Zhubei's Romantic City of Winds: Camellia Flower Season Begins

The “Romantic City of Winds, Love Blooms with Camellias” 2017 Zhubei City Camellia Season Industry & Culture Event kicked off on the 16th at the Zhubei Camellia Production & Sales Group site. (Photo by Chen Yuxian)

The “Romantic City of Winds, Love Blooms with Camellias” 2017 Zhubei City Camellia Season Industry & Culture Event launched on the 16th at the camellia production & sales group site, with special guests including "Father Ke" and "Mother Ke" unveiling four newly cultivated varieties: “Arabian Dance Skirt,” “Purple Emperor,” “Welcoming Guest Camellia,” and “Tempura.” A dazzling array of camellias were on display.

Mayor Lin Chih-chien stated that the Zhubei Camellia Season runs from the 16th until February 28, 2018, and he warmly invites everyone to come and experience the beauty of camellias. The camellia industry has been developing in Xiangshan for over 30 years, and the camellia season event has been held for more than a decade. With the efforts of the farmers' association, the camellia production & sales group now cultivates camellias across more than 15 hectares. The cultivation techniques are unmatched across Taiwan, with over 1,500 varieties developed—offering not only great diversity but also excellent quality. Each year, new varieties are developed to delight enthusiasts.

Wu Jiatiann, Director of the Bureau of Industrial Development, pointed out that the 2017 event introduced four new cultivated varieties—“Arabian Dance Skirt,” “Purple Emperor,” “Welcoming Guest Camellia,” and “Tempura”—demonstrating the strong capabilities of the Zhubei City Camellia Production & Sales Group. He believes that with the assistance of the farmers' association, as long as marketing strategies are enhanced, the Zhubei camellia brand will become increasingly prominent and its market reach will continue to expand.

To make it easier for the public to visit the production & sales group, there was also a one-day shuttle service on the 17th. The starting point was “Taiwan Railways Sansingqiao Station,” and the final stop was “Zhubei City Camellia Production & Sales Group.” The first shuttle departed at 8:00 AM, and the last at 4:00 PM. The camellia production & sales group’s first shuttle left at 8:30 AM, and the last at 4:30 PM, with one shuttle per hour.

In addition, 300 free camellia seedlings were given away on the 17th. During the camellia season, in addition to the camellia production & sales group site, other camellia gardens such as Mingchun Garden, Bamei Garden, Qiu Family Camellia Garden, Minghua Camellia Garden, Chunmao Garden, and Neihu Camellia Farm also opened to the public.