Shangri-La: Hosts of flowers bloom for you in May

In May, northwest Yunnan’s Shangri-La sees flowers blossoming and grasses growing. The Tibetan plateau begins to present you its best scenery. 

Typical wild-flower varieties in Shangri-La

A crowd of galsang flower and crowtoe

Primula poissonii, a flower native to wet areas at altitudes of 2500–3100 meters in northern Yunnan

Primula sikkimensis, a flowering plant native to the Himalayan region

The garden cosmos is said to be introduced into the Tibetan area by an official in the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912).

Aster souliei

A species of the orchid, usually found near plateau villages

The oil-seed flower usually blooms in spring. In Shangri-La, however, it flowers in early summer. 

Primula sikkimensis, also called Himalayan cowslip

The globe flower, together with other wild varieties 

The red, green, yellow seas of flower, dotted by the white Tibetan houses, form a picturesque view.

Of the flowers, azalea is the first to bloom in early May, and till mid-June it is the most visible species on the meadow.

Around 800 azalea species exist in the world. Of the 227 species in Yunnan, 149 azaleas can be found in Shangri-La.

In 1962, Chinese literary critic Feng Mu came to Shangri-La and depicted a azalea sight at the Bita lake, making the lake a dreamy spot in the hearts of the public.