(SPOT.ph) If you're not planning to catch a flight to Japan for cherry blossom season, there are other places you can go to for the same experience. There are visa-free countries like Taiwan and South Korea (Jeju), and there are also places within the Philippines such as the Sakura Park in Benguet.
If you're not particular about Prunus serrulata or its subspecies, this widens your options for catching other pink flower-bearing trees in the Philippines. In Mindanao, a row of pink trees started to blossom in the town of Malungon in Sarangani.
Also read:
Visa-Free Countries Filipinos Can Visit for a Sakura Experience
These Are the Best Months to Catch Cherry Blossoms in Japan
What are these cherry blossom-like trees in Sarangani?
These identical cherry blossom trees in Sarangani are pink trumpet trees with the scientific name Tabebuia rosea, also called Pink Poui. According to the Malungon Tourism Office, these were spotted along a road in Sitio Pulatana, Barangay Malandag, Malungon, Sarangani Province.
When these trees grow, they can go as high as 35 meters, and when the flowers start to bloom, their petals form a trumpet shape in varying colors of pink and white. The plant species is common in Mexico, Venezuela, and Ecuador, making it easy for the trees to thrive in the Philippines' tropical climate.
In case you're having a bad case of deja vu, this is not the first time Tabebuia rosea has been sighted in the country. These are the same pink trumpet flowers that were spotted along Laguna Lake Highway in 2023.
If you want to see these pink trumpet trees for yourself (and explore Sarangani), Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines both offer flights to General Santos International Airport.
For more information, check out Malungon Tourism Office's Facebook page.
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