National Flower of Mongolia selected

Scabiosa Butterfly Blue was named as the National Flower of Mongolia by the Government decision made during its regular session on October 25, 2014. According to the decree, the flower symbolizes a harmonic lifestyle with the nature.

In order to choose the National Flower, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held public two-month survey among 1000 respondents including botanic researchers, experts, students (National University of Mongolia and the Mongolian State University of Agriculture), tour operators and tourists. Butterfly-blue Scabiosa has been voted as the top flower along with the other nominees such as Adonis Mongolica, Chelidonium majus, Saussurea involucrata, Rhodiola quadrifida, Paeonia lactiflora, Stipa gobica, Potanimia Mongolica, and Caryoteris Mongolica.

Butterfly-blue Scabiosa is very widespread flower and found throughout Mongolia in summertime.

The flower also has a strong resemblance with silver decoration plates found on traditional Mongolia horse saddles (see picture at the bottom).

The Ministry hopes that the National Flower can be used to assist the expansion of tourism industry as well as flora business.

Previously, in 2012 the Government of Mongolia announced the hawk as the National Bird, and the Burkhan Khaldun Mountain as the National Mountain of Mongolia in 2013.