Do you know what is the city flower of Hong Kong ? It is Bauhinia Blakeana which is an orchid tree of the genus Bauhinia with large thick leaves and striking purplish red flowers. The fragrant, orchid-like flowers are usually 10 to 15 centimeters (3.9 to 5.9 in) across, and bloom from early November to the end of March. The flower was discovered by a French missionary in 1880 near the west coast of Hong Kong Island and propagated to the formal botanical gardens in Victoria/Central. It was chosen as city flower by Urban Council in 1965. It was printed on the flag of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region when the sovereignty of Hong Kong was transferred from United Kingdom to China in 1997.
The Hong Kong flag consists of a stylized, white, five-petal Bauhinia Blakeana flower sitting in the center of a red background. The red and white on the flag symbolizes the 'one country two systems' political alliance between Hong Kong and China, while the Bauhinia Blakeana flower, a flower native to Hong Kong, is a symbol of harmony. Not only the flag, but the flower pattern is also printed on the coins.
