The 30th Heze International Peony Cultural Tourism Festival and the 2021 Heze Cultural Tourism Development Conference opened on April 10 in Heze, Shandong province, with an extravaganza of activities to promote the local peony industry, as the flowers look their best in April.

Peony flowers look their best in April in Heze, Shandong province. [Photo/dzwww.com]

With a history of over 1,500 years of peony cultivation, Heze boasts the country's largest base for the cultivation, research, sale, and export of peonies.

Heze was called the "peony capital of China" by the China Flower Association in 2012. The city has an area of more than 8,000 hectares used to grow more than 1,200 varieties of peonies.

Caozhou Flower Garden is one of the best destinations to appreciate peonies in the city. Located in the Mudan (Peony) district, the garden, spanning an area of 1.06 million square meters, is home to hundreds of thousands of peonies of more than 1,200 varieties. Over 500 peonies there are more than 100 years old.

The 30th Heze International Peony Cultural Tourism Festival and the 2021 Heze Cultural Tourism Development Conference open on April 10. [Photo/dzwww.com]

The most famous peony is more than 400 years old and can bear several hundred pink flowers every year. The peony was planted in 1610, making it the oldest such flower in China, according to Heze officials.

The Caozhou Flower Garden is one of the best destinations to appreciate peonies in Heze. [Photo/WeChat account: hezewhly]

Every April, tourists, painters, and photographers crowd the garden to appreciate the many blooming peony flowers.

"In order to satisfy the desire of citizens and tourists to enjoy peonies in the four seasons, we are working hard on research technologies, enriching peony varieties, cultivating new potted peonies, and extending their flowering time," said Zhao Xinyong, a senior agricultural technician at the Caozhou Flower Garden.

Another eight gardens, including the Baihua Garden, the Gujin Garden, and the China Peony Garden, are also recommended by local culture and tourism authorities as good places to admire the flowers.

Since 1992, the Heze International Peony Cultural Tourism Festival has been held 29 times, making it a significant event for Heze and an important platform to promote the city and increase its international profile, said local officials.

Visitors appreciate peony flowers in Heze, Shandong province. [Photo/WeChat account: hezewhly]