Romantic blooms of love flowers create a purple-blue sea of blossoms, adorning early summer

Text by MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team    Photos by Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications

As the plum rain front gradually moves away and days of heavy rainfall finally come to an end, the plants and animals in the forest enjoy the long-awaited sunshine and welcome the arrival of early summer. This year, the medicinal plant garden at Neishuangxi Nature Center has specially planted love flowers, which are also...

The genus name of the love flower comes from the Greek words for "love" and "flower," and its floral meaning is romantic love and the visitation of love. The blooming love flowers are incredibly beautiful—their purple-blue petals circle around as if couples are waltzing together, singing praises of love. In Chinese-speaking regions, love flowers are also known as Agapanthus due to their bountiful fruit, symbolizing fertility and prosperity.

In addition, there is a poignant legend behind the love flower. It is said that a boy and a girl once made a date to pick flowers together. The boy saw a beautiful love flower blooming at the edge of a cliff and, wanting to win the girl’s heart, decided to risk picking it. However, he slipped and fell while picking the flower. Although the girl managed to grab his hand, she didn’t have the strength to pull him up. In the end, the boy fell off the cliff, leaving only the beautiful love flower in the girl’s hand. This tragic legend adds a touch of blue-purple melancholy and mystery to the love flower.

The sea of love flowers at Neishuangxi Nature Center will be in full bloom within two weeks. Visitors can take advantage of the clear days after the rain to go and admire them. The medicinal plant garden at Neishuangxi Nature Center is open to the public for free visits from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. On weekends, soil and water conservation volunteers are also on-site to provide guided tours. Everyone is encouraged to take this flower season as an opportunity to visit Neishuangxi and learn about other medicinal or herbal plants in the area.