Plum blossom

The blossom of the Chinese plum (Prunus mume) blooms from otherwise bare branches at the end of winter. Varying in colour from white through pink to red, plum blossom is a traditional symbol for endurance, purity and and renewal.  The five petals also make an easy visual allusion to the five-pointed star of socialism. Mao Zedong made reference to plum blossom in several of his poems, most notably in Ode to Plum Blossom and Winter Cloud. Maozhang with a plum blossom motif sometimes have an inscription taken from one of these poems.