It is around this time when cherry blossoms are in full bloom in Japan. We wouldn't blame you if you are among the thousands of travelers hoping to experience the pink flutter of petals in some of Japan's famous parks—we want to participate in hanami, too. But, if for some reason (coughs, travel costs, coughs) you are unable to go to the Land of the Rising Sun, we've got a local alternative for you. Make your way to the Laguna Lake Highway, a.k.a. C6 Road, and check out the pink trumpet trees in full bloom.
Check out these cherry blossom-like blooms in Taguig:
These deceptive Sakura look-a-likes are pink trumpet trees with the scientific name Tabebuia rosea. The plant species originated from West Indies and Central America, but they thrive in tropical weather and in areas with lots of sunlight, making the Philippines a viable option.
Currently, these trees cover a total of 21 kilometers of the Laguna Lake Highway's center islands and northbound and southbound bike lanes. These tropical ornamental trees grow as high as 30 meters with a diameter of about 100 centimeters. Pink trumpet trees are typically planted along sidewalks and parks because they are big trees that offer tons of shade.
The pink trumpet's flowers are either pastel pink, very similar to cherry blossoms, or pale white. Flowering is typically triggered by heavy rains after a long hot, and dry spell. This tree is usually in full bloom between March and April and last for several days before they wilt. Since the entire tree can be covered in flowers, you can expect the ground near pink trumpets to be covered in a pink carpet of flowers.
Noticeably, the pink trumpets along C6 Road are still relatively short and young, but with lots of care, these trees can grow really big and make this highway more than just another road. The pink trumpet trees were first planted in 2015 as part of a local government initiative to decrease the carbon footprint in the area. Today, not only do they help make air quality better, but they also make biking, skating, or even driving around the long stretch aesthetic.
For more information, visit I Love Taguig's Facebook page.
This story originally appeared on Spot.ph.
* Minor edits have been made by the Cosmo.ph editors.
