Taipei Travel

Entering from the entrance right across Taipei Public Library along Jianguo South Road, visitors will notice rows and rows of purple wreaths blooming along the roof part of a corridor structure. While many may have mistaken this plant for wisteria, the larger violet flowers of purple wreaths set them apart from their look-alikes. 

The Parks and Street Lights Office (PSLO) pointed out that the purple wreath vine – also called the queen wreath or sandpaper vine – is a plant that belongs to the family Verbenaceae. The length of its stem can grow as long as 10 meters, with multiple thin and outstretched branches. The color variation of the purple wreath’s flower ranges from violet to light lavender, and the size of the inflorescence is usually between 10 to 30 centimeters.

During peak growth season, the sight of numerous blooming purple wreaths flowers can be quite impressive. The public are invited to visit Daan Forest Park and witness the mesmerizing scene as the purple wreath vines gradually enter full bloom.

Executive Director Yang Shi-ping of Friends of Daan Forest Park Foundation pointed out that the Daan Forest Park Purple Wreath Corridor used to be populated by plants such as garlic vines and Bengal clockvines. In the interest of overhauling the surrounding, the Hsi Liu Environmental Greening Foundation was commissioned with the task of redesigning the area and planting 40 purple wreaths to create the flower corridor in 2021. 

After two years of attentive care, the flowers at the corridor have grown quite well and transformed the structure into a popular selfie spot for visitors at the park. However, PSLO reminds visitors not to break the branches when they look for a perfect angle for photos with these charming plants.