Taitung Indigenous Plant Garden Introduction
Taitung County, due to the regulation of climate by the Pacific Ocean current and the Kuroshio Current, and having never suffered from serious environmental pollution and destruction, has had various medicinal plants growing since ancient times. During the Japanese colonial period, the Japanese cultivated medicinal herbs in the mountainous areas of Zhiben and Taimali in Taitung, developing what was known as "Herb Mountain." With only a few species introduced, the vast majority are native medicinal herbs from the Taitung area (including Orchid Island). According to herbal experts, there are over 2,000 species of medicinal herbs in Taitung, making it the "hometown of Taiwanese herbs." The Taitung Indigenous Application Botanical Garden was established in this context. Although it has only been open for a short two years, the garden has created a tourist recreational botanic area that combines herbal planting, biotechnology research, fresh vegetable cuisine, wellness, and health product promotion, thanks to its professional management team and outstanding management philosophy. The entrance features an impressive water curtain hall, seemingly washing away visitors' worries. Upon entering the garden, one can see the "Indigenous Exploration Botanical Garden," spanning 1,500 ping and filled with various medicinal herbs and flowers, divided into six major areas: health herbs, aromatic plants, medicinal culinary plants, ground cover plants, herbal tea plants, and aquatic plants, with over 200 species, all native to Taitung. Crossing through the Indigenous Exploration Botanical Garden to the sloped area ahead, walking along the central observation walkway reveals a breathtaking landscape before your eyes, extending along the ridgeline of the Central Mountain Range and Coastal Mountain Range southward, with distant views of the Pacific Ocean, leaving a beautiful exclamation mark in the hearts of visitors! The wellness restaurant is another exclusive highlight of the Taitung Indigenous Application Botanical Garden. In addition to having an excellent open view of the mountains and sea, the wellness meals offered here are particularly creative, featuring a hotpot primarily made with various organic health vegetables grown within the garden, paired with unique sauces such as minced red scallions and Chinese toon, which can't be found elsewhere! Developed by the chef, wellness vegetables like red amaranth, white purslane, sorrel, nightshade, sweet potato leaves, radish leaves, shatavari, mountain celery, and traditional ginseng, all become delectable dishes for guests; drinks and desserts can even be made from them. Through the explanations provided by the staff, a meal suddenly transforms into a feast full of color, aroma, and flavor. Finally, don’t forget to visit the "Plant Life Gift Shop" located in the center of the garden, showcasing various wellness products made from health herbs. This is not an ordinary farm product market selling "specialties" that can be found anywhere. Approximately 150 types of products are displayed, all high-quality items from Taitung’s indigenous medicinal plant series and health supplements. These include various herbal teas, wellness herbal wines, herbal foods, and herbal bathing products, most of which are developed by the Taitung Indigenous Application Botanical Garden itself.
