Everybody’s up in the treetops this morning, collecting yellow flowers. I had to dodge ladders while out for a run. Men are throwing big sprays of fragrant blossoms down to waiting women.I phoned around to find out what’s the deal. A friend told me that the padauk (Pterocarpus macrocarpus) only blooms one day per year. Today’s the day.
Often it happens during the three days of the traditional SE Asian New Year and Water Festival, 13-15th. Some Burmese say it’s not really time to celebrate until the padauk blooms.
A popular song this time of year translates as “Padauk Gifts of Love.” People know that young couples are getting serious when the man presents his sweetheart with a bunch of padauk. Older folks offer blooms to the Buddha.
It’s strange to me that the padauk’s day should fall in April, when many other trees’ leaves are curled up and dry. Temperatures here this month tend to scorch. I’ve heard of night-blooming cacti that only flower once a year. The padauk shows up in broad daylight. How does it know?
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