“The smell is so strong that it becomes unpleasant”: Hanoi cuts down a thousand of its emblematic trees

Hanoi is home to more than 14,400 alstonia scholaris, tall bushy trees whose flowers, called “milk flowers”, give off a powerful scent in autumn.

After numerous complaints from local residents, the city launched the pruning of a thousand trees on Friday. “The smell is so strong that it becomes unpleasant, especially when it is hot,” Tran Trung Phong, a resident of Hanoi, told AFP.

At 56, he says he suffers from headaches and difficulty breathing. His house, according to him, is “directly attacked” by the dozens of surrounding trees. According to a poll by the state-controlled online newspaper VnExpress, 80% of respondents are in favor of felling or moving these trees.

Known in Vietnam as “hoa sua,” they are widespread across much of Asia. They are mentioned in several romantic poems and songs depicting Hanoi.

“It is only those who do not live near these trees who find them romantic with a pleasant scent. Just try for a day, you will hate them forever,” said a resident named Thanh Luong on Facebook. Her room is located 100 meters from two trees, she writes: “it’s torture”.

A real impact on quality of life

But for another resident, Lan Huong, the “hoa sua” are part of the city's identity and bring a touch of greenery to polluted streets. “The hoa sua is the emblem of Hanoi. Everyone knows it and accepts it,” she assures.

The city acknowledged in a statement Thursday that the trees were “an iconic element of autumn in Hanoi, contributing to the city’s distinct urban identity.” However, she admitted that their smell had “a negative impact on the health and daily life of residents, as well as on the overall quality of the living environment”. Authorities said they were evaluating moving certain trees to replace them with others.

In 2019, around a hundred “hoa sua” were moved to the outskirts of the city. But a similar project planned for 2023 failed due to objections from residents, according to state media.