Kimilsungia is a flower to which Sukarno, the former Indonesian president gave the august name of
Buntu, an Indonesian botanist produced a new variety of orchid family in 1964 after his long research.
Several stems come from the neck of root. Their height is 30-70 centimeters, their diameter is 1-1.5 centimeters and it has usually 6-8 nodes.
3-15 butterfly-shaped flowers come out on the flower stalk from the bottom and a flower has 3 petals and 3 sepals. Sepals look like petals because the former are tinged with deep pink purple. The tip of sepal is distinctively white. Since one of its flowers keeps blooming for 2 months, the blooming period of one plant is about 3 months.
It was April, 1965 when President
Sukarno, the then president of Indonesia, accompanied President
While going round the botanical garden,
Sukarno, who did not yet name the flower, told
The head of Bogor Botanical Garden devoted all his energies into completing the method of cultivation in order to realize his desire of making Kimilsungia take root in the land of Korea and bloom. He passed away without attaining his aim. Before his death he told his son and colleagues that Kimilsungia should be sent to the Korean friends.
“…I wish that this Kimilsungia should grow thick to be a beautiful flower in Korea.”
Later his son and horticulturists made every effort to complete the method of cultivating Kimilsungia and sent its bloom to the DPRK in 1975 which marked the 10th anniversary of President
Kimilsungia, a flower of praising a great man is in full bloom as a flower of the sun with the passage of time.
In Pyongyang, the Kimilsungia festival takes place on a grand scale every year since 1999 in reflection of the feelings of the Korean people who yearn after President
2008 witnessed the 10th Kimilsungia festival.
Not only the Korean people but also foreign friends and organizations took part in the festival.
Foreign visitors are greatly impressed with the fact that the festival takes place distinctively reflecting the desire of the Korean people and the progressive people of the world who want to hold
Kimilsungia, an immortal flower, will be in full bloom carrying the feelings of reverence of the Korean people and the world progressive people for President