Travel Date: 2023/05/27
Hushan Daylilies (虎山巖金針花)
Hualien and Taidong are the most famous places to see daylilies blooming, but they are not the only places where you can find these flowers. Small fields can also be found in the west of Taiwan, such as Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, or Nantou. Although the view may not be as stunning as in the high mountains of the East, it's still a nice trip if you're in the vicinity.
Today, we had a meeting with a Polish woman in Taichung as my husband wanted to gather more job-related information. It was actually our first time meeting her. We met at Taichung Art Museum, which has plenty of outdoor space. The museum is free to visit. While it may be a nice place for those interested in art, it didn't particularly captivate me. However, the outdoor areas were great, and our son had fun playing with other kids. There is also a restaurant and a beverage shop. The prices for drinks range from 150NT and up, which I suppose is quite normal for the city.
We also drove to Changhua to see the daylilies. We went to Hushan (虎山), a famous place to visit during the flowering season. We didn't know that there was a car park (free of charge), so we parked about half a kilometer away in the village. The car park was not small, and there was still plenty of space when we arrived. Perhaps because we went around noon on a hot day, there were slightly fewer people.
There is an old temple (虎山巖觀音佛祖), plenty of street food and other products, as well as restaurants. The hill is not very big (though it's still larger than the one in Dahu, Miaoli), but overall, it's a decent place for a walk. Daylilies bloom here from April to June. We've been to Taidong and Hualien before, so compared to those places, Changhua is not that special. I highly recommend visiting the mountains in the East of Taiwan, where the blooming season is from July to September. If you want to know more about Taidong or Hualien, feel free to check out my previous posts.
Daylilies are native to Asia, and there are more than 80,000 cultivars of these flowers. They thrive in low temperatures with high humidity. The Liliaceae family, to which they belong, is known for its adaptability to the environment. The golden needle flower is grown and cultivated at altitudes of 700 to 1000 meters. Aside from the coastal plains, most of them are found in mountainous areas.
Due to their beautiful flower patterns and vibrant colors, daylilies have earned the reputation of being the "beauty of the day" in Europe and America. In Chinese, they are also called "Mother Flower." The finished product, with its golden yellow color and needle-like shape, is named "Golden Needle" and "Yellow Cabbage" based on its color, shape, and use. Daylilies are planted for culinary purposes, especially in soups, and are sold to many restaurants throughout Taiwan. Almost all parts of the daylily plant are edible. They can be eaten raw, cooked, or deep-fried. The flowers can also be made into dried vegetables by steaming and drying.
Daylilies are also used as a natural dye. This plant is rich in protein, fat, and carbohydrates. It contains vitamin C, carotene, calcium, and potassium. The roots of daylilies contain compounds with anti-tumor properties. They can also help relieve pain, prevent vomiting, relax muscle spasms and cramps, reduce fever, and promote sleep.
Interestingly, it's quite common to see daylilies in Poland. I had several plants in my garden. In Poland, we often call them "smolinosy," which translates to "something that will make your nose dirty." This's because when we try to smell them, our noses become orange from the pollen.
See also: Daylilies in Jinzhen Shan (金針山), Taidong
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