Blossoming Beauty: Embrace the Daylilies Season in Changhua

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

See also: Daylilies in Liushidan Shan (六十石山), Hualien

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Address:

Car parking: 503彰化縣花壇鄉503

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Harvesting daylilies in Hualien - Daylily season in Liushidanshan

2022/08/23-25

My husband got the new job, and we had only one month to move to North. We decided to store our belongings at parents-in-law's place as it was closer, and then we drove from Miaoli to Yunlin to move the most important items first. We had a few days left before my husband started his new job, so he wanted to take a trip to the east of Taiwan. However, I was not feeling well and didn't have the mood and energy to travel. A few days later, I found out that I had contracted COVID-19...

During our trip to Hualien, we made a short stop at Dongshan River Ecological Park in Yilan. After exploring a while, we drove to Hualien, where we stayed for two days. We met up with my husband's friend and went out together a few times. The highlight of the trip was visiting Liushidanshan to see the blooming daylilies. His friend took us for an ATV ride on the beach in Hualien, which was fun, although I didn't enjoy getting covered in sand and dust. 

On the morning of the third day, we visited Jian Shrine and then continued driving South. We stayed one night in Taitung to rest before heading back home. By the morning, I was feeling more tired and didn't have the energy to continue. We only made a short stop at Zhiben Waterfall in Taitung before driving back. 

As we drove, my fatigue worsened. My husband thought I was dehydrated because the weather was hot during those days, and he suspected I had heatstroke. We made a stop in Yunlin at my parents-in-law's place to pick up some things and then drove to Miaoli. I sat on the sofa feeling half-dead and eagerly waited to go home. 

The next morning, I woke up with body pain. I still managed to do the laundry (which was extremely difficult as I could barely move). I didn't have apetite and couldn't stand up, so I decided to take a COVID-19 test, which came back positive. 

It finally explained why I didn't enjoy the trip to the east of Taiwan, which had always been my favorite thing to do. I honestly can't remember many things from the trip; I only know that everything bothered me those days, and the food didn't taste as good as it used to.

~ ~ ~

Daylilies at Liushidanshan (六十石山 金針花)

On the 3rd day of our trip, we visited Liushidanshan, famous for its golden Daylily flowers (金針花). Although this year the blooming wasn't as abundant, with many places having few flowers, it still had a certain beauty.

Even in the hot season of August and September, Liushidanshan offers a quiet and mysterious landscape that is attractive, especially during sunset and sunrise. In the evening, you can enjoy a starry night sky and the night view of the east valley. In winter, the rapeseed flowers create a golden carpet in the rift valley. After witnessing the breathtaking sunset from the mountaintop, it's a great experience to relax in the Antong Hot Springs (安通溫泉) below Liushidan Mountain, making it a wonderful destination in eastern Taiwan.

Best time to see flowers: August to September

Ideal time for "cloud gap light" (Jesus light): 15:00-17:00

Sixty Stone Mountain, Chike Mountain, and Taimali Mountain are the three major areas in the East Rift Valley known for their golden daylily plantations. They are popular places to appreciate the vast sea of golden needle flowers every year from August to September. Sixty Stone Mountain (Liushidanshan) is situated on the coastal mountain range, approximately 800 meters above sea level on the east side of Zhutian Village, Fuli Township. After driving along a winding mountain road, you'll be greeted by an expansive field of golden needle flowers, with scattered farmhouses and pavilions.

Why is it called Sixty Stone Mountain? According to the locals, during the Japanese occupation period, the average yield of millet in each paddy field was only about 40 to 50 stones. However, the paddy fields in this area were able to produce 60 stones, hence the name Sixty Stone Mountain. Another theory suggests that during the Japanese occupation period, this mountainous area was once covered in a lush camphor forest, which was cut down for camphor production. It was discovered that there were 60 huge stones scattered on the bare hillside, leading to the place being named Sixty Stones Mountain.

To provide tourists with up-to-date information on flower conditions, the Management Office of the East Rift Valley National Scenic Area has installed a high-resolution camera called "Sixty Stone Mountains - 4K Real-Time Image," offering 4K ultra-high image quality with a 270-degree viewing angle.

