Yunnan, China: What Makes It the "World's Kingdom of Fresh Flowers"?
If flowers have a hometown, it must be in Yunnan.
Yunnan's plants are extremely important to the world, and it is no exaggeration to call this place the "Mother of World Gardens." The rich and diverse array of flowers acts like a brush painting the land of Yunnan, depicting it in vibrant colors. The wild camellias, azaleas, gentians, and primroses here are the world distribution centers for these species, while cultivated carnations, roses, lisianthus, and gerberas fill flower shops across the country.
Many alpine flowers have bright colors, which are both stunning and conducive to pollen dispersal.
The charm of Yunnan lies in its "diversity." Here, there are not only towering mountains, deep gorges, rushing rivers, and mysterious tropical rainforests but also a rich variety of animal and plant resources. In the depths of the Hengduan Mountains, blooming azaleas and orchids can be found; in the tropical rainforests of Xishuangbanna, elephants and peacocks roam. Yunnan satisfies your curiosity about plant communities ranging from tropical and subtropical to temperate and polar regions—it truly speaks for "diversity."
Many precious wild azaleas are distributed on the Cangshan Mountain in Dali.
Not long ago, at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) held in Kunming, Yunnan, China officially announced the establishment of the first batch of national parks, including Sanjiangyuan, Giant Panda, Northeast Tiger and Leopard, Hainan Tropical Rainforest, and Wuyishan, covering nearly 30% of the key terrestrial protected wildlife species in the country. This marks a significant step forward in biodiversity conservation in China.
Xishuangbanna Tropical Rainforest, one of Yunnan's biodiversity conservation areas.
As rare and endangered species frequently appear, and new species and new records are continuously discovered, more and more people are paying attention to and participating in biodiversity conservation issues. At the "Nature's Wonderland Garden" exhibition, a public welfare activity themed "Recording Nature, Guarding Beauty," ByteDance Charity, in collaboration with Douyin, created a miniature "Yunnan plant ecosystem." Here, people learn about natural name cards, engage in科普 dialogues about animals and plants, and appreciate Yunnan's stunning natural wonders.
The "Nature's Wonderland Garden" exhibition features many flowers.
The exhibition advocates for everyone to "record nature and guard beauty."
Creating a Flower "Kingdom" in China
Yunnan is a carefully designed "treasure land" by Earth.
Viewed from above, the Yuanyang Terraces resemble massive "gemstones."
Continental drift, plate collisions, and countless orogenic movements, along with the ever-changing landscape, seem to have all contributed to the creation of this extraordinary land. The reason Yunnan has become a world-renowned biodiversity paradise is due to its uniquely crafted geographical conditions.
Schematic diagram of Yunnan's location in China.
65 million years ago, when dinosaurs still walked the Earth, the Indian plate collided with and subducted beneath the Eurasian plate. The Himalayan orogeny not only shaped the "Roof of the World"—the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau—but also profoundly influenced Yunnan. The plate extrusion formed the main body of the Hengduan Mountains—the Three Parallel Rivers region. Here, mountains like Gaoligong and Meili Snow Mountain encompass numerous plant types from the equator to the polar regions, thanks to their vertical distribution spanning thousands of meters.
Meili Snow Mountain is a "careful design" of the Earth.
And the entire Yunnan is a larger-scale "vertical distribution."
Yunnan has an extreme range in elevation: the highest point is Kawagarbo Peak, the main peak of Meili Snow Mountain on the Yunnan-Tibet border, with an altitude of 6,740 meters; the lowest point is at the Sino-Vietnamese border river where the Nanxi River and Red River converge, with an altitude of only 76.4 meters. Such a large elevation difference brings about a gradient in temperature, allowing plants that prefer different temperatures to find suitable homes.
Schematic diagram of Yunnan's topographic elevation distribution.
However, elevation difference alone is not enough; there must also be a necessary supporting condition—heat. Yunnan lies at a sufficiently low latitude (between 21°8′ and 29°15′ north), and the sun provides intense "firepower," allowing plants to absorb ample heat.
Yet, the combination of light and heat is still insufficient. Numerous rivers, including the Yangtze, Yuanjiang, Lancang, Nujiang, and Dayingjiang, traverse the land of colorful clouds. Coupled with warm, moist air currents from the Indian and Pacific Oceans, they provide abundant water sources for the local organisms.
Major rivers like the Nujiang provide ample water sources for all life in Yunnan.
