It's the season to appreciate the city flower, magnolia, which is blooming across the city. This weekend is the best time to appreciate them.

Magnolia represents purity and elegance.

Its tree can grow up to 15 meters tall. The petals are pristine white, like snow, with gold stamens. It blooms before the leaves emerge.

Magnolia has a history in China of nearly 2,500 years. It was introduced to the UK and France somewhere in the 18th century and quickly grew in popularity.

By the end of 2023, the city's parks and green areas had roughly 30,000 magnolia trees, a quantity deemed inadequate by the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau.

A campaign is underway to build 20 newly built and restored magnolia-themed gardens larger than 1,000 square meters, 30 new magnolia-themed roadways, and 100 new magnolia appreciation sites across the city by 2026.

This year, the city plans to develop 68 magnolia gardens, local greenery officials said on Thursday.

In January and February, the city planted 1,396 magnolia trees along the North Bund in Hongkou District, Xujiahui Park in Xuhui District, and Shibei Greenland in Jing'an District.

Jing'an Zhilan Park, Xuhui Kangjian Greenland, and Pudong Sanlin Wedge Greenland have been converted into magnolia-themed parks, while Qilianshan Rd S. (between Jinshajiang Road and Yanchuan Road) has been lined with the flower.

Recommended spots for magnolia viewing

Xujiahui Park

The park has with 101 magnolia trees over 700 square meters. These are lined along Magnolia Avenue and Huijin Lake.

Address: 889 Zhaojiabang Road, Xuhui District 徐汇区肇嘉浜路889号

Opening hours: All day

Century Park

The park boasts a lawn covering about 10,000 square meters with nearly 400 magnolia trees.

Address: 1001 Jinxiu Road, the Pudong New Area 浦东新区锦绣路1001号

Opening hours: 5am-9pm

Minhang Culture Park

As one of the major viewing spots of the flower in the city, it tops city parks in terms of magnolia planting areas and varieties. It has about 1,300 magnolia trees stretched over 20,000 square meters.

Address: 2019 Wuzhong Road, Minhang District 闵行区吴中路2019号

Opening hours: All day

Shanghai Guyi Garden

The white magnolias in Guyi Garden are elegant and pure, filling the entire garden with a refreshing fragrance and blending harmoniously in classical garden landscapes.

Address: 218 Huyi Highway, Jiading District 嘉定区沪宜公路218号

Opening hours: 5:30am-7:30pm

Shanghai Botanical Garden

It has several plant varities, such as magnolia and peony gardens.

Address: 1111 Longwu Rd, Xuhui District 徐汇区龙吴路1111号

Opening hours: 7am-5pm, until March 10

Lujiazui Central Greenland

In the Lujiazui Central Greenland, people can enjoy white magnolias framed together with the iconic skyscrapers of Lujiazui.

Address: 717 Lujiazuihuan Road, the Pudong New Area 浦东新区陆家嘴环路717号

Opening hours: 5am-10pm

Gaoqiao Park

Address: 482 Huashan Road, the Pudong New Area 浦东新区花山路482号

Opening hours: All day

Nanpu Square Park

Address: 2277 Pudong Rd S., the Pudong New Area 浦东南路2277号

Opening hours: All day

Hongkou North Bund Riverside Greenland

Address: 558-678 Dongdaming Road, Hongkou District 虹口区东大名路558-678

Opening hours: All day