Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, on Saturday called for the launch of a planting programme to keep the emirate’s popular “flame tree” in full glow.
Sheikh Hamdan shared an animated video online celebrating the deep-rooted role of the tree – known for its display of bright orange and red flowers in summer months – in “bringing life” to the city.
The flame tree, which goes by the scientific name of Delonix regia, thrives in hotter climates and can be found in full bloom all over the world.
“In summer, when the flame tree blooms in Dubai, it brings life to every home, every majlis, every street, and every park. With it, our city blooms, full of life and beauty,” Sheikh Hamdan wrote on social media.
The accompanying clip showed residents playing tennis, taking strolls and playing in parks, with the tree serving as a colourful backdrop.
“It came from far away, but in Dubai in found something that felt like home, so it stayed,” the narrator of the clip says.
Dubai Municipality said on social media it was to start a campaign to plant the tree in streets, homes, parks and recreational areas across the emirate, on the directives of Sheikh Hamdan.