Located at low latitude and high altitude, Yunnan features various natural zones found in China, from Hainan Island to Changbai Mountain, encompassing cold, temperate, and tropical climate types. It is precisely due to Yunnan’s unique geographical environment and climatic conditions that diverse combinations of water and heat have been created, giving rise to highly diverse plant groups and making it a "home" for numerous flowers.
Schematic diagram of climate type distribution in Yunnan.
From the snow line of high mountains to tropical rainforests, from Meconopsis, gentians, Monotropa uniflora, and Rhododendron spinuliferum to Rafflesia, Yunnan is brimming with vitality and blooms with a dazzling array of flowers. Yunnan is truly a "kingdom" of flowers.
Partial pictorial guide to cold- and heat-loving plants in Yunnan.
Stepping into such a magnificent and colorful kingdom of flowers, words are insufficient to describe its beauty. Only by using various tools to fully appreciate the flowers and making every effort to identify their names can we do justice to their beauty.
Using Douyin APP to identify Rhododendron spinuliferum,
Its red blossoms are as festive as firecrackers, as if they could explode at any moment.
Image/Douyin plant and animal recognition, Photo by Zhu Renbin
The diverse climate nourishes different plants and forms distinct regional floral landscapes: the alpine meadows of northwestern Yunnan, the dry-hot valleys of western Yunnan, and the tropical rainforests of southern Yunnan—each region has its own unique ecosystem and representative flowers.
From alpine meadows and dry-hot valleys to tropical rainforests, Yunnan’s ecosystems are highly "diverse."
In the northwestern regions of Lijiang and Shangri-La, many cold-loving alpine plants thrive, such as alpine rhododendrons, alpine gentians, Cypripedium yunnanense, Meconopsis, Saussurea, and Saussurea involucrata.
Northwestern Yunnan is an important distribution area for alpine rhododendrons.
Through long-term evolution, these plants have developed a complete set of strategies to cope with harsh environments. For example, the fuzz on the inflorescences of Saussurea not only provides insulation against cold and UV radiation but also captures and collects moisture from fog to supply the plants’ growth.
Alpine gentian flowers, known for their high-purity blue blossoms, are often called "autumn cold blue elves." Most alpine plants have strikingly vivid flowers, such as the purple blossoms of the Meconopsis family, which attract pollinating insects. In high-altitude areas, active insects are scarce, and bumblebees are among the few efficient pollinators. Blue-purple is their favorite color.
The eye-catching blue color of Gentiana flowers is a necessity for survival.
Unlike high-altitude regions, Yunnan’s dry-hot valleys present a different scene. Represented by the Lancang River Basin, these valleys experience large diurnal temperature variations and low humidity. Native plants here have their own unique survival strategies.
Pteroceras, often found on trees in forests near ravines.
For example, the Holcoglossum amesianum can actually pollinate itself. The vast majority of orchids rely on animals to disperse pollen, but the Holcogloglossum amesianum goes against the norm—during its flowering process, the stalk of its pollinium gradually elongates, eventually inserting the pollinium into its own stigma. This peculiar behavior is believed to be related to the lack of sufficient pollinating animals in its survival environment: rather than relying on others, it simply takes matters into its own hands when no help is available.
Holcoglossum kimballianum grows on tree trunks in mountainous forests and has relatively large flowers.
In the tropical rainforests of southern Yunnan, there are even more captivating plants. The Antiaris toxicaria is a typical tropical rainforest tree species, famous for its potent toxicity that can kill with just a drop of blood. There are also Parashorea chinensis trees, which reach heights of up to 80 meters, making them true giants of the forest.
Every year between April and May, various epiphytic orchids (such as Dendrobium chrysanthum and Aerides rosea) in the rainforest bloom in succession, turning large trees into veritable aerial gardens. Of course, these epiphytic orchids are not driven by artistic imagination but by the struggle for survival. Blooming and fruiting at elevated heights better attracts pollinating insects and is more conducive to seed dispersal—this is the survival wisdom of the epiphytic orchid family.
Aerides rosea has a strong flowering capacity; during its blooming season, it can cover entire mountains and fields with its blossoms.
Photo/Douyin Plant and Animal Recognition, Photographer/Zhu Renbin
European camellias and primroses may have originated in Yunnan.
Yunnan’s flowers are extremely important to the world, not only because the region is a treasure trove of biodiversity but also because many flowers from Yunnan adorn gardens worldwide. It is no exaggeration to call Yunnan the "Mother of World Gardens."
Luxuriant Tacca chantrieri in the tropical rainforests of Yunnan.