Address:

983花蓮縣富里鄉六十石山

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Taitung Travel: Daylilies Season in Taimali

Travel Date: 2019/08/31-09/02

I prepared for this trip a long time in advance. I searched for places on Google Maps about a month before we went. I felt like checking every place where someone had added photos... It was a bit of an annoying thing to do, but I hoped to find places that not many foreigners had been to. Also, my husband's uncle showed us some places that local people would go.

We had planned an 8-day holiday in Taidong and Hualien. Unfortunately, we had to return after only 3 days due to our son's illness. Nonetheless, we still managed to see a few places around, which I will post about in the future. We started our journey by visiting Jinjinshan in Taimali. It took about 4-4.5 hours to drive there from our place in Shanhua, Tainan. One important thing to note is that if you want to drive there, please don't rely solely on GPS in the mountains. It's better to follow the signs on the road, as the GPS often led us astray. The sea view from the hills was incredibly beautiful. I had hoped to see two other mountains with those flowers in Hualien, but unfortunately, we didn't get the chance. Hopefully, next year we can return to the east of Taiwan. It was truly an amazing view that I won't easily forget.

See also: Daylilies in Hualien

In eastern Taiwan, the mountains are the main places to witness the blooming of daylilies, also known as Golden Needle Flowers (金針花) in Chinese. Every August to September, the mountains become covered with orange flowers. The flowering of daylilies lasts less than 24 hours, with the flowers opening in the morning and being replaced by new ones every night.

To reach Jinjinshan, you can take the industrial road along the Taima Lixi River from Taimali Station. The whole journey is 11 kilometers and takes about 35 minutes. The scenery along the way is beautiful, even outside of the golden needle flower season, making it a worthwhile trip. Local farmers also plant many cherry blossoms on their farms, which are in full bloom from the end of January to March, attracting artists who come to paint the beautiful scenery.

Daylilies are native to Asia, with more than 80,000 cultivars of these flowers. Taitung has an area of 3,800 hectares planted with daylilies, covering towns such as Taimali, Chihshang, Jinfong, and Changbin. The most popular area that attracts many travelers is Taimali, where daylilies are planted at an altitude of 1,450 meters above sea level. The low temperatures and high humidity in this area create the perfect conditions for growing these flowers. Daylilies are known for their ability to adapt to different environments. The golden needle flower is grown and cultivated at altitudes of 700 to 1,000 meters, mostly in mountainous regions. This area is famous for the golden needle flower, attracting a large number of tourists during the summer season. The viewing or harvesting period lasts from June to December every year, with the best viewing period being from August to September. Nowadays, most of Taiwan's golden needle flowers are grown for both culinary and ornamental purposes.

Due to their beautiful flower pattern and bright colors, daylilies have earned the reputation of "beauty of the day" in Europe and America. In Chinese, they are also known as the "Mother Flower." The name "Golden Needle" and "Yellow Cabbage" refer to their color, shape, and use. Daylilies are cultivated for culinary purposes, especially in soups, and are sold to many restaurants around Taiwan. Nearly all parts of the daylily plant are edible and can be eaten raw, cooked, or deep-fried. The flowers can also be steamed and dried to create dried vegetables. Additionally, daylilies are used as a natural dye. They are rich in protein, fat, and carbohydrates, and contain vitamin C, carotene, calcium, and potassium. The roots of daylilies contain anti-tumor compounds and can provide various health benefits such as pain relief, anti-vomiting properties, muscle relaxation, fever reduction, and aiding sleep.

The cultivation of daylilies in eastern Taiwan began in 1959 after a tragic flood that damaged thousands of hectares of farmland in central and southwestern Taiwan. Many farmers relocated to Hualien and Taitung and started growing daylilies. The original species of daylilies came from Alishan, which was once the center of daylily farming. However, the fields in Alishan have been mostly replaced by tea plantations. In 1997, the Taimali Farmers Association started promoting tourism and advised planters not to pick flowers before they bloom. This campaign was highly successful, and farms began operating restaurants and accommodations for tourists. Approximately 15% of daylilies are allowed to bloom to attract visitors. In 1990, a new species of daylilies was developed in Taitung, which can grow from sea level up to 200 meters. This led to an increase in daylily cultivation in the region.

Address:

96346台東縣太麻里鄉292號太麻里金針山休閒農業區

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