Kapok trees, celebrated locally as “hero trees” for their striking springtime beauty, have long captivated photographers when their brilliant red blossoms burst from otherwise bare branches.
Yet researchers warn that this iconic contrast is fading, as warmer winters prevent the trees from shedding their leaves.
Lam Chiu-ying, former director of the Hong Kong Observatory, explained that kapoks now often display both flowers and foliage at once.
“The kapok trees we see now very often have both flowers and leaves at the same time,” he said. “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 Asia, including southern China.
According to Lam, the shift in their springtime appearance has become increasingly common over the past decade, driven by warming winters linked to climate change. Hong Kong recently recorded its warmest winter on record, with average temperatures from December to February reaching 19.3C, two degrees higher than normal, the observatory reported.
Angie Ng, an ecologist and conservation manager at The Conservancy Association, noted that kapoks appear to be blooming about two weeks earlier than usual this year, likely influenced by climate factors such as temperature and moisture.
She warned that the trees must divert resources to sustain both old leaves and new flowers, which may result in fewer blossoms overall.
This disruption could have wider ecological consequences. Kapok flowers provide nectar for birds and pollen for bees, and any reduction in blooms could affect these species.
“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.”