Yunnan is the distribution center of camellias. China is a "camellia powerhouse," with as many as 238 species of Camellia, covering almost 80% of the entire family. In Yunnan, from November each year, varieties such as "Early Peach Red" and "Early Peony" begin to bloom in succession, followed by over 200 camellia varieties taking turns to showcase their beauty until mid-April of the following year.
Hand-drawn illustrations of some representative flowers of Yunnan.
Illustrator/Yu Tianyi; Designer/May
Camellia flowers range from single-petaled to double-petaled, and from white to pink to red, with some special variegated varieties, such as the "Scratched Beauty Face" fictionalized by Duan Yu in the novel "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils"—a white flower with a red line. As early as 1739, the Englishman Robert James brought the first living camellia plant back to England. Subsequently, "camellias" swept through numerous European gardens.
Camellias are common flowers in Yunnan, appearing in various colors such as white, pink, and red.
Yunnan is also the distribution center of rhododendrons. Rhododendrons can be considered a large family in the flower world, with over 1,000 species in the genus. China alone has more than 560 species of rhododendrons, with 290 species distributed in Yunnan.
Rhododendrons are mainly found in high-altitude areas of western and northwestern Yunnan, at elevations of around 3,000 meters. Due to differences in living altitudes, rhododendrons exhibit completely different forms: in high-altitude areas, they become cushion shrubs, while in warm and humid regions, they grow into large trees. Their flowers vary widely in size and color, ranging from purple blossoms as small as grains of rice to milky-white flowers as large as bowls, and even fiery red blooms that seem to "set entire slopes ablaze."
Figure 1: Rhododendron ciliicalyx; Figure 2: Rhododendron delavayi
Yunnan is also the distribution center of primroses. True to their name, they are among the earliest flowers to bloom. Three-fifths of the primrose family species are found in China, with 138 species in Yunnan, mainly distributed in high-altitude areas of northwestern Yunnan. Primroses come in a variety of colors, including red, purple, white, and yellow. Their flowers resemble small, frilly trumpets, eagerly announcing that "spring has arrived."
Around 1820, British missionaries introduced Primula sinensis from Guangzhou to England, where it bloomed the following year, causing a sensation. Subsequently, Western countries continuously collected seeds and specimens of primrose species for cultivation and breeding.
Primula denticulata subsp. sinodenticulata, the herald of spring.
The distribution center of another alpine flower, the gentian, is also in Yunnan. In addition to camellias, azaleas, primroses, and gentians, Yunnan is also an important distribution area for many other flowers, such as lilies and peonies, which are commonly seen in our daily lives.
The purple-throated lily—isn’t it different from the lilies you usually see?
Wild lily species in Yunnan account for more than half of all those in China. Moreover, their flower forms and colors vary widely: there are orange tiger lilies, bell-shaped amethyst lilies, elegant lophophorum lilies, and robust Wenshan lilies.
The orange tiger lily is also a member of the lily family.
Although Yunnan's wild peonies are not as famous as the Central Plains peony or the rock peony, those centered in Yunnan—such as Yunnan peony, delavay peony, and lutea peony (including its narrow-leaved variety)—provide important germplasm resources for peony breeding.
It is no exaggeration to say that without the contribution of Yunnan's flowers, the world's modern gardens would be incomplete, and the beauty of many gardens would be greatly diminished.
The roses and carnations in your hands come from Yunnan.
Yunnan's favorable environment is not only suitable for the growth of various wild flowers but has also made the region a base for cultivated flowers and a world-class flower market.
Tengchong boasts a "sea" of chrysanthemums.
In 2020, the total flower planting area in Yunnan reached 1.901 million mu (about 126,733 hectares), with a comprehensive output value of 83.01 billion yuan. Among these, rose (including garden roses) production accounts for 70% of the national total, and carnations make up about 50%: half of the carnations you buy in flower shops come from Yunnan, and 7 out of every 10 roses come from Yunnan. It can be said that Yunnan flowers cover your holidays throughout the year, including Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and the Spring Festival.
Distribution of flowers in Yunnan and the proportion of rose and carnation production.
And these roses and carnations are highly likely to be shipped from the Kunming Dounan Flower Market to all parts of the country, and even exported to Japan, Thailand, and other places. Currently, it has developed into the largest fresh cut flower trading market in Asia, with over 80% of Yunnan's fresh cut flowers traded in Dounan.
Trading at the Dounan Flower Market is bustling on weekends.
Due to such a huge market, coupled with suitable temperatures, humidity, long sunshine hours, and short frost periods, Kunming and its surrounding areas have developed into large-scale flower production bases. Kunming is not only the "Spring City" but also a veritable "Flower City," supplying the nation with a variety of fresh and vibrant flowers all year round.
