Discover the National Flower of China: The Plum Blossom

Written by Rebecca Mathews
Updated: November 16, 2023
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China is home to a wide variety of stunning plant life, and many of our favorite winter flowers are Chinese natives. But which one takes the top spot? Let’s discover the national flower of China: the plum blossom. Find out what qualities make it the official national flower.

What Is China’s National Flower?

China’s national flower is the plum blossom (Prunus mume, pronounced pru-nus moo-may).

The nationalist Republic of China named plum blossom the national flower in 1928 and again in 1964 by the Executive Yuan. However, over the years, people have challenged this choice, arguing that peonies or chrysanthemums would be better choices given the current political systems.

plum blossom closeup

The national flower of China blossoms in mid-winter, where white, red, or pink flowers can be seen.

©iStock.com/TokioMarineLife

Why Is Plum Blossom China’s National Flower?

In 1928, the Chinese government chose the plum blossom as the national emblem because of its resilience. Plum blossoms can withstand winter frost, winds, and snow and still produce beautiful flowers and fruit. Therefore, the government thought this was a fitting emblem for their resilient and productive citizens.

Parallels were drawn with its five petals, too. They indicate the five main nationalities of China at the time:

  • Han
  • Manchu
  • Mongol
  • Hui
  • Tibetan

Its three pollinating stamens also represented the national government’s “Three People’s Principles” of nationalism, democracy, and livelihood.

But Not Everyone Agrees

Plum blossom is China’s declared national flower, but not everyone agrees it represents modern China.

In 2005, gardening expert Chen Junyu proposed a dual national flower, adding the peony to the plum blossom. Sixty-two botanical experts supported the idea, but it was eventually dropped.

In 2019, the Chinese people voted in a poll that included plum blossom, peonies, and chrysanthemums. Peonies were the clear winner with 80% of the vote, but again, nothing has come of it.

There are political reasons for this. Plum blossoms are associated with the 1920s nationalist government, but peonies are politically problematic, too. The Qing dynasty (1636-1912) rulers loved peonies, and Empress Dowager Cixi even declared them the national flower of China.

Therefore, this leaves the current communist government stuck between two flowers with tricky historical regimes!

Prunus mume

In 1928, plum blossoms became the national flower of China when the government decided that the plant’s resilient nature resembled that of the Chinese people.

©Chihiro H, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons – License

Discover Plum Blossom: The National Flower of China

Prunus mume is the plum blossom’s botanic name. It is also called Chinese plum, Japanese plum, and Japanese apricot. It belongs to the Rosaceae family in the Prunus genus and is related to plum and apricot trees.

This flowering tree is native to south China’s Yangtze River area and was introduced to other areas of China, Japan, and Korea. Plum blossom trees arrived in Britain in the 1800s and were taken to America with the first settlers.

Prunus mume grows to 25 feet tall with a 25-foot spread in forests, beside waterways, trails, and slopes up to 10,200 feet. Even a 1,600-year-old plum blossom in China’s Hubei County still flowers. Plum blossoms are certainly resilient and live up to their national flower status.

Traditional Chinese medicine uses plum blossom to treat coughs and respiratory problems. In fact, it is cited in 2,000-year-old texts as a curative for everyday medical complaints. Therefore, modern studies are investigating its promising anti-cancer properties.

Plum Blossom: Flowers

One of the main traits of plum blossom is flowers on bare branches during mid-winter, usually from January to February. Depending on the species or cultivar, its star-shaped flowers are either white, pink, or red. Even though they are small and delicate (up to half an inch in diameter), they cover bare branches like snow.

The blooms emit a strong, sweet scent that Chinese people and plum blossom lovers worldwide adore. Additionally, there’s one more set of plum blossom fans: pollinators!

Pollinators, especially bees, love plum blossom nectar. It’s one of the earliest sources of nectar for early-waking pollinators and essential in wildlife-friendly gardens. A plum blossom tree sings on warm early spring days thanks to the vibrations of its bee visitors.

Plum Blossom: Foliage

Plum blossom tree foliage unfurls quickly after its flowers are spent. Each dark green oval-shaped leaf has ribs running from a center line. Leaves range from two to four inches long and form a distinctive upright crown in summer.  

