A glimpse of bright red blossoms, a familiar summer scent, Dubai’s flame trees are stirring memories of childhoods spent thousands of kilometres away.
As they burst into bloom across the city, the flame trees, also known as the Gulmohar trees in India, are bringing back summers, school days, and long afternoons spent collecting fallen petals to wear as tiny “flower nails”. Beyond adding colour to the streets, the blossoms are quietly reconnecting residents with places and moments they thought they had left behind.
For some, it’s the memories of walking to school beneath Gulmohar-lined roads; for others, it’s the simple joy of shaping petals into fingertip ornaments during unhurried summer afternoons. A single bloom is often enough to transport them back in time.
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Cherished memories
“When I saw the trees bloom this year, I immediately thought of my school days in Kerala,” said Dubai resident Jithin Roy, who has lived in the emirate for eight years. “We used to collect the flowers during recess and play with them. Seeing the same colours here brings all those memories back.”
For artist and long-time Dubai resident Mona Biswarupa Mohanty, the arrival of the flame trees has become one of the city’s most cherished seasons.
“I have always loved Dubai summers,” she said. “A friend once told me, ‘The real beauty of a desert city comes alive in summer,’ and I couldn’t agree more.”
A keen observer of nature, Mohanty says every season brings a different palette to Dubai. This year, it was the rows of flame trees stretching from Dubai Frame towards the airport that caught her eye. “I am fortunate enough to even see a row of flame trees from my work desk,” she said.
The flowers also carry a deeply personal meaning. Nearly ten years ago, her parents visited Dubai during the flowering season. One afternoon, they sat beneath a flame tree, sipping karak tea and talking about music, childhood and family.
“It remains one of my fondest memories,” she said. “My father, who was a poet, was so inspired by Dubai’s natural beauty that he wrote nearly 50 poems during his month-long stay.”
Her father passed away last year.
“Every time the flame trees blossom, I remember him. This year, more than ever, the season felt like it deserved its own name ‘The Flame Tree Season.'”
The flowers also remind her of growing up in Baripada, Odisha.
“I remember carefully walking around the fallen petals because I didn’t want to step on them,” she said. “We also dried the leaves to make natural green pigment for traditional rangoli during festivals.”
After spending as many years in Dubai as in her hometown, Mohanty says familiar trees have become symbols of belonging.
“Dubai is home,” she said. “When I see flame trees, laburnums, neem trees or bougainvillea blooming, it’s like seeing a familiar face in the crowd.”
Beyond striking colours
For street photographer Muhammad Shafi, the flame trees tell a story that goes beyond their striking colours.
“As a photographer, I’m always looking for colours that stand out against Dubai’s skyline,” he said. “When the flame trees bloom, they transform ordinary streets into something extraordinary.”
Growing up in India, Gulmohar trees were part of his everyday life.
“I remember walking past them on my way to school and playing with the fallen flowers. Seeing them in Dubai feels like finding a small piece of home.”
Over the years, he has noticed how people react when standing beneath the bright red canopy.
“When I photograph people under the flame trees, they naturally smile more. Many stop to admire the flowers and begin sharing stories from back home.”
For Emirati resident Hamad Naser, the annual bloom has become one of the simple pleasures of summer.
“It’s always wonderful to see Dubai covered in the bright colours of the flame trees,” he said. “They bring a smile to people’s faces and make the city even more beautiful. ‘The Flame Tree Season’ is the perfect name for this special time of year.”
As photographs of the fiery canopies continue to fill social media feeds, the bloom is becoming one of Dubai’s quiet seasonal traditions.
For many residents, all it takes is a glimpse of a crimson canopy against the summer sky to bring back a treasured memory.