Azalea, one of eight well-known flowers in SW China’s Yunnan

Photo shows azalea flowers in Shangri-La, southwest China's Yunnan province. (Photo/He Xiaoyan)

Azalea, a flowering shrub belonging to the genus Rhododendron, is one of the eight well-known flowers in southwest China’s Yunnan province, a place known for its rich flora resources. Home to over 400 species of rhododendrons, which account for over half of the world’s total, Yunnan is considered to be the “hometown” for the flowering plant.

Azalea flowers are planted in many areas across the province. The alpine region in west Yunnan, a particularly cold region with a high level of humidity that sits 2,400 meters to 4,000 meters above sea level, has the largest varieties of azalea flowers. The flowers come in a wide range of colors, such as white, yellow, pink, scarlet, and purple. 

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