Chinese fringetrees, which bloomed earlier than usual, expected to be in full bloom in final week of April

The Chinese fringetrees (ipapnamu (ipap tree) in Korean) of Daegu, which herald the arrival of summer, are blooming throughout the city. Residents are encouraged to enjoy its white flowers, which are filling in the “void” left behind by the cherry blossoms, which bloomed and faded quicker than in previous years.

Bongdeok-ro, Nam-gu

Just as cherry blossoms are for spring, Chinese fringetree blossoms are the harbinger of summer. Flowers bloom for approximately 20 days from early May (the start of summer according to the lunar calendar). This year, as for the cherry blossoms, the flowers are already visible throughout Daegu due to higher temperatures.

There are several theories on the tree’s name, two of the most famous being that the white blossoms look like a full bowl of rice (“ibap” in Korean) and bloom at the start of summer (a seasonal division called “ipa” in Korean).

The Chinese fringetree, which was initially regarded as a useful tree for reforestation, began being planted along streets after it was discovered that the species has several advantages that are conducive to purifying an urban environment, including 1) the ability to thrive in shallow and nutrient-poor soil, 2) resistance to pests and polluted air, and 3) a relatively high absorption rate of exhaust and dust. Today, of Daegu Metropolitan City’s (DMC) 226,401 roadside trees, approximately 11% (25,083) are Chinese fringetrees.

Because the Chinese fringetree’s stamen, the part that holds the pollen, is tightly enclosed by the blossoms, very little pollen is able to leave the flower. The tree is often, however, misunderstood as the cause of pollen-related health problems due to the similarity of timing of its flowers blooming with the pollination period of pine and willow trees.

Apsansunhwan-ro (Wolchon Elevated Walkway~Apsan Elevated Walkway) of Dalseo-gu, Bongdeok-ro (19-gil, 20-gil, 21-gil) of Nam-gu, and Gomo-ro (Gosan Elementary School~Dongbu Middle School) of Suseong-gu are some of Daegu’s most beautiful Chinese fringetree-lined streets. Geumhogangbyeon-ro (Ansim Sports Park~Ansimgyo Bridge) of Dong-gu is especially scenic because the trees are planted along the Geumhogang River’s walking trail.

Choi Byeong-won, the head of DMC’s Forestry Division, said, “The Chinese fringetree blooms in early summer to fill Daegu with beautiful waves of white. I hope residents can make lasting memories with loved ones while walking along our city’s fringetree-lined streets.”