In the campus of Trung Hau pagoda (Trung Hau communal house in Tien Phong commune, Me Linh district, Hanoi) there is a flower named Sala which is quite beautiful and fancy, making many people when visiting the temple cannot help but be “intoxicated”.
The space of Trung Hau Pagoda currently has two ancient Sala trees planted recently that are flowering and fruiting beautifully, making the temple scene more poetic 
. Sala tree is native to South America, the tree was introduced to Vietnam in about 10 years. In recent years, it has been widely planted, mainly planted to make green trees in temples, tourist areas, parks… 
Sala tree is also known as Tha la tree, Unicorn head, Ngoc Ky tree. Unicorn, Dragon Ham, Song Tho. Scientific name is Couroupita surinamensis, English name is Cannonball tree; belongs to the family Lecythidaceae, together with the family Locustaceae. 
Sala flowers originate from India and are associated with the legend of Shakyamuni Buddha. Flowers are not picky but can bloom regardless of the season of the year. 
Sala flowers grow from the base to the top, bloom all year round from March to September of the lunar calendar, the inflorescence is continuously extending from 2 to 3 meters long, the flowers are orange, red and pink, and grow into bunches on long stalks sometimes up to 3 meters, Sala flowers are very fragrant, creating a feeling of relaxation and peace. 
Outwardly, Sala flowers are like lotus flowers, the petals are orange, crimson and pink, bringing a very unique beauty. The leaves are dark green, grow thick, about 10-25 cm long, about 5-15 cm wide, the leaves often fall in the dry season and can be cooked in water to treat skin diseases, young leaves have a very effective treatment for toothache. fruit. 
Sala fruit is large, round, brown, about 15-20 cm in diameter, each fruit usually has 200-300 seeds. The fruit is used as a medicinal ingredient in the preparation of antibiotics, antifungals, and antiseptics, and has the effect of relieving pain, colds and stomachaches. Sala flowers, almost the size of an adult’s hand, have a characteristic aroma that is more fragrant at night. 
In Indian culture, Sala symbolizes the female body. As for Buddhism, this flower is the embodiment of the image of understanding and feeling life with a pure, carefree vision. 
According to people around the temple, the Sala tree here was planted just over a year ago, but it has bloomed beautifully and radiated fragrance throughout the vast space of the temple. Currently, in many places, thala tree is not only grown in pagodas and temples, but it has been grown quite popularly as an ornamental plant, planted in gardens, sidewalks, parks, etc., and has decorative effects. , beautifying the landscape and helping the environment to be more clean.Source: Collected internet.