The bustling streets can not cover up the heady and floral scent of flowers. How beautiful they are as the clusters of white and purple flowers fluttering in the chilly early-morning wind. Just a light breeze from the river is enough for the azadirachta indica petals to fall gently on the hair of passersby.
In this season, the water of An Cuu river is green. The chrysanthemum vines by the riverside are also adorned with bright yellow flowers. The azadirachta indica tree on the street corner casts its shadow on the river and scatters flower carpets floating on the water. The scene is so peaceful that it is easy to imagine that one is standing on some riverbank in the countryside.
In the countryside in this season, the azadirachta indica trees are blooming everywhere. The purple azadirachta indica flowers bloom brightly in the garden corner. The country road lined with green azadirachta indica trees is now sprinkled with its sweet purple blossoms. The azadirachta indicaflowers are blooming purple along the riverbank, like sweet purple clouds floating across the sky.
I often call the azadirachta indica flowers blooming by the river the purple clouds. In the cold morning, the sweet scent of azadirachta indica flowers wafts through the canopy of trees and leaves, following the wind and making its way into houses. In my hometown, in the season when these tender flowers bloom, as you walk along the country road, you can see patches of "purple clouds" floatingoverhead. The country road through the rainy season has grown green moss and is now covered with tiny purple flowers shining like smiling eyes.
In the early morning of the azadirachta indica blossom season, I would love to take a stroll along the winding country road, ‘hearing’ the flowers gently falling in the wind. Each little flower petal lets the wind carry along, whispering as if it did not want to leave the branch.
In front of my house, there is also a green azadirachta indica tree. On a sunny summer day, the azadirachta indica tree canopy gives shade to a corner of the garden. In the flowering season, my grandmother rarely goes to the alley to sweep leaves because she hesitates to sweep away the carpet of purple flowers. My grandmother often picks the leaves to incubate the fruits from the garden.
If the mangos, star apples, or papayas are still green when picked, my grandmother would place them in an earthen jar and cover them with some azadirachta indica leaves for the fruits to ripen more quickly. In the back garden, my grandmother also uses the leaves for the chicken coop lining. My grandma says that chicken mites are afraid of azadirachta indica leaves.
Once visiting the south, I had the chance to try the specialty of azadirachta indica leaves salad with dried gourami. The bitter taste of that rustic leaf when mixed with green mango and dried fish creates a strangely sweet aftertaste.
Addicted to the rustic dish of the south, I once planned to show off my cooking skills by replicating the dish. But I found out that only the species of azadirachta indica with white flowers of the south is edible. As for the azadirachta indica tree in front of my house with purple bloom, the leaves are toxic, so no one eats them.
Early this morning, while crossing Truong Tien bridge, I realized the azadirachta indica tree here has already put on a dreamy purple coat. In January and February (Lunar Calendar), there is often white mist in the morning. The flower clusters bloom as if they are inlaid in the romantic mist, making the city scene suddenly more mystical.
Along the riverside path in Thuong Bac Park, each azadirachta indica tree is covered with purple flowers, looking from afar like sweet cotton candy. Suddenly, Hue seems to be more charming in the blooming purple azadirachta indica season.
By Linh Chi