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China in Bloom: The Yulan Magnolia as an envoy of spring
CGTN

Among the spring blossoms, the Yulan Magnolia could be one of the most anticipated for its elegant beauty and sweet citrus-lemon fragrance. As it is one of the plants to feel the first warmth of spring, it is dubbed "an envoy of spring" by Chinese.

Yulan Magnolia in full bloom. /VCG
Yulan Magnolia in full bloom. /VCG

Yulan Magnolia in full bloom. /VCG

Yulan Magnolia is native to central and eastern China. During the blossoming period, the buds gradually spread on naked branches, and soon you can expect to see a whole tree of flowers. It has been regarded as a symbol of purity by Buddhist monks in China since the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Emperors including Kangxi and Qianlong also showed love to Yulan Magnolia and even planted it at the palace.

Yulan Magnolia. /VCG
Yulan Magnolia. /VCG

Yulan Magnolia. /VCG

Many Chinese cities have dubbed Yulan Magnolia as the "Flower of the City", including Lianyungang, Shanghai and Dongguan. It can endure cold and has many cultivars which produce flowers in yellow and pink, instead of the original white.

For more:

China in Bloom: Discover plum blossoms in spring

China in Bloom

Flowering is not just about plants. It's about how people approach their lives. Today, it has become a popular outdoor activity across China. In some places, admiring flowers has become part of the tourist activities. As the Two Sessions, the most important political event in a year, is underway, CGTN Nature presents a new series, "China in Bloom" to showcase some of the most popular flowers in China as well as the stories of how flowers contribute to people's lives.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)

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