Colourful Hyderabad Blossoms in Spring

 Hyderabad: Soft pink clusters, bursts of yellow and cascades of magenta have begun colouring Hyderabad’s streets, parks and neighbourhoods, prompting many residents to call them “cherry blossoms”. Botanists say the trees responsible are tropical trumpet trees that bloom briefly every year as the city moves into the dry summer season.

Across several roads ornamented by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), almost a decade ago, particularly along corridors developed around the Outer Ring Road, several main roads in the city, Tabebuia rosea and Tabebuia aurea have entered full bloom. The ornamental avenue trees belong to the Bignoniaceae family and produce trumpet shaped flowers in shades of pale pink, white and bright yellow.

“They are not cherry blossom trees,” said Prof Vijay Bhasker Reddy, associate professor in the department of Botany at Osmania University. “What people see in Hyderabad are species such as Tabebuia rosea, which has light pink flowers, and Tabebuia aurea, which produces yellow trumpet blooms. These trees flower in spring and early summer after shedding leaves. The energy that would normally sustain the leaves is diverted to flowering, which is why we see such intense blooming,” he said.

The phenomenon is closely tied to Hyderabad’s dry deciduous climate, where trees respond to rising temperatures and falling moisture levels by shedding foliage.

“In our dry deciduous forest areas, summer is a season of heat, dryness and leaf fall. Trees shed leaves to reduce water loss, and at the same time many species produce bright flowers and fruits,” said Dr Veera Kishore Ikkruthi, botanist at the Botanical Garden in Kondapur.

“Without leaves covering the branches, the flowers become very visible. They attract birds, insects and butterflies which depend on nectar during this season,” he said.

According to Ikkruthi, the flowering cycle typically begins around mid February and continues until April or mid May, depending on temperature changes. Newly planted trees generally take about three years to start flowering.

“These trumpet flowers are an important seasonal food source. When other food becomes scarce in summer, the nectar supports pollinators such as bees, butterflies and birds. In this way the plant secures pollination and animals receive nourishment,” he explained. Similar flowering behaviour is also seen in several native Telangana species such as moduga, kondagogu and baditha, which bloom during the dry season.

Beyond the trumpet trees, other ornamental plants also contribute to the city's seasonal colour. Prof K Shailaja, chairperson of the Board of Studies in the department of botany at Osmania University, said many flowering species thrive in Hyderabad's warm and relatively dry conditions.

“These plants need minimal watering and adapt well to dry climates. Lantana produces clusters of small tubular flowers that attract butterflies and other pollinators, while oleander is an evergreen shrub with white, pink and red blooms commonly grown in warm regions.”

She said bougainvillea, belonging to the Nyctaginaceae family, is widely used as a climber on compound walls and gates because it is drought tolerant and produces bright colourful bracts that resemble flowers.

Other ornamental plants commonly seen across gardens and residential spaces include petunia, gerbera, asters, euphorbia, russelia and vinca rosea (periwinkle), many of which are well suited to the city's summer conditions. Vinca rosea is also known in medicine for compounds such as vincristine and vinblastine, used in anti cancer treatments.

Ikkruthi said the seasonal bloom will soon be followed by another natural spectacle. “By April and May, some tall trees release winged seeds that spin like helicopters as they fall to the ground, which have been specifically planted at the Botanical Garden to be viewed,” he said.