Leaves drop in fall after turning rich, deep yellow. If you have a Japanese-style garden, plum blossom is a great way to create height, color, and that Far East vibe throughout the year. Additionally, use acers, witch hazel, white-stemmed birch trees, and wintersweets.

Japanese plum blossom

Plum blossoms have five petals on the flower, which China believes represents the five main nationalities of China.

©Richard Fisher from London, UK, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons – License

Do Plum Blossom Trees Have Fruit?

Yes, plum blossom trees produce fruit. It follows the flowers and ripens in early summer, which is the rainy season in its native environment. The fruits range from half an inch to one and a half inches long and are ripe, rich yellow, with a pink tinge. They are slightly sour and contrast well with sweet ice cream.

In Asia, plum blossom fruit is turned into sour plum juice, pickles, stewed fruits, and condiments like meijiang which is similar to duck sauce and excellent paired with egg rolls. Fragrant Chinese tea is made from its flowers and leaves (hands up, who’s hungry!)

If you don’t fancy the fruits, clear them up with thrushes and blackbirds. Ensure your dog can’t vacuum them up because their pits are toxic in large quantities.

Growing Zones

Plum blossom trees are hardy and tolerate low temperatures. They grow in most temperate regions and cope with USDA zones 4 through 9. Zones 9-11 are usually too hot and dry, but shade and plenty of water can help encourage good growth.

Discover How to Grow Plum Blossom: China’s National Flower

Prunus mume is easy to grow and requires very little care if you get its position right.

It needs:

  • Moist but well-drained soil. Soggy soil will rot its roots, and dry soil will prevent flowering.
  • Acid, alkaline, and neutral soils are all suitable. China’s plum blossom trees are especially good for chalky, alkaline soils.
  • Full sun to partial shade is needed to get those pretty flowers blooming. It just won’t bloom in full shade. Try west, east, or south-facing positions.
  • Some shelter from harsh, drying wind is required. In exposed spots, the plant’s flowers either won’t appear at all or will be blown to pieces, and there goes your chance of tasty fruit!
  • In USDA zones 9-11, make sure you give plum blossom trees plenty of space for good air circulation. This helps prevent fungus or mold build-up.

When you first buy a plum blossom, dig a planting hole at least twice as wide as its root system so its roots can easily spread out to find nutrients. Match the hole’s depth with its nursery pot, being careful not to bury its trunk beneath the soil, which can cause rot.

Newly planted plum blossoms also require lots of water to get established. Water it frequently until you can spot new growth.

It’s possible to grow them in large containers too, but they need lots of water and fertilizer to thrive. Don’t underestimate how much water a tree needs.

Plum blossom

The national flower of China is fairly low maintenance, only requiring pruning of dead branches or excess growth.

©Foxy Who \(^∀^)/, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons – License

How to Prune Plum Blossom

China’s national flower doesn’t need much pruning; it just requires cutting back dead branches or excess growth when the fruits are finished.

Gorgeous Plum Blossom Tree Cultivars

Over hundreds of years, plant breeders have created cultivars using Prunus mume as a parent plant. There are currently over 300 cultivars! Here are some of the most popular:

  • Omoi-no-mama: almond-scented white-pink flowers
  • Kobai: deep red semi-double flowers
  • Alba Plena: double white flowers
  • Alphandii: semi-double pink flowers
  • Ben-Chidori: dark pink flowers and holds the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) award of garden merit
  • Rosemary Clarke: large semi-double white flowers raised in California
  • Bonita: semi-double rose-red flowers
  • Dawn: pink ruffled double blooms
  • Peggy Clarke: double flowers, very deep rose pink

Before you choose a plum blossom cultivar, check the label because some are ornamentals that don’t produce fruit. If the fruit is your main aim, go for a Prunus mume original, not a cultivar. The national flower of China is the best plum blossom fruiter.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/ruiruito


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About the Author

Rebecca is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is on plants and geography. Rebecca has been writing and researching the environment for over 10 years and holds a Master’s Degree from Reading University in Archaeology, which she earned in 2005. A resident of England’s south coast, Rebecca enjoys rehabilitating injured wildlife and visiting Greek islands to support the stray cat population.

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