Recently, Kuala Lumpur city have turned into white and pink thanks to our very own “Cherry Blossoms”. According to the KL municipality council, there are actually 10,030 Tecoma trees planted by the city council all over Kuala Lumpur city itself. You can find at least 1,173 of these trees on the roadside, such as my photos. When I read about these pretty Tecoma trees that are blossoming right now for the next 2 weeks, I quickly took the opportunity to take a drive to see it for myself. It was beginning to get quite crowded thanks to social media postings and news coverages. So, do plan to go early and be patient when taking photos.
TBH, I never knew Malaysia had it’s own “Sakura”, with the travel bubble being at a halt since last year. It was a sight to my eyes to see these pretty pinkies and whites. I never gotten a chance to see cherry blossom in Japan but am glad i’ve experienced a Malaysian version.
Apparently, these Tecoma trees are available in a few states within Peninsula i.e Kuala Lumpur, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Cyberjaya and Melaka. If you happen to live within these states, be sure to visit and see for yourselves. Where exactly in KL you can find these spots : Batu Muda, Sentul, Setapak, pockets of Mont Kiara and Shah Alam. According to the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) website, the Tecoma tree, also known by its scientific name Tabebuia pentaphylla, is native to Central and South America and is often planted along roadsides and gardens to beautify the landscape.
I hope each year, us Malaysians would pay a visit to see these lovelies.
What do you think of our version of “Sakura”? Do share your experiences?