Giant crape-myrtle flowers add a touch of purple to the summer of Hanoi every May.

The purple flowers help to make the atmosphere more pleasant on the city’s frequent scorching hot days.

A street section is naturally decorated with giant crape-myrtle flowers.

The giant crape-myrtle is a native plant of India, hence its other name, Pride of India. Each flower has six petals 2-3.5 centimetres long.

Giant crape-myrtles are densely planted on streets such as Kim Ma, Tran Thai Tong and Tho Nhuom.

The purple flowers dotted around the streets make the summer of Hanoi a memorable scene.

Bustling life goes on under the trees while the purple flowers flaunt their exquisite beauty above.

After fully blooming, the rich colours of giant crape-myrtle flowers begin to fade and finally fall off from their branches altogether.

The striking purplish hues of giant crape-myrtle flowers add a touch of colour to the summer of Hanoi.