Mar 20, 2010 - The Straits Times
S'pore Sakuras blooming
By
Huang Lijie
Indigenous to this region, the pink mempat bears
flowers with small pink petals and a yellow centre that resemble the
Japanese sakura, or cherry blossom, hence its nickname, 'Singapore
Sakura'. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
SAKURAS are blooming in Japan this month and so are Singapore's
version of the sakura tree, the pink mempat.
Indigenous to this region, the pink mempat bears flowers
with small pink petals and a yellow centre that resemble the Japanese
sakura, or cherry blossom, hence its nickname, 'Singapore Sakura'.
Like the Japanese sakura, the branches are almost bare when
the tree flowers, so the crown of pink buds bursting into bloom is
especially eye-catching.
Already, flowering pink mempat trees along Alexandra Road,
Choa Chu Kang Drive and Joo Chiat Road, have stopped pedestrians and
motorists in their tracks.
Retired teacher Angie Ng, 68, said: 'I stopped my car to
take a picture of these trees because they are so beautiful.'
The blooms are expected to last for between one and two
weeks.
