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| The pink canopy |
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| Flower detail |
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| Banaba in bloom |
It is not exactly my favorite tree. But when I see a banaba tree in full bloom, the species is always moved on top of my list. I realized this again when I saw the lone banaba tree near Vargas Museum almost in full bloom regalia this morning. The tree advertises itself to the world telling us that it is still there. I almost forgot that the stretch of street where the College of Architecture is was once lined with clumps of banaba. I am not sure if the old trees are still there. It is only the Vargas Museum tree which I could remember to flower yearly.
Banaba is Lagerstroemia speciosa which is native to the Philippines and some neighboring Asian countries. When it is not in bloom, the tree is rather unremarkable. But come flowering season, the vibrant flower color transforms the dull crown into a stunning display of pink. Wild banaba in flower changes the color of the rainforest canopy.
3 comments:
We have old banaba trees in our property, somehow the flowers are different than those we now see lining the hiways. Besides, these new introduced ones flower early with a bit different flowering pattern.
Di kaya ang loudon variety?
So this is what Banaba looks like. It really looks good when in bloom. There are a few Banaba trees in Cebu Business Park—it is outnumbered by the Narra and Royal Poinciana trees.
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