Eighty thousand azaleas burst into bloom – a roundup of Taipei’s top flower-viewing spots

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Department
 
As winter draws to a close and March arrives, azalea buds have taken over the spaces once filled with green leaves, ready to burst forth once this cold spell passes, unveiling their annual floral display. The azalea season has officially begun.

From March to May each year, various types of azaleas are in full bloom, turning parks into vibrant, flowery gardens. If you want to admire the beauty of azalea-lined paths where quantity creates its own spectacle, then you absolutely must not missthe azalea path along Hubin Road in the direction of Yangmingshan towards Yangmingshan Park— when a total of eighty thousand azaleas bloom together, they leave visitors spellbound. Among them, the Yangmingshan Park area has the largest number of Formosan azaleas (golden-haired rhododendrons), with the biggest specimen having a diameter of 3 meters and a height of nearly 2 meters. When sunlight hits, the golden hairs on the leaves shimmer brilliantly, while the brick-red flowers stand out vividly against the fresh spring greens.

If you want to see a variety of azalea species, head to theFlower Research and Development Centermanaged by the Parks Department. Each plant here is of a different variety, with over 80 types currently collected, including both self-cultivated and imported ones. The center’s grounds also feature native Taiwanese azalea varieties such as the Wulai azalea, Xishi azalea, and Shoucheng Mountain Azalea, offering a dazzling array. Additionally,228 Peace Parkand theentrance of Jieshou Parkattract many visitors during the azalea season who come to take photos. Among them, the blooms of the Hirado azalea are the most dazzling, with colors ranging across white, red, pink, purple, and other mixed hues — each bloom bright and striking in its beauty, now heavy with buds.