As Beijing braces itself for the International Horticulture Exhibition, we now look at how people in central China's Henan Province are banking on the region's diverse range of flowers to boost the regional economy. Thanks to advantages in geography and climate, Yanling County is especially known for its floral diversity. It's situated in an area that marks the divide between northern and southern China. CGTN's Zhao Yunfei reports. 

It's a cautious procedure. Everything has to be disinfected before entering this special greenhouse imported from the Netherlands. These fresh cut anthuriums need two months to reach full maturity, much longer than many other species. Growing and nurturing these plants isn't easy, but they're quite profitable. One single flower can go for about 3 US dollars.

WEI YONG ANTHURIUM PRODUCTION LEAD, JIANYE GREEN BASE "We've dropped the method of planting provided by our seedling supplier in the Netherlands. We are developing our own planting technology to increase the scale of production."

Scientists are seeking methods of green development by increasing biodiversity. But simply decorating the streets with flowers and plants isn't enough.

YAO WENSHENG PLANT SPECIALIST, JIANYE GREEN BASE "With an improvement in people's lifestyles, you can't meet expectations by simply making the environment greener. But no matter if it's outdoors or at home, ornamental plants give people that extra happiness."

ZHAO YUNFEI YANLING COUNTY, HENAN PROVINCE "Plants and flowers thrive in southern China's warm, humid climate. But if you want to move them to the dry north, the province of Henan is an ideal 'pull over' spot on their long journey."

The county of Yanling has over 2,000 plant species, with total annual plant sales reaching around 1 billion US dollars.

LI XINJIANG FORESTRY BUREAU OF YANLING COUNTY "Yanling has figured out a path of growing its economy by developing plants and its flower industry. It's a real practice of green development."

The county's forestry bureau says they aim to put more efforts on global communication to further strengthen their skills of plant breeding. Zhao Yunfei, CGTN, Yanling County, Henan Province.