When you stroll into the Phalaenopsis greenhouse planting center in Gangyang town – located in the Hailing district of Taizhou city, in East China's Jiangsu province – the fragrance of the flowers there is unmistakably refreshing.
Despite the weather being cold, the inside of the greenhouse is as warm as spring.
Phalaenopsis flowers blossoms in a smart greenhouse. It's run by Taizhou Haipeng Agricultural Science and Technology Development Co Ltd. [Photo/WeChat account: weihailing0523]
Phalaenopsis is a tropical plant that has extremely high requirements – preferring a high temperature and humidity, but also avoiding stuffy heat and poor ventilation.
Yet the tropical plant has found a home in Gangyang town, contributing to the town's drive to its rural vitalization.
To ensure the tropical plant thrives in Gangyang, intelligent greenhouses have been built, said Zhang Ying, general manager of Taizhou Haipeng Agricultural Science and Technology Development Co Ltd.
They've used the Priva system imported from the Netherlands. Through it, temperatures and humidity can be controlled through mobile phones – with the warmth set at around 25 C during the day and between 18-20 C at night, Zhang said.
Zhang says his company started cultivating the flower in back August 2022, and they've not looked back since. There are currently 160,000 Phalaenopsis plants growing there, featuring 113 varieties.
Villagers help trim the flowers. [Photo/WeChat account: weihailing0523]
The company now has six permanent workers. During the peak period for Phalaenopsis shipments, dozens of villagers from surrounding areas are recruited to perform flower packaging and transportation work.
Phalaenopsis has a beautiful appearance and to many admirers signifies poignant grace. Known as the Queen of Orchids, it's a hot seller at every festival. With the approach of the traditional Chinese New Year, Zhang said most of the flowers in the greenhouses have already been ordered.