The pink peonies are in full bloom, filling the air with their sweet fragrance. [Photo/WeChat account: zgmdcy]

Heze, the "hometown of peonies", is renowned for its stunning peony flowers, which are cherished both domestically and internationally. In 2023, the city exported over three million peony plants, maintaining a strong presence in the global market. These exquisite flowers now grace gardens and landscapes in over 20 countries and regions, including Russia, Germany, Italy, France, and Japan.

Eight enterprises in Heze possess are qualified to export peony seedlings to the global market and must adhere to strict quality standards.

In recent years, the city's peonies have appeared at a number of influential events, such as the 10th China Flower Expo held in Shanghai, captivating visitors with their stunning colors and varieties.

A peony flower with delicate pink and white petals. [Photo/WeChat account: zgmdcy]

Heze has successfully leveraged its abundant resources to create a thriving industry. In 2023, the city's peony industry generated a total output value of 10.8 billion yuan ($1.4 billion), directly employing over 100,000 people and indirectly creating jobs for around 500,000 individuals in related sectors such as transportation, processing, packaging, sales, publishing, and research and development.

Heze is committed to improving the transportation, processing, packaging, sales, research and development, and tourism sectors related to peonies. By extending the peony industrial chain, the city aims to achieve a value leap from low-value-added to high-value-added products. Heze has already developed a comprehensive peony utilization model and had the largest peony industrial chain in the world.