Published : 09/02/2026
When Guangdong people visit the flower market during Spring Festival, they almost always bring home a peach blossom branch.
It's all about the lucky homophone—"peach" sounds like "ambition" in Cantonese, so it's believed to bring success and prosperity.
In fact, for every ten peach blossom branches sold at Guangzhou's flower markets, eight come from one place: Shima in Baiyun District. What makes this seemingly ordinary village so special?
Shima Peach Blossom Park
Shima Peach Blossom Park (石馬桃花公園) is a top spot for Guangzhou locals to enjoy the beautiful blooms. Located in Junhe Street, Baiyun District, this garden draws large crowds every day during the Chinese New Year holiday.
It's not only a popular place for people to admire the flowers but also serves as the hub of Guangzhou's Spring Festival peach blossom trade.
This is because visitors who come to the park usually go to the nearby Shima Village peach blossom plantation base to purchase peach blossoms.
The Shima Village peach blossom plantation base, situated just east of the park, spans around 1,000 mu and is home to over 200,000 peach blossom plants.
It is the largest and most productive peach blossom growing area in all of Guangzhou.
In fact, for every ten peach blossom plants sold at the city's flower markets, eight come from this one small village—a level of market dominance rarely seen anywhere in the national flower industry.
300 years of cultivation and change
Shima Village is located on the banks of the Liuxi River in Junhe Street, Baiyun District, where the soil is soft and fertile, suitable for the growth of peach trees.
According to the official records of Baiyun District, the local history of peach cultivation spans over three hundred years, but it was not originally for the purpose of appreciating the flowers. In the early Qing Dynasty, peach trees here were planted mainly for their fruit—the Shima sweet peach. During the summer harvest each year, the scent of peaches would fill the village.
It wasn't until the 1940s that some flower farmers introduced ornamental peach blossoms from Xilang in Fangcun.
They quickly discovered that these flowering varieties had a short cultivation cycle and offered high returns. Around the same time, the custom of displaying peach blossoms for Chinese New Year was beginning to gain popularity among Guangzhou's residents.
The villagers gradually realised that growing peach trees for their blossoms was far more profitable than growing them for fruit.
As a result, some farmers started to reduce their fruit harvest, allowing the trees to bloom in full during the New Year season for the festive flower market instead.
With the price of peach blossoms far exceeding that of the fruit—and demand from the Chinese New Year market growing steadily—Shima Village slowly made the shift from "fruit farmers" to "flower farmers."
What are the main characteristics of Shima peach blossoms?
Shima peach blossoms stand out from other varieties for their abundant buds, vibrant color, and extended blooming period.
They feature a distinctive "double-petal, double-calyx" structure, with each flower bearing 20 to 28 petals—nearly double that of an ordinary peach blossom.
The buds are densely packed, their color is a striking bright red, and they boast an exceptionally long vase life, making them far more durable for display.
How do Shima peach blossoms expand the market?
The ability of Shima peach blossoms to dominate the market for a long time also lies in its ability to keep up with the times.
Traditional Shima peach blossoms are mainly large plants, reaching two to three metres in height, suitable for display in courtyards and large public places.
However, with urban development and changes in residents' housing structures, market demand has also quietly changed.
To cater for the growing trend of small-sized homes today, Shima has focused on cultivating dwarf peach blossoms in recent years. Unlike traditional large plants grown in soil, these compact varieties are developed using a "root-bagging" technique.
Standing between one and 1.5 metres tall, their manageable size makes them ideal for display on balconies and in small living rooms. In 2026, approximately 80,000 dwarf peach blossom plants were cultivated, with a remarkable 80 per cent already pre-sold before the Chinese New Year.
Shima flower farmers have also developed peach blossom Penjing (potted peaches), combining the art of peach blossoms with Penjing techniques.
These meticulously designed miniature peach blossom Penjing have become elegant decorations for office desks.
Today, Shima peach blossoms are available in three main product lines—large plants, dwarf plants, and potted peaches—catering to a wide range of consumer needs.
Traditional large plants remain a favourite among corporate clients, dwarf varieties are ideal for modern households, and potted peaches have emerged as exquisite desk decorations. Together, these three lines span the entire market, from mass consumption to high-end gifts.
What made Shima peach blossoms go global?
In 2006, the Shima Professional Peach Blossom Cooperative was established, organising the scattered farmers, unifying quality standards, and expanding sales channels.
In recent years, the cooperative has also introduced a live-streaming group buying model, selling peach blossoms to places like Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, and Malaysia through e-commerce platforms.
This combination of "traditional agriculture + modern marketing" has allowed Shima peach blossoms to overcome geographical limitations.
In 2020, Shima Peach Blossom was listed on Baiyun District's intangible cultural heritage list, and its cultural value received official recognition.
From the thousand-mu peach orchards on the banks of the Liuxi River to the Chinese New Year decorations in thousands of households, Shima peach blossoms have successfully carved out a niche that bridges traditional agriculture and the modern market, bringing their timeless charm to homes and hearts far and wide.
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