News
- MOA News
- Introduction of a New Hydrangea Cultivar - Spring Blooms and Dancing Butterflies
- "Vegetable-Based Food and Agriculture Education Cultivation Kit" Developed to Support Educators in Promoting Agri-Food Literacy
- "Taoyuan No. 3 - Round-Headed" New Tumorous Mustard Cultivar Launched to Boost the Pickled Mustard Industry
- "Taoyuan No. 4" Seedling Medium Optimizes Agricultural Residues for Carbon Reduction, Environmental Protection, and High Efficiency
- Development of Blast-Resistant Rice Cultivar “Taoyuan No. 7” Using Molecular Marker-Assisted Breeding
- Innovative Cultivation Technology for Emerging Vegetable Baby Leaf Lettuce
- Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station Introduces “Urban Farming Hub” – Your Personal Cultivation Consultant
- Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station Launches Electric Crawler-Type Vegetable Transplanter Addressing Labor Shortages and Aging Workforce
- Hydrangea "Taoyuan No. 1 - Dancing Butterfly" Makes a Stunning Debut
- Taiwan's Vanilla Rising: Cultivating World-Class Sweetness
- The Fresh Face of Citrus: Pioneering New Horizons in the Citrus Industry
- Greenhouse Strawberry with Elevated Three-Dimensional Cultivation Stabilizes Yield and Reduces Production Risks
- Techniques for the Prevention and Improvement of Soil Salinity in Facility Vegetables
- Unexpected Blooming Season - New Cultivar of Camellia Blooms in Summer and Autumn
- Instant Field Management Made Easy with LINE Messaging
- Circular Carbon Reduction in Agriculture: Innovating Mesona Seedling Medium with Green Resources
Press Release from Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Ministry of Agriculture
Introduction of a New Hydrangea Cultivar - Spring Blooms and Dancing Butterflies
May 27, 2025
Good news for flower lovers, hydrangeas can now bloom in lowland areas! After nine years of dedicated breeding, Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Ministry of Agriculture (hereinafter Taoyuan DARES), has successfully developed a new hydrangea cultivar, Taoyuan No. 1- Dancing Butterfly. This new variety blooms naturally in lowland regions between March and April without requiring cold treatment. Its showy sterile florets resemble fluttering butterflies on the branches, inspiring its name, Dancing Butterfly. Selected through hybridization between the native Taiwanese hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla var. formosana) and commercial cultivars, Taoyuan No. 1 “Dancing Butterfly” features a vigorous, upright, evergreen growth habit. It offers farmers a low-maintenance, cost-effective alternative while also meeting the preferences of general consumers.
According to Taoyuan DARES, hydrangeas are temperate ornamental plants prized for their large and beautiful blooms. However, their cultivation in Taiwan is often challenged by climatic conditions , summer heat can inhibit growth, and low winter temperatures required for flower initiation are hard to achieve in lowland areas. To improve adaptability and expand options suitable for subtropical climates, Taoyuan DARES began a breeding program in 2014 using the native Hydrangea macrophylla var. formosana as a parent line.
Taoyuan DARES reports that Taoyuan No. 1 “Dancing Butterfly” has three key advantages:
1.Vigorous growth and ease of cultivation
2.Evergreen foliage that does not drop in winter
3.High ornamental value, featuring lacecap-type inflorescences with double-petaled sterile florets
The new cultivar blooms naturally from March to April under lowland conditions without the need for chilling treatment. It shows excellent ornamental quality when grown outdoors in semi-shaded conditions and is also suitable for potted plant use.
A Plant Variety Rights application for Taoyuan No. 1 “Dancing Butterfly” was submitted in 2024. Once rights are granted, the cultivar will be available for licensing to interested seedling and flower producers. The release of this new variety provides consumers with fresh options in floral purchases, enhances the diversity of Taiwan’s hydrangea cultivars, and contributes to the vitality of the floral industry.
Contact Information
Spokesperson and Deputy Director: Hsi-Pin Shih Tel: 03-4768216 ext. 101
Shulin Branch, Associate Researcher: Ya-Ting Hsu Tel: 02-26801841 ext. 120
Agricultural Extension Section, Associate Researcher: Shing-Jong Lay Tel: 03-4768216 ext. 410
Figure 1. Potted Hydrangea ‘Taoyuan No. 1 – Dancing Butterfly’
Figure 2. Inflorescence of Hydrangea ‘Taoyuan No. 1 – Dancing Butterfly’