Himalayan Super Bloom: How About China?

January 7, 2020 Panayoti Kelaidis , Senior Curator & Director of Outreach

Colorado wildflower lovers know that the Rockies seem to have a super bloom every year in the high mountains. The Himalayas likewise have a reliable super bloom in the summer months—with a rather different palette of plant gems. In China you will find hundreds of kinds of rhododendrons and primulas (in Colorado we have one rhody and five primroses—boo-hoo!) and let’s not even talk about the stunning blue poppies (Meconopsis) and dozens of species of jack-in-the-pulpit.

The montane and alpine flora of China is truly fantastic. I’ve been lucky to have visited four times in recent decades, and every time my expectations have been wildly exceeded. This coming June we have a unique opportunity to visit some of China’s botanical hot spots in the province of Sichuan (yes, the land of hot peppers and the panda!).

The trip has been carefully planned to hit key spots when some choice wildflowers—lady slippers, poppies and the giant rhubarbs—will be in peak bloom. And of course, lots of rhododendrons, lilies and cushion plants galore!

Gallery

Roof tiles at the Thatched Cottage of the T’ang Dynasty poet Du Fu in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan

A Himalayan pika in Tibet. They are also found in Sichuan.

A violet-blue form of the famous Himalayan blue poppy photographed on Galong La (a pass in Tibet—these also grow in Sichuan).

Meconopsis sulphurea is a Himalayan lampshade poppy (so called because of the enormity of the flowers). This one was photographed in Tibet, but similar poppies grow in Sichuan.