In Ho Chi Minh City, in the early days of January, clusters of milk flower blossoms begin to release their fragrance, signaling the city's gentle transition into the new season. In the evening, gentle breezes carry the delicate scent of milk flowers, evoking a sense of nostalgia in many.
According to the Vung Tau Urban and Greenery Development Joint Stock Company (UPC), the milkwood tree typically has small blossoms that are white or pale yellow when in bloom, emitting a subtle fragrance that permeates an entire neighborhood. Even a gentle breeze can intensify the scent, making it noticeable to anyone passing by. The fragrance usually becomes stronger towards the end of the season. Especially at night, the accumulated heat of the day further stimulates the milkwood tree to bloom profusely and release its fragrance further.
UPC statistics show that the three wards of Vung Tau, Tam Thang, and Rach Dua currently have approximately 194 milkwood trees, planted scattered along several streets such as Han Thuyen, Le Hong Phong, Ly Thuong Kiet; Quang Trung Flower Garden, Dai An area, Vung Tau Library, and some schools (Chi Linh Primary School, Phuoc Thang Secondary School, Phuoc Thang Primary School...). Milkwood trees are also planted in two long rows along some internal roads in the Chi Linh Urban Center. This is the area with the most milkwood trees, with 143 trees that are decades old or older.
Every year, in late autumn and early winter, along these inner roads, the milkwood trees bloom profusely, filling every alley and every house with their intoxicating fragrance. While in many other places, such a high density of milkwood trees might be unpleasant due to its overwhelming scent, here, due to the unique characteristics of the area, the sea breeze carries away most of the fragrance, leaving only a light, gentle, and memorable scent. Beyond the fragrance, the fallen, creamy white milkwood blossoms on the sidewalks and pathways, like snowflakes, create a unique and captivating beauty.
Unlike the typical scent of milk flower that accompanies the chilly early winter in Hanoi , the milk flower in the South has something quite unique. The fragrance of milk flowers, mixed with the slightly salty air of the coastal region, evokes in travelers the image of the pure beauty of the milk flower, a gentleness that has been immortalized in poetry through the fragrant lyrics of musician Hong Dang: “The milk flowers are still sweetly fragrant at the street corner night after night. How could you possibly forget me?…”
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/mua-hoa-sua-ve-nong-nan-con-pho-post831889.html