Yunnan on the Tip of the Tongue: Flowers as Food
Precisely because of the excellent environment and the abundance of flowers, for people in Yunnan, eating flowers is as common as eating vegetables.
In Yunnan, flowers are sold alongside vegetables.
In Yunnan, flowers can be stir-fried with oil and salt, stewed, steamed, pickled, or preserved in various ways. It is said that there are more than 160 types of edible flowers in Yunnan, including chrysanthemums, pomegranate flowers, pear flowers, bitter thorn flowers, roses, banana flowers, jasmine flowers, rapeseed flowers, and masang flowers, all commonly used in dishes.
Jasmine stir-fried with eggs carries not only the fragrance of eggs but also the scent of jasmine.
Banana flowers are a favorite among Yunnan people. Generally, a banana plant must grow for more than three years to flower, and each plant produces only one flower at a time. After picking, the bracts and stamens are blanched to remove bitterness, then stir-fried with chives or cured meat, or simply dipped in sauce for a delicious dish.
The bitter thorn flower, with its slight bitterness, is beloved by the people of Mile, Yunnan. When stir-fried, it carries a delicate fragrance with a hint of bitterness—a flavor that might just be the true taste of life.
Bitter thorn flowers are tiny, barely larger than grains of rice.
In Heqing, Yunnan, Bai ethnic families celebrate the beginning of summer with a "flower feast." Dishes like "White Crane Through Greenery" made from white peonies, "Five Flowers Celebrating Longevity" featuring mountain orchids, sowthistle flowers, stone flowers, chive flowers, and white peonies, as well as "Golden Needles and Silver Threads Embroidering Plum Blossoms" centered around plum blossoms, turn the dining table into a blossoming garden.
On the dining tables of the Dai people in Yunnan, flowers are also a common sight. "Pig Blood Agate" contains petals of red camellias, while "Goddess Descending to Earth" incorporates the fragrance of pear blossoms. Cotton tree flowers can be stir-fried with fermented soybeans, plantain flowers are boiled, and egg stew is made with cactus flowers—some floral dishes even have names that are hard to recall. A single dining table resembles a miniature botanical garden.
Lotus egg soup is not only visually appealing but also delicious.
Even Yunnan’s beloved cross-bridge rice noodles are enhanced with flowers. Mengzi’s chrysanthemum cross-bridge rice noodles dominate Yunnan’s rice noodle scene, and the key is the inclusion of a fresh chrysanthemum blossom.
Dishes like jasmine stir-fried eggs, golden bell flower omelets, white flower egg soup, and stir-fried pomegranate blossoms are too numerous and commonplace to count in Yunnan. Among them, the flower pastry is not only the "class representative" of Yunnan’s floral cuisine but also the top choice for local souvenirs.
When visiting Yunnan, be sure to try a dish made with flowers.
Eating flowers often carries a romantic connotation, but in reality, flowers have never been absent from dining tables across China. For Yunnan people, consuming flowers is not just poetic—it’s a practical wisdom of utilizing local resources. The blooming flowers not only paint Yunnan in vibrant colors but also leave behind a unique culinary legacy.
Yunnan’s unique topography and climate make it a representative of "biodiversity," and its abundance of flowers is a microcosm of this diversity.
The Xishuangbanna tropical rainforest is also one of the habitats of Asian elephants.
Diverse vegetation provides a happy home for other organisms: Matsutake mushrooms require healthy forests of Yunnan pines and other plants, as they depend on the roots of living pine trees for nutrients; Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys find food and shelter in fir forests, and they are extremely demanding of their environment; This is even more true for parasitic flowers, which can only bloom and bear fruit by relying on the flat-stemmed vine for nutrition. Protecting flora and fauna also means safeguarding the ecological environments they depend on.
The dense Yunnan pine forests are home to many animals.
Photographer: Pav-Pro Photography; Image: Tuchong Creativity.
Following the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, ByteDance Charity launched the "Nature Wonderland Garden" exhibition, centered around "Douyin Nature."
The event not only featured many flowers from Yunnan but also educated the public about endangered species and wildlife. Through interactive prizes related to flora and fauna, it raised awareness about protecting wildlife and ecosystems.
At the "Nature Wonderland Garden" exhibition,
visitors used the Douyin app to identify flower species.
The exhibition also included much科普性 knowledge about Yunnan’s flora and fauna. Users could拍摄 or upload short videos or images of any plant or animal to identify the species and learn related scientific information.
Many flowers from Yunnan were displayed at the "Nature Wonderland Garden" exhibition.