Canola, also known as rapeseed, is grown for its seed which is crushed into an oil. The oil is used for a variety of industrial purposes, including environmentally friendly biodiesel and food use as a vegetable oil.

The soft breezes that set the stage for springtime tell us that the best time to see the canola flower, as the flower of the season, is rapidly approaching. There are numerous breathtaking locations that beg to be captured in photographs, beautiful views carpeted in gold as far as the eye can see.

1. CANOLA FIELDS IN YORK

The best place to see canola flowers in Perth is take a trip to see the canola fields in York. The small historic town of York is about 1.5 hours drive east of Perth. The drive is very scenic, with rolling fields of farmland along the way. You will see a lot of canola fields on the drive on the way to York. Please note that the roadside canola can be viewed from the fence line, but it is illegal to enter a farmers field without their permission. Also keep in mind that the fields are working farmland and entering it can contaminate and destroy the canola crop. The best place to take photos in a canola field near Perth is at PetTeet Park York. This is a local, family-run business based just out of York. PetTeet Park have a purpose planted canola field to walk in and take as many photos in as you like! Best of all, the canola is not sprayed with any nasty pesticides.

2. CANOLA FIELDS IN FUKUOKA

Walk past the many fashionable shops on Josui street and you will find the Fukuoka City Zoological Garden, which is a part of Minami Park. When the spring coming, the Flower beds are replaced to the Canola Flower which like a yellow carpet spread over the garden, creating a gentle spring atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy a procession of different flowers in each of the four seasons at Nokonoshima Island Park. This is a natural park covering approximately 15 hectares on the north coast of Nokonoshima Island, reached via a 10-minute ride on the city run ferry from Meinohama, Fukuoka city. Here you will find different flowers year-round, including canola flowers, rhododendrons, sunflowers, and cosmos. Among these, the canola flowers and cosmos are particularly famous. The contrast between the deep blue of the sea and sky and the sea of canola flowers viewed in a single, immense panoramic scene is almost indescribable, and the collaboration between the canola flowers, blossoming between late February and mid-April, with the cherry blossoms in late March will take your breath away.

3. CANOLA FIELDS IN QUJING

Luoping county is quiet for most of the year until the canola flowers bloom, and then the area of Yunnan, China, is reborn into a vibrant natural spectacle of yellow flowers as far as the eye can see. They’re also as popular with bees as tourists and photographers, so beekeepers set up tents among the flowers during their February to March bloom. While most anywhere outside the limits of the small town of Luoping is drenched in the sunny hues, the most surreal places to view them are with the towering mountains like the Golden Rooster Hill (aka Jinjifeng) and Hundred Thousand Hills spiking up from the floral fields. In some areas they also form otherworldly shapes in the terraced farms. At the beginning of the canola season an annual festival is held in the flower’s honor, while after the petals fall Luoping County returns to its slumber amongst the hills.

4. CANOLA FIELDS IN IDAHO

If you've ever driven through north-central Idaho in the springtime and wondered what those gold-covered fields are, you've come to the right place. These vibrant yellow blooms are canola flowers, and their annual appearance makes for one of the most magnificent sights in Idaho. Canola flowers typically start blooming in late spring and through early summer. Specifically, these incredible blooms can be found in the region of Idaho known as the Palouse, which stretches from just north of Potlatch and down through Grangeville. Seeing the canola bloom across the Palouse is bound to become one of your favorite springtime traditions. This endless ocean of bright yellow flowers is a sight to be seen, so plan a canola-hunting adventure soon.