Docynia indica blossoms brighten northwest forests

Visitors to Vietnam’s northwestern region these days are in for a treat: the poetic beauty of mountainsides blanketed in a sea of white docynia indica blossoms. It also gives them a chance to discover more about the flowers, which are an important part of local life.

Nam Nghiep village in Muong La district in Son La province is located 2,000 above sea level. It is home to 750 people from the H’mong ethnic group. Every February or March, the tao meo (docynia indica) are in full bloom. This is also a time when tourists or couples visit to capture memorable moments among the blossoms. 

Nam Nghiep is among several tourism highlights in Ngoc Chien commune, which is home to around 1,600 ha of docynia indica trees, 800 of which are hundreds of years old. 

As a multi-purpose tree, docynia indica both increases forest cover and provides a means of living for local people. In recent years, local people have identified ways to utilise the beauty of the flowers to attract visitors from afar./.

VNA