Hong Kong’s ‘hero trees’ lose their glory as climate warms

Hong Kong’s iconic kapok trees are blooming earlier and retaining leaves in warmer winters, alarming conservationists who warn of climate-driven disruption to seasonal rhythms and wider ecological impacts.

Hong Kong’s iconic kapok trees, long celebrated as “hero trees” for their striking spring blooms, are losing their seasonal rhythm as warming temperatures disrupt their natural cycle, raising concern among conservationists.

Famous for their vivid red flowers that burst from otherwise bare branches, kapok trees typically draw crowds of photographers each spring. But in recent years, that dramatic contrast has begun to fade.

Researchers say the trees are increasingly retaining their leaves during winter instead of shedding them, resulting in an unusual overlap of green foliage and red blossoms.

“The kapok trees we see now very often have both flowers and leaves at the same time,” said Lam Chiu-ying. “In some places, half the tree is covered in green leaves and the other half in red flowers.”

The kapok, also known as the red silk-cotton tree, is native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, including southern China.

Lam said the shift in the trees’ springtime appearance has “become increasingly common” over the past decade, attributing it to warmer winters linked to climate change.

Hong Kong has just recorded its warmest winter on record, with the average temperature between December and February reaching 19.3 degrees Celsius, about two degrees above normal, according to the observatory.

Angie Ng, an ecologist and conservation manager at local NGO The Conservancy Association, said the trees appeared to be blooming around two weeks earlier than usual this year, likely influenced by changes in temperature and moisture.

She noted that maintaining both old leaves and new flowers forces the trees to divert resources, which could lead to fewer blooms overall.

The disruption may also affect wildlife, as kapok flowers provide nectar for birds and pollen for bees.

“Ecological processes function like an intricate web,” Ng said.

“When the timing of animals and plants does not align properly, it can trigger ripple effects that impact not only animals dependent on those plants but also the broader ecological chains.”

 This post is republished from JAPANTODAY.