SINGAPORE – Clusters of pink, red and yellow gave Singapore’s streets zest earlier than usual in 2026.
Bountiful rainfall in February
brought relief to the drier weather late in January, and mprecipitated a bloom among some of the more than 4,800 species of native and cultivated plants on the tropical island.
This was ahead of the two flowering periods flowering trees here usually experience – between March and April, and between August and September – said National Parks Board group director for streetscape Oh Cheow Sheng.
“Flowering is usually triggered when heavy showers occur after a hot and long dry spell, such as in the recent few weeks,” Mr Oh said.
Decorating the streets with crowns of pink and white were trumpet trees (Tabebuia rosea), affectionately dubbed Singapore’s cherry blossoms for their resemblance to sakura trees in Japan.
Trumpet trees flowering at Tampines Concourse Bus Interchange on Feb 27. The trees give Singapore its own version of Japan’s signature sakura flowers, or cherry blossoms.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Named for its trumpet-shaped flowers, this non-native species can grow to about between 18m and 35m. Its flowers, which stay in bloom for several days before wilting, carpet the ground around the tree after falling off.
The trumpet tree grows up to 35m tall. Its flowers stay in bloom for several days before wilting.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
In some corners, a more striking red drew attention.
When in bloom, the free-flowering red powderpuff plant (Calliandra tergemina var. emarginata) provides nectar for bees and butterflies, before wilting after two or three days. Its unopened flowers buds resemble bunches of red berries.
