The colorful plum blossom is the official flower of Nanjing, China, so it’s only logical that the city celebrates the flowering — this is the festival’s 21st year. Official dates are February 17, 2017, through March 17, 2017.

Plum blossoms begin to bloom toward the end of February, adding life and color to the bare trees and a fragrant aroma in the air. In Chinese culture, plum blossoms symbolize rebirth and growth, and nowhere is this more evident than on Purple Mountain where more than 35,000 plum trees in 120 varieties are on display.

While attending the festival, visitors can explore the Zhongshan Plum Bonsai Garden, which is part nursery and part research center. Here, visitors can admire the 400-year-old tree known as the King of Plum Blossoms, the oldest plum blossom tree in China.

Festival goers can also visit 15 important historical sites and cultural relics found in the surrounding park, including the Xiaoling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum.

As Road Trips Gardeners may suspect, Nanjing’s Plum Blossom Festival is often considered China’s answer to Japan’s famed Cherry Blossom Festival.

For additional information on all of Nanjing’s festivals and events, go online.

(Photo courtesy of the Plum Blossom Festival)