Hong Kong's 'hero trees' lose their glory as climate warms

Locally known as "hero trees" for their majestic appearance, kapoks attract large numbers of photographers every spring when their bright red flowers bloom on otherwise bare branches. But that contrast has been fading in recent years as leaves that should have been shed during winter stay put as the seasons change, worrying researchers. "The kapok trees we see now very often have both flowers and leaves at the same time," said Lam Chiu-ying, former director of the Hong Kong Observatory. "In some places...