Peonies bloom with delicate red and white petals. [Photo/WeChat account: hezewhly]

Heze, the "hometown of peonies," is the world's largest peony production area. Relying on its abundant natural resources and solid industrial foundation, Heze has made great efforts to boost the cultivation of peonies and engage in scientific research and development, industrial processing, and brand building in recent years. These efforts have transformed what was once mostly an ornamental industry to a combination of planting, ornamentation, and processing.

Heze, located in Shandong province, is home to over 120 enterprises specializing in the production, processing, and export of peonies. The city has developed more than 260 kinds of peony-related products, including seed oil, tea, cosmetics, daily necessities, and biomedicine. In 2023, the output value of Heze's peony industry reached 10.8 billion yuan ($1.5 billion), making it a driving force behind the city's high-quality growth.

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.

Heze is home to a number of firsts in the peony industry: the first peony seed oil production plant, the first peony seed oil food production license, the first 10,000-metric-ton peony seed oil production line, the first national forestry leading enterprise focusing on peony processing, the first national grain and oil industry standard for peony seed oil, the first peony deep processing circular economy standard system, and the first peony health food approved by the State Administration for Market Regulation.

The 2024 Heze World Peony Conference will be held in Heze on April 8. Hosted by the Heze Municipal People's Government, this international event will explore the development trajectory of the peony industry, injecting new impetus into the development of the peony industry.