President Kim Il Sung visited the Bogor Botanical Gardens accompanied by the then Indonesian President Sukarno at the time of his trip on Indonesia. He highly appreciated the beauty of a rare flower. The Indonesian President suggested naming the flower after President Kim Il Sung, reflecting the ardent desire of the world people. The botanist and his sons studied the technology of cultivation for the following 10 years against difficulties and presented the flower to him on his birthday April 15, Juche 64 (1975). Therefore, it has become widespread.

Kimjongilia

Kimjongilia was developed by Kamo Mototeru, manager of the Kamo Iris Garden, Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. He studied a rare begonia for about 20 years and named after General Kim Jong Il to hand down the name of the great man for generations.

He presented the flower on his birthday February 16, Juche 77 (1988). From then on it has been called as "an immortal flower" and a "king of flower". Now it has been widely cultivated.