Suzhou Osmanthus Park

Suzhou Osmanthus Park

Built in October 1998, Osmanthus Park covers an area of 16.5 hectares. It is located in the southeastern corner of Suzhou’s ancient city, adjacent to the booming industrial park. To the east, it borders the ancient canal, while to the south, it stretches for miles, embraced by the lush city walls of old Gusu and the green waters of the Grand Canal. It is one of the key landscape projects in Suzhou’s recent efforts to develop the scenic belt around the ancient city. Along the southern part of the canal, the ancient “Snake Gate” has been reconstructed, along with a 218-meter-long section of Gusu’s water-and-land city gate towers. A two-kilometer-long winding path meanders along the canal, weaving through dense groves of willows and green islands. The park features expansive lawns that offer a natural and comfortable setting, fully showcasing the charm of a Jiangnan water town. It is an ideal destination for locals to relax, take walks, and enjoy the scenery.

Osmanthus Park is named after the osmanthus, the city flower of Suzhou. The garden is primarily planted with evergreen flowering shrubs, featuring over 260 varieties, including many rare and precious species. The park is especially noted for its osmanthus trees, boasting the richest variety and largest quantity of osmanthus cultivars in China. It is the country’s foremost specialized garden for osmanthus species collection and cultivation. To establish the park as a dedicated osmanthus species garden and support the development of the “International Registration of Osmanthus Varieties,” the park, under the guidance and assistance of Professors Xiang Qibo and Zang Dekui from Nanjing Forestry University, organized teams to search across Shanghai, Hangzhou, eastern and western Zhejiang, and even ventured into more than ten counties in southeastern Sichuan. They trekked over mountains and through rivers to find some well-known but rarely seen varieties, such as Jiulong Osmanthus, Yichuanhong, and Xuegui. Apart from a limited presence in Osmanthus Park, these varieties are seldom found elsewhere.

To date, Chinese osmanthus classification experts Xiang Qibo and Liu Yulian have documented 62 osmanthus varieties. Among them, Osmanthus Park has collected 50 varieties, which are divided into two major categories—Four Seasons Osmanthus and Autumn Osmanthus—and four cultivar groups: Four Seasons, Silver, Golden, and Red Osmanthus.

Address: No. 1 Zhuhui Road, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Transportation: In Suzhou, take bus lines 27, 28, air-conditioned 52, south route 60, 108, 168, 218, 514, north route 900, south route 900, 935, or Tourist Line 5 north route, and get off at Osmanthus Park Station.

Type: Urban Park

Recommended Visit Duration: About 1 hour

Phone: 0512-65193556

Official Website: http://www.szghgy.com/

Ticket Information:

Free admission.