The purple color of morning glory flowers

(Baonghean) - Heading towards the sea at Cua Lo, Cua Hoi, or any coastal area, you will encounter the haunting purple blossoms of the sea morning glory, stretching endlessly across the coastal sand dunes. It's unclear whether nature skillfully arranged this enchanting purple hue alongside the vast white sands, or whether it was by combining its name with the sea to create a romantic flower that has inspired countless poems, songs, and paintings.

Illustrative image

Visiting the coastal town of Cua Lo in early summer, the eyes of travelers, initially overwhelmed by the vibrant purple of the sea daisies – a renowned flower that has become an iconic symbol of this coastal region – suddenly soften as they look down at their feet, to the gentle and tranquil cool purple of the sea morning glory. Their hearts are stirred by the humble and patient beauty of the flowers, as if their souls have returned to childhood, with kites, thatched roofs, and rows of trees. But the humble purple of the sea morning glory isn't meant to hide itself; along with the sea daisies, it adds color to the dreamy coastal town of Cua Lo. The faithful, deep purple of the flowers is like a promise, a firm assurance to visitors that the flowers and the sea and sky here will steadfastly await their return.

Indeed, the purple hue of the sea morning glory is a reminder to the romantic traveler not to forget this seaside land. There it is, stretching endlessly across the green meadows, the swaying casuarina trees intertwine with countless plants and flowers of a hundred shades of red and a thousand hues. And in the distant, secluded beach, the sea morning glory is green with leaves and purple blossoms against the sky. It blooms silently, enjoying its beauty in solitude. Thinking of the flower, one is reminded of the discreet charm of the charming village girl of this seaside land, her subtle beauty unwavering, her loyalty faithfully waiting.

Ancient tales recount the legend of Hon Mat (Eye Island), nestled precariously at the edge of the waves, a few bird's-wing lengths from the seaside town. There, the story of the fidelity of Lady To Nuong, who gazed longingly at her husband amidst turmoil, begins. Reaching Quynh Nhai Island, she was too exhausted to continue, and remained there, gazing intently towards the shore. The island, also known as Nhan Son (Eye Island), gets its name from this story. Perhaps, moved by Lady To Nuong's unwavering devotion, the sea morning glory here seems more intensely purple and passionate than in other coastal regions?

This flower, this plant, has become intertwined with every fishing village along the 3,260 km of coastline of the S-shaped strip of land that is Vietnam, or gracefully winding along the 82 km of the East Sea coast of Nghe An province. The plant is so delicate, each purple bud seemingly fragile, yet it stretches out towards the ocean to catch the salty sea breeze, spreading itself green on the scorching sand. Each branch intertwines and clings to the others, creeping across the sand. Wherever the stem reaches, the roots follow, silently burrowing into the sand to extract the rare nutrients to nourish the leaves, which are a proud emerald green, and the buds, which are a vibrant purple and enduring. How many millions of patient cycles of rebirth have there been for the countless generations of this sea morning glory plant? No one can count them precisely. Living alongside the sea, these tiny seeds often float on the surface and are never affected by the astringent salt of the ocean, hindering their subsequent rebirth. Don't think that beneath that delicate purple hue lies only wanderlust and fragility. The noble sea morning glory still bravely navigates the storms of the salty sea, enduring reincarnation through countless lifetimes. This is a unique characteristic of species that coexist in this turbulent coastal environment.

In the summer at Cua Lo coastal town, you'll encounter the sea morning glory, blooming naturally and peacefully, silently accompanying the hardships of the coastal people, yet generously offering the world its pure, rustic beauty. This flower is also likened to the life of a woman from the coastal region, "like the sea morning glory, silently creeping along the scorching sand dunes and gently blooming its fragrant purple flowers, needing no one to know." The sea morning glory is a flower that carries many emotions, causing poets, writers, and musicians to spend countless sleepless nights contemplating it. This is perhaps also the inspiration for musician Hoang Phuong to weave the lyrics of his love song "The Love Story of the Sea Morning Glory," full of longing and heartache: "There was a young man named Bien. He loved a girl named Muong sincerely. Bien was engrossed in swimming to find schools of fish. The water carelessly swept Bien away!" The female poet Pham Thi Hien shyly expresses the bashfulness of a village girl from the coastal region: "I hesitate to invite you to visit the island. My village is a cluster of thatched houses. Children, sunburnt, play on the sand. Sea morning glory along the road spreads its green leaves...". Many have written about sea morning glory. Sharing the same deep purple hue as the flower, countless souls have shed tears. Like Vo Kim Ngan, who expresses her feelings with the melancholy of "Sea morning glory, purple in the late sunset. A silent, agonizing longing in the deep night..."

Summer is approaching, and on a leisurely afternoon, stroll along the Lam River towards the Cua Lo coast. You'll encounter endless carpets of sea morning glory flowers stretching from shore to sea. Hand in hand, you'll walk along the salty breeze of Lan Chau, Xuan Huong, and Song Ngu beaches, breathing in the salty ocean air. Then, your heart will be stirred by the sight of a cluster of purple morning glory flowers, shyly blooming amidst the age-old roar of waves. With their spreading stems and branches, the sea morning glory spreads its pinkish-purple hues across the white sand or beneath the green casuarina trees, swaying in the sun and wind… painting a serene and gentle picture of nature, refreshing the tropical coastal landscape. A season of sea morning glory flowers in Cua Lo.

Purple Pen