On April 8, 2013, the year she was inaugurated, President Park Geun-hye planted a Retusa fringe tree in Sojeongwon Garden. Having a particular fondness for this tree, President Park brought one from a grove in her constituency, Okpo-myeon in Daegu's Dalseong-gun, to plant it.

The tree's name in Korean, “Yipap,” sounds similar to “Yibap,” which translates to "rice meal," and is believed to be derived from the appearance of its blossoms resembling grains of white rice. It is speculated that President Park's particular affection for the Retusa fringe tree might have stemmed from associating it with the accomplishments of her father, President Park Chung-hee, who overcame a multitude of obstacles.

The Retusa fringe tree is sensitive to soil moisture—when there's abundant rainfall, the tree blooms profusely and for a longer duration. It was once used to predict rice crop yields. Among trees used for such purposes, the Retusa fringe stands out.

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