Cherry-like apricot blossoms brighten Lang Biang plateau

About 300km northeast of Ho Chi Minh City and at an altitude of 1,500m above sea level, Da Lat has a cool climate. It is seen as a garden of flowers that blooms all year round and is famous for its pine forests and many beautiful waterfalls and lakes.

Lang Biang is considered as a rooftop of  Da Lat. To reach the Lang Biang peak mountain, visitors have to walk through the pine forest then open up a majestic landscape. Lang Biang is an attractive destination that you should not miss when traveling to Dalat.  

When Mai anh dao (Prunuscesacoides) flowers bloom, it means spring and Tet are coming to Lang Biang. It is where the flower forest interspersed between pine forest to create an impressive picture of nature. Crossing the hills, visitors can admire peaceful and quite scenes separate from the bustling city.

This variety of flower was given its name because its branches and trunk look like that of a peach tree while its flowers are the same as an apricot with five pointed-bills and the tree’s posture is like the Japanese Anh dao tree.

It is a native flower of Da Lat and has grown in the area for over 100 years. The tree is about 5-6m high with a 2-3m wide canopy. When it blooms in middle January, the tree, from the root to the top, are brilliant with flowers which fade after more than one month. New fruit starts appearing on branches in March and when they ripen they become purple with a sour taste. 

According to some researchers, the trees are native to Da Lat, but others say they were imported from elsewhere. In October, the tree’s leaves turn yellow and fall, leaving bare branches during the winter. When spring arrives, the trees awaken and flower from root to top. The flowers last for half a month.