Mumbai’s cherry blossom trees turn city roads into springtime trails

While driving along the Eastern Express Highway recently, you may have noticed something different. A long stretch near Vikhroli is covered with numerous pink flower trees, also called Tabebuia heterophylla or pink trumpet trees. They look similar to Japanese cherry blossom trees. The busy road of Mumbai is now an ideal leisurely spot. Due to social media, these pink clusters have gone viral nationwide. Generally, during Feb-Mar, these kinds of Japanese cherry blossoms are also noticed in Bengaluru.

A piece of Japan in Mumbai: The city of dream turns pink

If you want to see a wonderful display of pink flowers on trumpet trees, one place to check is the Vikhroli stretch of the Eastern Express Highway. However, don't overlook other locations where trumpet trees can be found throughout the city, such as in Borivali, Powai and Sion. In South Mumbai, these flowering trees are visible close to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal, Lion's Gate in Fort, Bombay Stock Exchange, Rani Bagh, and at Mahim Nature Park. Several flowering trees can also be seen in Nerul, Belapur, and throughout Navi Mumbai.

Typically, fast-growing and somewhat deciduous trees, these trees range between 25 and 30 feet in height when fully mature. Municipalities regularly plant these trees due to their low maintenance requirements as well as their low water needs. Thus, making it an appropriate tree choice for busy metropolitan areas.

The blooms of tabebuia trees are typically trumpet-shaped and pink with a yellowish hue. The short clusters of bloom give the tree a soft canopied appearance when in full bloom. Jitendra Pardeshi, the Superintendent of BMC Gardens, notes that tabebuia trees normally flower between December and February; however, this year many have flowered in March.

Mumbai is home to around  29.75 lakh trees. Among these, there are 6580 individual pink trumpet trees. The native area for these trees is found in South America’s Caribbean islands and Honduras’ Swan Islands. The pink trumpet tree has successfully adjusted to Mumbai’s urban areas. In addition to Tabebuia heterophylla, other types of tabebuia planted within the city include Tabebuia berteroi and Tabebuia aurea.

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