A topic as it changes from season to season
- April -

At the village where is in 3200m high of the foot of the Four Girls Mountains, it is so cold in the winter and the temperature drop to -15 degrees in the morning. But it becomes warm in April. Then, two kinds of elegant flowers get to bloom in the mountain when becoming in the second half of April. One of them is the Meconopsis integrifolia what is a kind of the blue poppy, and bloom a big yellow flower. Another one is the Primula graminifolia what is a kind of the primrose, and puts a lot of blue-purple flowers. I am filled with deep emotion when I find these flowers in the mountain. Then, I am getting really excite for what the spring has come again.
A lot of Meconopsis integrifolia appear at around 4000m high. In April, there is snowfall sometimes yet but it blooms even covered with snow. This yellow poppy remains in flower for a long time. It is blooms even becomes in August. The big community forms in here and there at the Balangshan Pass where is the entrance to the Four Girls Mountains and runs the car road.
The Primula graminifolia appears from around 3700m high. It remains in flower for a long time like the yellow poppy, too. And it run after a thaw, gets to bloom in the place where get more and more high. It appears here and there at the Balangshan Pass.
Meconopsis integrifolia
Primula graminifolia
Because both of the flowers appear these elegant figure at the place where there is no another flower in early spring, it is frequently seen what passing tourists picking these flowers. Especially at the Balangshan Pass, many tourists stopping their car and pull out the yellow poppies by the roots. There were tourists who make in tens of posies and sells at the Chengdu, too. When they are warned, they insist what it is not an evil deed because they discovered the flower. The Management Bureau and the government authorities are taking a campaign for protection of the plant. However, it will take long time to change the point of view of tourists.

Produced by Kenzo Okawa
Particular adviser of Four Girls Mountains Nature Reserve Management Bureau