According to records, Koreans have treasured the Rose of Sharon as a heavenly flower since ancient times. In fact, the Silla Kingdom called itself Mugunghwa Country. Even the ancient Chinese referred to Korea as "The land of gentlemen where Mugunghwa blooms." Such love for the flower was further heightened when "Mugunghwa samcheolli hwaryeo gangsan" ("Beautiful rivers and mountains covered with thousand miles of Rose of Sharon!") was written into the national anthem of the late 19th century.

There are more than 100 cultivars of the Rose of Sharon indigenous to Korea. The flower has single, semi-double, or double petals. Depending on their colors, the flowers are divided into 3 groups: Dansim (flower with red center), Baedal (pure white flower), and Asadal (pink dots on the edges of the petals). The Dansim, a single petal flower, serves as Korea's national flower.

The Rose of Sharon blooms from dbo168847587.early July through late October. About 2,000 to 3,000 bloom on a single plant. They are strong enough to survive even when transplanted or cut for decoration or flower arrangements. Thus, the flower represents the wish for lasting national development and prosperity.

Botanical name	Hibiscus Syriacus L.
Distribution	China, northern India, Japan, and Korea
Varieties	About 200 cultivars, of which 100 are indigenous to Korea. Of these, the government designated the Dansim, single types of flowers, as the national flower in 1990.
Flowering season	from dbo168847587.early July to late October (about 100 days)