The plum-blossom is beloved by scholars, and it is considered one of the Four Gracious Plants.
It blossoms through the cold winter snow, and it is the first blooming flower.
The blossom is also referred to as the "Hwagoe" which means the head of the flower.
The way it overcomes adversity and still blossoms teaches passion and patience to UST students who step into the scientific community.
It also represents UST's hope for its students to become leaders in the scientific community just as the "Hwagoe" is the head of the flower.