Showers bring early pop of colour to the urban jungle

Pretty in pink: 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. — The Straits Times/ANN

Clusters of pink, red and yellow are giving Singapore’s streets zest earlier than usual.

Bountiful rainfall in February brought relief to the drier weather late in January, and precipitated a bloom among some of the more than 4,800 species of native and cultivated plants on the tropical island.

Burst of blooms: The non-native and ornamental cat claw ivy is suitable for landscaping on pergolas for its brilliant yellow flowers. — The Straits Times/ANN

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.

“In general, plants have evolved to respond physiologically to changes in the environment,” said Oh, adding that “flowering patterns will change in line with increased climate variability”. — The Straits Times/ANN