Kimjongilia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Begonia 'Kimjongilia' |
|---|
 |
| Genus |
| Begonia |
| Cultivar Group |
| Tuberhybrida Group |
| Cultivar |
| Kimjongilia |
| Kimjongilia | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Kimjongilia is a flower named after the North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. The other one is the Kimilsungia. It is a hybrid cultivar of tuberous begonia.
Contrary to popular belief, the Kimjongilia is not a national flower of North Korea. The national flower of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the Magnolia[1].
To commemorate Kim Jong-il's 46th birthday in 1988, Japanese botanist Motoderu Kamo cultivated a new perennial begonia named "Kimjongilia" (literally, "flower of Kim Jong-il"), representing the Juche revolutionary cause of the 'Dear Leader'. According to North Korean sources, the flower symbolizes wisdom, love, justice and peace. It is designed to bloom every year on Kim Jong-il's February 16 birthday.
The North Korean government claims that Kimjongilia has spread widely throughout North Korea from the Korean Central Botanical Garden, and subsequently to over 60 nations, including the United States and Russia.
On October 21, 2008, the Korean Central News Agency announced a preservation agent had been developed that would allow the flower to keep in bloom for a long time. [2]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Korea Today Monthly Journal (issue 627, September 2008), cover inset
- ^ "Agent for Preserving Kimjongilia Developed", KCNA, October 21, 2008.
[edit] Further reading
- Pang Hwan Ju, Kimjongilia, Foreign Languages Publishing House, softcover, 100 pages
