Osmanthus blossoms in West Lake

Osmanthus blossoms in West Lake

　　Osmanthus is the city flower of Hangzhou. The cultivation of osmanthus in West Lake, Hangzhou, flourished during the Sui and Tang dynasties. The great Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi wrote in his poem “Recalling the South of the Yangtze” (“忆江南”), “In mountain temples, I seek osmanthus seeds under the moonlight.” There are several varieties of osmanthus produced around West Lake, including Golden Osmanthus, Red Osmanthus, Silver Osmanthus, and Four-Season Osmanthus. Osmanthus from West Lake is not only ornamental but also economically valuable. Golden Osmanthus and Silver Osmanthus have a rich fragrance and are natural ingredients for processed seasonings. When osmanthus is processed and pickled with white sugar, it becomes the commonly seen “West Lake Osmanthus Sugar” in Hangzhou markets, a distinctive local delicacy of West Lake.