Longdong Temple in Kongwangshan Scenic Area (Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, China) attracts visitors thanks to its 830-year-old lily-of-the-valley tree, which often blooms with white flowers every spring.
Longdong Pagoda in Kongwangshan Scenic Area (Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, China) attracts visitors thanks to its 830-year-old lily-of-the-valley tree, which often blooms with white flowers every spring.
According to documents, Longdong Pagoda was built more than 1,400 years ago. The flower tree has been planted since the Southern Song Dynasty, so far it is more than 830 years old. Currently the tree is on the list of national protection.
The characteristic of safflower is wide foliage, large bush with many stems. Under ideal conditions, the tree can grow from 9 to 12 meters tall. Flowers bloom in clusters as white as snow in spring, with a light, gentle fragrance.
Flowers have other names. Because the flowers are white, the petals are thin and long like glutinous rice seeds, and they can be dried and made into fragrant tea, so people call them sticky rice tea. Every light breeze blows, the petals often flutter like snow, so it is also called the April snow flower. Local people call this auspicious tree, indicating good luck and good fortune because the tree has a long life but is still lush.
The lily blooms only for about 2 weeks. Visitors to the flower viewing are not allowed to pick leaves and flowers to protect the trees. In July 2018, the Government honored this lily tree as “The most beautiful old tree in China”.
In addition to the lily-of-the-valley at Longdong Temple, three trees of this flower were found in the capital, Fuzhou of Fujian province.
