Shenzhen in Bloom: Fragrant orchid trees create dreamscapes

Editor’s note:

Spring is in full swing, which is great news for flower lovers. From adorable trumpet-shaped flowers to delicate cherry blossoms to undulating yellow rapeseed flower carpets, flowering plants adorn Shenzhen all year around, but more prominently in this season. It’s not difficult to find a small sea of flowers in this city with 1,260 parks, and these colorful buds are even ubiquitous along busy streets amid all their hustle and bustle. This series, “Shenzhen in Bloom,” will give a glimpse of these picturesque places to celebrate abundance as well as beauty in the natural world of Shenzhen.

Prized for its orchid-like flowers, the orchid tree (Bauhinia variegata) is a common landscape tree in Shenzhen that blooms abundantly from winter through early summer. They can be found in many communities and parks as well as along the streets. They are called orchid trees because the blooms resemble flowers growing on orchid plants. Most orchid tree flowers have five petals and long arching stamens. The pink, white, purple, and red flowers often give off a delightful scent. Along some major roads in Shenzhen and in some parks like the Pinghu Ecological Park in Longgang District and Xiangmi Park in Futian Distrct, pink and white orchid tree flowers are creating idyllic dreamscapes. The leaves of the tree are themselves beautiful and distinctive. The leathery, double-lobed green leaves look like the print of a cow’s hoof. Some species of orchid trees are evergreen trees; still others are deciduous trees that drop their leaves during the dry season or in winter.

①Pinghu Ecological Park

Add: the intersection of Shengtaiyuan Road and Yuanchao Road, Longgang District (龙岗区生态园路与远超路交叉口西南方向121米平湖生态园)

Metro: Line 10 to Huanancheng Station (华南城站), Exit D and then walk 400 meters

②Xiangmi Park

Add: Nongyuan Road Xiangmi Park, Futian District (福田区农园路香蜜公园)

Metro: Line 7 to Nonglin Station (农林站), Exit C and then walk 400 meters

③Along Binhe Boulevard and Binhai Boulevard (滨河大道&滨海大道)

④Shenzhen Central Park (深圳中心公园)

Metro: Line 3 or 7 to Huaxin Station (华新站), Exit D; Line 2 or 7 to Huaqiang North Station (华强北站), Exit C; Line 3 or 10 to Lianhuacun Station (莲花村站), Exit B中心公园

⑤ Along Nanhai Boulevard

Tips: ①Take Metro Line 9 to Shenzhen Book City Nanshan Store Station (南山书城站), and then walk northward to the west gate of Shenzhen University.

(可乘坐地铁9号线到南山书城站，向北步行至深圳大学西门欣赏沿路花景。)

②Best time for phototaking is from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

(早上9-10点，下午4-6点为最佳拍摄时间。)

The Pinghu Ecological Park in Longgang District and Xiangmi Park in Futian Distrct are attracting visitors for their pink and white orchid tree flowers that create idyllic dreamscapes. Photos by Liu Minxia and courtesy of wechat account "hkmaimaijun"