Vietnam Where The Mild Things Are (Flora)

Technically speaking, there are two principal types of vegetation in Vietnam: evergreen and deciduous forests. In practice, the variations are endless: more than two-thirds of the country is covered in forest, and almost 14,000 plant species have been discovered. These statistics are rendered even more impressive by the fact that during the American War, over 10% of southern Vietnam was sprayed with 70 million liters of herbicides (like Agent Orange) intended solely for the purpose of clearing vegetation. The damage is still apparent in some areas, but the plant life has proven resilient. Today, though, logging and resettlement continue to threaten Vietnam’s reviving wildlife.

Thick mangrove forests line the coast and most of the waterways in the southern half of the country. Swamplands also abound in the rich, wet Mekong Delta, the largest rice-producing region in the country. Herbs, vegetables, and fruits are also more abundant in this area. The mountainous central region is covered in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests; the areas that aren’t are primarily estuaries and sand dunes dotted with small deciduous trees like the eucalyptus. The region’s lowlands are also important to rice cultivation. The soil in the north isn’t as rich as in the south, but all is forgiven in the presence of the limestone mountains in the northwest and the Hå Long Bay area. Pine trees grow in the mountains of the north, while bamboo and brushwood share the soil in areas more affected by population growth and logging. Despite the tropical monsoon climate, rainforests are not particularly common, though they do pop up in some of the national parks, like Båch Mñ and Cát Bà . Savannahs now remain in the areas that have suffered at the hands of deforestation.

With 174 catalogued species in Southeast Asia, the orchid and its diverse color palette floods the floral scene in Vietnam. The thin-petaled flower thrives in mountainous areas and on the plains. Although not indigenous to the country, chrysanthemums, with their tiny manifold white-and-yellow blossoms, are widely cultivated for decorative purposes and for teas. The white tuberose, a sweet-smelling daffodil species, also grows in abundance. In the south, the yellow plum blossom is popular among artists for its highly pliable branches and trunk. In the north, the red flowers of the peach blossom adorn streets and homes during the T\t celebration, bringing joy and good luck. Dried and crushed leaves are used as a natural skin rejuvenator. In wetter locales, the lotus is plentiful and particularly valuable: the beautiful and delectable leaves are used to wrap rice and flavor tea, and the seeds are used for medicinal purposes. Waterlilies, whose stems are edible, also grow in the ponds and lakes throughout the country. The romantic city of à Låt, known as the “City of Flowers,” is famous for its gardens and is well worth a trip.