Richard Windhorst holds a potted peony. [Photo/iqilu.com]

Windhorst said that he hopes more people will be exposed to the peony, which is widely known as one of China’s most beautiful flowers.

Heze was named the "peony capital of China" by the China Flower Association in 2012. The city has a total of 1,200 varieties of peony being planted over an area of 32,400 hectares.

In addition to sightseeing opportunities, the city also offers a variety of peony-related products, including seed oil, tea, and dried flowers.

The flowers are sold in more than 100 cities in China and in around 20 countries, including France, Canada, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The city churns out more than 25,000 tons of peony seed oil annually.

Visitors admire peonies in Heze, Shandong province in April. [Photo/paper.ce.cn]