Multi-colored cole flowers repaint China's countryside

Many travel guides describe China's spring as a picturesque and pleasant season when much of the countryside is carpeted in yellow cole flowers.

This natural beauty reaches its peak from late March to April when large areas of cole flower fields appear from the southernmost Hainan Island to the northeast Heilongjiang province, from Guangdong in the south to Tibet and Xinjiang in the west. Photos of people donning flower garlands sweep social media.

However, scientists are repainting the scenery by adding more colors. In provinces such as Jiangxi, Jiangsu and Hunan, the yellow blossoms are dark purple, peach red and cherry white.

These multi-colored flowers are the result of years of research by Fu Donghui, a professor at Jiangxi Agricultural University, whose team has cultivated 38 species in 22 colors.

"The multi-colored cole flowers help promote sustainable development of China's cole flower economy," Fu said.

Traditionally oilseed rape has served mostly agricultural needs, providing oil, food and ingredients for products like cosmetics.

China's oilseed rape crop covers more than 7.33 million hectares each year, ranking second in the world, and the total rapeseed output exceeding 13 million tonnes, the world's highest.