タイ桜/ Pink trumpet tree; Thai Sakura, Tabebuia rosea

日本で桜が咲く４月頃、薄い紫がかったピンク色の花を咲かせるチョンプー・パンディップ（パンディップさんのピンクの花；花を導入した王族の奥様の名前に由来）。遠目で見ると桜に少し似ていることと、日本の桜の時期に近い時期に咲くことから、日本人の間でタイ桜とも呼ばれているらしい。近づくと花はかなり大振りなうえ、花弁が繋がったまま散ったりと桜とは随分違うが、ピンクの花を見ると桜と名づけるのは、円錐形の山を見ると富士、赤い魚を見ると鯛と呼んでしまう日本人の習性なのかもしれない。

In Bangkok, light pinkish violet flowers of “Pink trumpet tree” bloom in April when Cherry bloom in Japan. Thai name of this flower; chomphu phanthip, meaning of pink flower of Madam Phanthip; (Madam Phanthip is an ancient royal family). Since the figure of tree blooming looks a little bit similar to Cherry from a distance and flower season is similar, it is sometimes called “Thai Cherry” from Japanese people. However when you look it closer, you can see many differences such a s flower of chomphu phanthip is much larger and it all petals drops together when it falls, It could be Japanese nature who call “Sakura to pink blossom, “ Fuji” to cone-shaped mountain, and “Tai; Red Sea Bream to red fish.