Zhuzihu Introduction
Zhuzihu is located in the core area of Yangmingshan National Park, at an elevation of about 650-670 meters. To the north lies Xiaoguanyin Mountain, to the east is Qixing Mountain, to the west is Lintung Mountain, and to the south it opens up to a panoramic view of the Taipei Basin. It was originally formed as a "dammed lake" due to a volcanic eruption 350,000 years ago. Due to erosion, a gap was created, and the lake gradually drained away, forming a depression. Traditionally, it has been divided into three closed areas: Donghu, Dinghu, and Xiaohu. Donghu refers to the area around Hutan Elementary School, which is the original point of the name Zhuzihu; Dinghu refers to a small basin of about 20 hectares located after crossing Hutan Bridge along the right industrial road, and is named Dinghu because it is located at a higher position above Donghu; Xiaohu refers to the basin around Haiyu Avenue, through which Zhuzihu Stream flows, and is lower than Donghu, thus the name Xiaohu. The name Zhuzihu originated from a dammed lake formed by volcanic lava eruptions. As the lake water gradually drained, it formed a wetland. Over a thousand years ago, the Plains Indigenous people, the Ketagalan, began to settle and cultivate in the area. When Han people arrived here for cultivation two hundred years ago, they saw that the land was muddy and filled with bamboo forests, thus naming it Zhuzihu (where "hu" in Min Nan language refers to muddy land). Additionally, there is an ancient local legend that early bamboo forests grew in the mountain basin area, and the sight of the mountain winds shaking the bamboo forests resembled rippling lake water, which is how it got the name Zhuzihu. Zhuzihu Calla Lily Season: Calla lilies are native to South Africa. Because their spathe blooms like inverted horse hooves, and the plants grow like lotuses in water, they are called "horseshoe lilies." Currently, the total area of Calla lily fields in Zhuzihu is about 13 hectares, accounting for over 80% of Taiwan's Calla lily production. The flowering season for Calla lilies is from January to May, with the peak bloom period occurring in March and April. The main variety in Zhuzihu is the white Calla lily, where the elegant white part, known as the "Buddha flame spathe," is not the flower. The spadix in the center, with numerous inconspicuous small flowers, is neatly arranged in a male and female separation. As the season enters late May, the romantic sea of white Calla lilies gradually comes to an end, followed by the blooming of purple and blue hydrangeas during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday. The hydrangeas planted in the Zhuzihu area have about 7 to 8 varieties, with diverse colors, including pure white, pink with red edges, pink, purplish-red, light blue, and blue. The shapes include large and medium flowers distributed throughout the farm, with vibrant colors and rich layers, adding to the ever-changing beauty of hydrangeas, making them quite suitable for photography.
