The Most Beautiful Colors of Yangmingshan in Midsummer – A Stunning Display of Colorful Hydrangea Blossoms

By MOOK Scenic Spots Travel Life Network Editorial Team
 

As the Calla Lily Season at Zhuzihu comes to an end, the vibrant hydrangeas of Yangmingshan are now in full bloom. With their richly layered, vivid hues – including pinkish-purple, powder blue, pink, and white – these blossoms look like exquisite bouquets when held in your hands, making you feel like the most beautiful bride. It’s a perfect date spot for couples and a delightful summer flower-viewing experience on Yangmingshan. The colorful hydrangea sea at Shuiche Liao in Zhuzihu is currently in full splendor.

Hydrangeas, also known as "Hydrangea macrophylla" or "eight immortals flowers," come in about seven to eight varieties in the Zhuzihu area. The color of the flower clusters is influenced by the soil's pH level: acidic soil produces blue-purple blooms, while alkaline soil yields pink or red ones. This makes them a truly unique plant. Hydrangeas have gradually become the second iconic flower of Zhuzihu, after calla lilies. Currently, a vast sea of hydrangeas is blooming along the Shuiche Liao Trail, with the flowering period expected to last until around July. The Taipei City Government's Public Works Department, Bureau of Urban Development, recommends visiting the Shuiche Liao area of Zhuzihu in Yangmingshan to take photos with the colorful hydrangea sea.

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 historically the "rice road" of Zhuzihu residents. This included the earliest batches of Penglai rice, 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 of the rice cultivation period at Shuiche Liao. In recent years, although Zhuzihu has transformed into the hub of Taiwan’s calla lily industry and no longer has any rice paddies, the surrounding fields have now become this expansive hydrangea plantation.