned, intelligent, and the most talented man in the region. She was the daughter of a wealthy noble family, fair-skinned, blonde-haired, extremely beautiful, and kind-hearted. However, her parents forced her to marry a powerful count.

After countless unsuccessful attempts to refuse her, she resigned herself to her fate. Hearing that she was about to get married, he quietly went to the mountains to work as a forest ranger, trying to forget his hopeless love. One day, a fierce wildfire broke out. Ignoring the danger, he rushed into the flames to save the forest and the poor kangaroos. He tirelessly fought the fire until he collapsed and was burned to death without realizing it.

Hearing that her lover had left the sea for the forest, she fled on her wedding night to find him. But when she arrived, she found only his body in a pile of ashes. She wept bitterly day and night until she was exhausted, then collapsed and died beside him. Years passed, and at the place where the young couple died, a strange tree with vibrant green leaves and sparkling yellow flowers grew. Moved by the love story of the young couple, the locals named the flower mimosa – a beautiful name!

Mimosa flowers are considered a symbol of faithful and undying love. Today, couples give each other mimosa flowers to affirm their lifelong fidelity. Girls in Da Lat often press mimosa flowers into books to give to their lovers to express their purity and loyalty.

The entire city of Da Lat is ablaze with golden mimosa blossoms, like a magnificent "mountain maiden" resplendent in a dazzling, captivating golden dress.

Mimosa ( scientific name Mimosaceae) was introduced to Da Lat over 100 years ago. In Vietnam, only the mimosa grown in Da Lat blooms. Mimosa usually blooms year-round, but the peak blooming season is during the dry season (from October to April of the following year). Mimosa flowers are spherical, with a shimmering yellow color like silk, and clusters of buds bloom in successive waves. Mimosa flowers are beautiful at any time of day, but they are most stunning under moonlight, due to their shimmering, magical appearance.

Mimosa blossoms in vibrant yellow.

In Da Lat, there's a road named after the "Mimosa" flower. It's the 10-kilometer-long Mimosa Pass, the southern gateway to Da Lat (parallel to the Prenn Pass). Originally an imported species, the mimosa has now become closely associated with Da Lat. In this mountain city, mimosa is planted everywhere – in parks, schools, churches, temples, offices, villas, and tourist areas – to beautify the city. Many artisans in Da Lat have even created unique mimosa bonsai, which bring high economic value.

“I already know, my dear, because you love life high up, with the rustling pines. Because you love the Cam Ly waterfall, like life surging forth. Because you love the waters of Xuan Huong Lake, you love the city of a thousand flowers, which once captivated our hearts. Mimosa... you, mimosa... Mimosa flower” - the song “Mimosa” by composer Tran Kiet Tuong has touched the hearts of many who love Da Lat...

Ha Huu Net

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