Peonies of various colors and varieties are in full bloom in Heze, Shandong province in April, offering visitors great opportunities to admire the "king of the flowers" and China's national flower.

Dubbed the "Peony Capital of China", Heze has a long history of peony flowers. It is a cradle for wildlife species and horticultural species, as well as home to a whole industrial chain of the peony industry.

Heze peonies come in about 10 types of colors and 1,280 varieties, with its number of newly cultivated varieties accounting for 80 percent of the total in China.

Peonies are in full bloom in April in Heze, Shandong province. The World Peony Conference and the 32nd Heze International Peony Cultural Tourism Festival will be held in the city in April to increase international profile of Heze peonies and attract more participants. [Photo/Caoxian News]

A blooming peony in Heze, which is widely known as the "Peony Capital of China". [Photo/Caoxian News]

Heze makes the peony flower a highlight of its tourism industry and develops a series of related processed products. [Photo/Caoxian News]