花协推荐牡丹为中国国花 China mulls naming peony as national flower

China has launched an online poll to solicit public opinions on whether to name peony(牡丹 mǔdan) or another flower as its "national flower," according to the China Flower Association (CFA).

Photo shows peonies at a garden in Beijing. [Photo: China Plus]

Based on suggestions from an expert team, the association listed 10 candidates including the peony, chrysanthemum(菊花 júhuā), orchid(兰花 lánhuā), Chinese rose(月季 yuèjì) and narcissus(水仙 shuǐxiān).

Recommending the peony as China's national flower, the CFA said in an online statement that the flower has been widely planted around China with a history of more than 4,000 years and has long been called "king of the flowers" in the country.

Photo shows peonies at a garden in Beijing. [Photo: China Plus]

Prerequisites to be nominated as China's national flower include originating in the country with a long history, being elegant in both shape(形状 xíngzhuàng) and color(颜色 yánsè), and being able to represent Chinese culture, according to the CFA.

Photo shows peonies at a garden in Beijing. [Photo: China Plus]

The flower to be named should also have a profound cultural connotation(内涵 nèihán) and be extensively utilized(使用 shǐyòng).

Nearly 600,000 people had joined in the vote within three days on mobile social media platform WeChat, the association said.

常见花卉 Common flowers:

[méihuā] 梅花 plum blossom
[mǔdan] 牡丹 peony
[sháoyao] 芍药 Chinese herbaceous peony
[júhuā] 菊花 chrysanthemum
[lánhuā] 兰花 orchid
[yuèjì] 月季 Chinese rose
[méiguī] 玫瑰 rose
[qiángwēi] 蔷薇 rosebush
[shuǐxiān] 水仙 narcissus
[shāncháhuā] 山茶花 camellia
[héhuā] 荷花 lotus
[dùjuān huā] 杜鹃花 azalea
[guìhuā] 桂花 osmanthus flowers
[mòlìhuā] 茉莉花 jasmine
[bǎihé huā] 百合花 lily
[yùjīnxiāng] 郁金香 tulip
[zǐluólán] 紫罗兰 violet
[xiàngrìkuí] 向日葵 sunflower
[yīnghuā] 樱花 oriental cherry
[húdié lán] 蝴蝶兰 butterfly orchid
[kāngnǎixīn] 康乃馨 carnation
[wùwàngwǒ] 勿忘我 forget-me-not