Relevant agencies are studying a possible relocation plan and will seek public feedback on moving some trees to more suitable locations, a source told Dantri/Dtinews on October 14.
Milk flower trees on a Hanoi street (Photo: Nguyen Hai).
Hanoi has about 14,400 milk flower trees planted along streets and in urban developments, according to statistics.
Streets where the trees grow include Nguyen Du, Tran Duy Hung, Trung Hoa, Trung Kinh, Duy Tan, Nguyen Chi Thanh, Me Tri, Ho Tung Mau, Quan Thanh, Dao Tan, Nguyen Khanh Toan, Quang Trung, Thuy Khue, Cua Bac, Lac Long Quan, Le Van Luong, Le Quang Dao and Hoang Quoc Viet.
Under the proposal being studied, authorities would survey individual streets and assess tree density, distances from buildings, the health of the trees and the impact on nearby communities. Residents’ views would be an important factor in deciding which measures to take.
The guiding principle would be to preserve healthy trees and established rows with cultural or landscape value, rather than cutting down or relocating them all at once. Only trees in locations considered genuinely unsuitable would be considered for relocation, subject to regulations and technical requirements.
Authorities would identify suitable new sites for relocated trees and arrange post-planting care and monitoring. Where conditions allow, replacement shade trees would be selected to suit the streetscape and the city’s green-space plans, without reducing urban greenery.
In 2019, Hanoi authorities relocated a number of milk flower trees from several streets to the Nam Son solid waste treatment complex.
Milk flowers, known locally as hoa sua, have long been a familiar symbol of autumn in Hanoi. Their distinctive scent features in poems and songs about the capital, evoking its streets, memories and way of life.
But where the trees are densely planted, their strong fragrance during the flowering season can cause discomfort for people living and working nearby. The impact is particularly noticeable along streets lined with homes, apartment blocks, offices and other places where people gather.
Residents in some densely populated areas have called on authorities to consider relocating some of the trees and replacing them with other species, in an effort to balance the city’s landscape with a more comfortable living environment.
