Penstemon campanulatus is the graduation flower of 2018.

As a gift for its graduating students, the East China Normal University (ECNU) has recently planted 53,000 flowers on campus. 

Planting flowers for graduates has been a tradition at ECNU since 2014. The flowers with beautiful meanings are in full bloom during the graduation season and convey the best wishes for the graduating classes. 

When choosing a plant, its ornamental value and living conditions are always taken into account. This year, 53,000 penstemon campanulatus were planted. At a height of between 15 cm and 45 cm, penstemon campanulatus is a frost-hardy, semi-evergreen perennial. The plant is an economical choice, as it can live for several years, according to a staff member of the campus logistics department.

“I will graduate next year. The graduation flowers are memorable for each student at ECNU,” a student from the School of Communication told the reporter. “I still remember the graduation flower of last year. The verbena was so beautiful. So I’m looking forward to seeing this year’s flowers. Each year, we have different flowers, which also add a touch of difference to the graduation season. It would be so sweet when we recall the sea of flowers after graduating from university.”

Verbena is the graduation flower of 2016.

Flowers planted for the graduation classes of 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 were respectively sunflowers, rape flowers, verbena and veronica didyma.