‘Tis the season for Spider Trees to grace Sai Kung’s waterfront with bouquets of creamy flowers

^{Photos: Hong Kong Science Museum}

— Bastardised version of the Teddy Bear song by Henry Hall

Spider Trees are now flowering beautifully on Sai Kung’s waterfront. If you walk from the now-derelict Turtle by the Sea around past the Kau Sai Chau car park towards the WM Hotel Spider Trees will start appearing on your left. About every third tree. The flowers are luxuriant: creamy yellow with orange stamens much longer than the petals. These look like spiders, hence the name. If you’re lucky you will see Great Orange Tip butterflies feeding on the Spider Tree.

It is a common deciduous urban tree, growing to about 15 metres. The Chinese name means “vegetables on the treetop”. In China people pickle the young leaves as a preserved vegetable.

There’s a lot to see on the waterfront. Five bulls are eating grass near the golf car park. People take selfies with the cattle. Swimmers are far out in the shallow sea. There are many breeds of dogs, including the best kind, Sai Kung pedigrees. Starlings, mynahs, pigeons and lots of sparrows hop around your feet. In the Raymond Fung-designed Waterfront Park a dozen mature ladies exercise to the musical rhythms of a portable radio. A carpenter works at the ex-Turtle by the Sea; perhaps new punters have rented the site. Helpers tend elderly employers. The views take in the shimmering sea, leafy islands, low blue golf ferries, an occasional police boat, and dragon boats swinging with the currents waiting for the next festival. The early morning sun glows in the East. It is a peaceful scene, starring this season the creamy yellow Spider Trees.

But look out. Here comes Colin From Accounts.