In a Shenwan-based flower farm, a large area of phalaenopsis, or butterfly orchids, especially grown for Hong Kong is in full bloom in the greenhouse. [Photo by Sun Junjun]

On the morning of January 17, at the orchid planting base of Zhongshan Brighten Flower Culture Co Ltd located in Shenwan Town, 3,000 potted butterfly orchid were loaded and transported to Shenzhen Yantian Port, and then to Hong Kong after passing the examination of Zhongshan Customs.

Li Yun, the company's foreign trade manager, said that according to the plan, about 350,000 pots of butterfly orchid would be exported to Hong Kong and Macao around the Spring Festival from their planting base. These flowers will decorate Hong Kong and Macao beautifully for the Spring Festival.

Butterfly orchid is praised as the "queen of foreign orchid" and is one of the most popular flowers during the Spring Festival. Li Yun introduced that the butterfly orchid's planting environment requires relatively high temperature. From tissue culture to flowering and marketing, it takes about 20 months, during which artificial temperature control is carried out according to different seasons.

Zhongshan Brighten Flower Culture Co Ltd has a planting base of 300 mu (about 20 hectares) in Shenwan Town. The planting base has the advantages of cultivating new flower species, and high cultivation survival rates. Due to its reliable quality, the company comfortably occupies the Hong Kong and Macao markets.

Li Yun noted that, the company plans to export tissue culture seedlings of arrowroot, Cordyceps and butterfly orchid to Australia and the United States, and maintain continuous cooperation with the Netherlands. At the same time, the company would also like to cultivate some succulent plants and green potted plants for Hong Kong market.