In Taiwan's mountain forests, rhododendrons of the same species vie with each other in different shades of red. The Alishan rhododendron (R. ellipticum), also known as the Xi Shi flower after a beautiful lady of Chinese legend, ranges in color from a frosty white to a vivid red as bright as any peach or plum flower.
同一種野生杜鵑，也有四到五種不同色彩，台灣山林裡，西施花（阿里山杜鵑）有冷若冰霜的白西施，也有豔若桃李的紫紅西子；台灣特有種金毛杜鵑，由淺磚紅至深紅，孔雀開屏似的與自己同類爭紅鬥豔。