The Mugunghwa, or “Rose of Sharon” as I learned it is called in the United States, is the national flower of South Korea. It is included in the emblem of South Korea and even has a train line named after it, the Mugunghwa-ho. Unfortunately, because it is winter, I wasn’t able to go out and take any photos of this beautiful flower and had to borrow some photos to show you.
The Mugunghwa holds a lot of significance in Korea and has been treasured as a heavenly flower since ancient times! I think it’s really interesting because it’s very similar to the state flower of Hawaii, the hibiscus. When you translate the name Mugunghwa into English, it means something like, “flower that will grow forever.”
What does this creature or plant look like?:
The Mugunghwa is a very beautiful flower. It grows on a bush and is bell shaped with a darker color in the center than on the edges. It has five petals and comes in many different colors. The most common color is a light lavender color, but it can range from white and pink all the way to purple! It has a large stamen in the middle, which I think is its most interesting feature!
How did I feel when I saw it?:
Although, I wasn’t able to see this beautiful flower yet this year, I was lucky enough to see it two years ago during another trip to Korea. I can remember seeing the Mugunghwa for the first time very clearly. I thought it was a hibiscus, my home state’s national flower, but was very quickly corrected.
When I looked more closely at the Mugunghwa, I could tell that it was very different, especially in its beautiful color. There were bushes full of them all along the road and they were really gorgeous. I felt very lucky to be able to see the Mugunghwa when I learned about the significance of the flower in Korean culture, especially since there are so few places in the city where one can see them.
Where does it live?:
Although the Mugunghwa is especially significant in Korean culture, it can be found all over the world! You can even find this flower in the United States! There are 200 different types of Mugunghwa growing all across Asia, but Korea has the most by far.
There are nearly 100 different types in Korea alone! That means half of all the types of Mugunghwa are in Korea! A few college campuses, such as Yonsei University, plant the Mugunghwa near their entrances in Korea. There are many people who grow the flower in their yards in Korea, but outside of the countryside it is very hard to find. The specific type of Mugunghwa that Korea made its national flower is called the Dansim.
How does it use its environment to survive?:
The Mugunghwa is a very healthy plant.
How did I feel when I saw it?:
Although, I wasn’t able to see this beautiful flower yet this year, I was lucky enough to see it two years ago during another trip to Korea. I can remember seeing the Mugunghwa for the first time very clearly. I thought it was a hibiscus, my home state’s national flower, but was very quickly corrected.
When I looked more closely at the Mugunghwa, I could tell that it was very different, especially in its beautiful color. There were bushes full of them all along the road and they were really gorgeous. I felt very lucky to be able to see the Mugunghwa when I learned about the significance of the flower in Korean culture, especially since there are so few places in the city where one can see them.
Where does it live?:
Although the Mugunghwa is especially significant in Korean culture, it can be found all over the world! You can even find this flower in the United States! There are 200 different types of Mugunghwa growing all across Asia, but Korea has the most by far.
There are nearly 100 different types in Korea alone! That means half of all the types of Mugunghwa are in Korea! A few college campuses, such as Yonsei University, plant the Mugunghwa near their entrances in Korea. There are many people who grow the flower in their yards in Korea, but outside of the countryside it is very hard to find. The specific type of Mugunghwa that Korea made its national flower is called the Dansim.
How does it use its environment to survive?:
The Mugunghwa is a very healthy plant.
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