The Most Beautiful Colors of Midsummer Yangmingshan: A Stunning Display of Colorful Hydrangea Seas

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Team
 

As the Calla Lily Season at Zhuzihu comes to an end, the vibrant hydrangeas of Yangmingshan are in full bloom, showcasing a rich variety of bright hues including pink-purple, light blue, pink, and white. Holding them in your hands feels like holding a bridal bouquet, as if you are the most beautiful bride, making it a perfect date spot for couples and lovers. This little summer joy of flower viewing on Yangmingshan features the colorful hydrangea seas now in full splendor at Shuiche Liao in Zhuzihu.

Hydrangeas, also known as "hydrangea" or "eight immortals flower," have about 7 to 8 varieties planted in the Zhuzihu area. The color of the flower balls is influenced by the soil's pH level: acidic soil produces blue-purple blooms, while alkaline soil yields pink or red ones. This makes it a quite unique plant. It has gradually become the second iconic floral feature of Zhuzihu, after calla lilies. Currently, a vast sea of hydrangeas is in full bloom beside the Shuiche Liao Trail, with the flowering period expected to last until around July. The Taipei City Government’s Department of Civil Engineering recommends visiting the Shuiche Liao area in Zhuzihu, Yangmingshan, to take photos with the colorful hydrangea seas.

Additionally, Zhuzihu is the birthplace of Taiwan’s Penglai rice. During the Japanese colonial period, superior strains of Penglai rice were first cultivated in this valley. The “Shuiche Liao Ruins” along the trail were once the only “rice mill” in Zhuzihu. Farmers from nearby areas would transport their harvested rice to Shuiche Liao via the trail to be milled into rice, which was then carried back out for sale. Hence, the current “Shuiche Liao Trail” was once the “rice road” of Zhuzihu residents. This included the earliest Penglai rice crops, all of which had to pass through Shuiche Liao Trail to leave the valley. This “rice road” has now been renovated into a flower-viewing trail, preserving the historical remains from the rice-growing era of Shuiche Liao. In recent years, although Zhuzihu has transformed into Taiwan’s homeland of calla lilies—with no more rice paddies in sight—the surrounding fields have become what is now this sea of hydrangeas.