Zhao Hai started his indoor plant business only last year and sales have rocketed since then. At this year's China Flower Expo, Zhao brought his new designs, hoping to lure more consumers at the exhibition in Shanghai.

"Not many people knew about our products in the past. But since last year, we're seeing more and more orders and we're now hiring new staff to expand our business," said Zhao.

Zhao is only one of the exhibitors at the fair. Some 400 companies from 19 provinces and cities will be showing their products at the flower trade fair, a part of the 10th China Flower Expo in Shanghai's suburban Chongming district. 

China's booming flower market has been attracting traders. Flower sales in China reached some $42 billion last year. China's flower plantations reached more than 150,000 square kilometers by the end of 2020, making the country the largest flower producer in the world.

Chinese consumers' flower demand has also been upgrading in recent years.

"China's flower market has upgraded in recent years. New products have come out and new things from overseas have also been introduced. People are accepting these high-quality products at relatively high prices," said Yu Wenhui, organizer of the China Flower Trade Fair.

The 10th China Flower Expo is far more than a trade fair. Around 20,000 species of flowers will also be dazzling visitors, including many rare and exotic varieties. Some tropical plants that can rarely be seen in Shanghai are also showcased at the expo

The total area of this year's flower expo reached 589 hectares and the huge site has attracted high numbers of tourists since opening. Some 20,000 tourists came for the opening on Friday. The event will remain open to the public until July 2.