2024 Best Places to See Beautiful Flowers in China

Cherry blossoms are exceedingly popular in China. The soft flowers come in spectacular varieties as cherry trees across the land awaken from winter's slumber. We could devote an entire article to profiling great places to see cherry blossoms in China. Here are two places in particular you won't want to miss.

Wuhan is the capital of China's central Hubei Province. Despite being home to over 12 million people, few foreigners outside of China would likely have known about Wuhan prior to the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Fewer still would have visited. This is unfortunate as Wuhan is home to a number of fantastic attractions, among them East Lake. The large freshwater lake is ringed by beautiful walking paths. East Lake is where visitors will find East Lake Cherry Blossom Park, one of China's most popular cherry blossom viewing sites. The park is home to hundreds of cherry trees. During peak blooms, the entire area is awash with brilliant pastel colors. Many people will also visit nearby Wuhan University, where walkways around the idyllic campus are lined with cherry trees.

Beijing is fresh off hosting the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. Beijing's many parks are great places to visit any time of year. Yuyuantan Park in Central Beijing is particularly famous for its many Cherry blossoms. Located only 4 miles west of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, Yuyuantan Park is a large urban park containing over 2,000 cherry trees and some 20 different varieties. During the annual blossom, visitors come from all over China to enjoy the pink and white hues on display. Rent a boat and go out on the park's lake for an even more memorable experience.

Novice floriculturists can easily confuse plum and cherry blossoms. Despite their apparent similarity, there are a few surefire ways to tell the two apart. First, pay attention to the tree leaves. Cherry tree leaves are greener while plum tree leaves sport a redder hue. Second, look at the actual blossom petals. Cherry blossom petals will have a small split at the end whereas plum blossom petals do not and often appear slightly more rounded.

Given the plum blossom's prominent appearance in historic Chinese artwork, it's only fitting that one of the best places to see these magical flowers is in China's historic capital, Nanjing. As the official city flower, plum blossoms are on display seemingly everywhere in the early spring. Some of the best viewing spots are the aptly named Plum Blossom Hill as well as Yuhuatai and the Sun Yatsen Mausoleum area. The Mausoleum area is easily large enough for visitors to spend the better part of a day exploring its many paths and hills. We would certainly recommend a visit any time of year, though obviously it's best to go during the plum blossom.

Located only 1 hour from Shanghai by high-speed train, Wuxi in Jiangsu Province is one of the best places in Mainland China for plum blossoms. Meiyuan Garden is a lovely scenic spot set a little over 4 miles from Central Wuxi and not far from Taihu Lake. The garden was once belonged to the private residence of the Rong brothers, a pair of famous businessmen who created the plot in 1912. Today, visitors to the public garden can enjoy over 40 types of plum trees. During peak bloom, hundreds of thousands of plum blossoms create a stunning sight, transforming the hills and paths into the aptly-named "perfumed snowy sea." This is a great place to visit if you're based in Shanghai or the surrounding region. Bonus: Wuxi's Turtle Head Park is a highly regarded for its many cherry blossoms.

Picture enormous fields stretching clear to the horizon emblazoned in a fiery yellow. Stalks of rapeseed sway upon summer breezes as clouds float lazily through endless blue skies. Such magic scenes are on full display each year when the rapeseed fields flower.

Luoping is located in China's southwestern Yunnan Province. The region's geography blesses it with an abundance of flora and fauna. Steep mountain gorges and raging rivers attract many would-be adventurers. Luoping County is home to extensive rapeseed production and the flowers are harvested to produce a range of products. Luoping's rolling fields are interspersed among short, karst-like mountains. During peak bloom, the entire region appears to be one big yellow carpet. Visitors hoping to see this miracle will find it easiest to travel from the provincial capital Kunming or from Qujing. Luoping County is rather remote so day tripping or linking up with a self-driving tour are likely to be the best options for most people.

Wuyuan County in Northeast Jiangxi Province is home to several famous rapeseed terraces. The plots are cut into the hillsides and create a gorgeous landscape set against a backdrop of surrounding hills. The rapeseed fields here are renowned throughout China for their magnificence. Wuyuan County is home to several small villages with picturesque scenery. It is an excellent place for a self-driving tour. Visitors can also tour the famous Mount Huangshan to the north and visit Jingdezhen, which was home to the most famous ceramics production facilities in all of China. Indeed, the phrase "fine china" to describe porcelain tableware is a legacy of Jingdezhen. If you've ever been to a Chinese history museum, you've seen Jingdezhen porcelain.

Lavender is a special flower and a symbol of romance. With known stress relief properties, lavender fragrances and essential oils are staples in many beauty products. Rolling fields of lavender are a truly spectacular sight and producers in China maintain fields every bit as magical as those found in Provence.

China's largest city is home to several lavender fields. Among them is the Momchilovtsi Herb Garden, located adjacent to Shanghai Disney Resort. Set on slightly rolling hills, the garden is an impressive sight. During the bloom, the field looks like an undulating purple ocean. Momchilovtsi Herb Garden hosts Shanghai's annual lavender festival, which runs throughout May and into June. If you're looking a spot with fewer visitors, you can try the Shanghai Dream Garden Herb Farm (上海寻梦园香草农场) in the city's outer Qingpu District. This herb farm is a good location to pair with a visit to nearby Zhujiajiao Ancient Town and Dianshan Lake.

Northern Xinjiang contains some of China's best-kept travel secrets. Unlike the vast desert areas to the south, Northern Xinjiang is a remarkably fertile land thanks to the Tianshan Mountains. Huocheng Country lies just northwest of Ili and about 350 miles west of Urumqi. The lavender fields in Huocheng Country are famous for their double bloom. One occurs beginning around the last week and May and the other starts towards the end of July. With many scenic farms located in the area, visitors can see gorgeous lavender fields any time from May through the end of September. Self-driving tours are likely the easiest way to explore the region or you can look for tour operations in Urumqi. These will often visit Sayram Lake. Given its proximity to the Kazakh border, foreign visitors will want to check ahead regarding tour availability.

Similar to cherry blossoms and plum blossoms, peach blossoms are also popular in Chinese culture. These three flowering trees are all part of the genus Prunus and appear remarkably similar to the untrained eye. If you want to impress your friends, you can explain that it's all about color. Peach blossoms have petals in shades of pale pink surrounding a deep magenta center. Peach blossoms also tend to have shorter stems.

Gongcheng County is part of Guilin Prefecture in Guangxi Province. Guilin is one of China's most renowned travel destinations, famous for its gorgeous karst mountains. If you happen to visit in March, it's well worth your time to venture over to Gongcheng County where you'll find a large collection of peach trees. Each year since 2002, the Gongcheng Peach Blossom Festival has attracted visitors from around China eager to see the exquisite blossoms during peak bloom. Gongcheng's relative remoteness means this is another area where a self-driving tour make sense. However, it is also possible to find organized tours running out of Guilin. Check with your hotel when you arrive to see what options are available. Group outings departing from Guilin are common during the peach blossom festival, which tends to run through March.

Shanghai normally holds an annual peach blossom festival during March and early April. The festival takes place at Shanghai Nanhui Peach Blossom Village (上海南汇桃花村), which is located near Shanghai Wild Animal Park in the city’s Pudong District. Other popular spots in Shanghai for peach blossoms include Gucun Park and Shanghai Botanical Garden. The latter is a good spot for viewing cherry, peach, and plum blossoms all together.

Southeastern Tibet in spring is almost otherworldly. Wide river valleys and fertile soils harbor peach trees in great numbers. One reason people favor this location is that the trees here tend to not be ornamental varieties. The region's extremely high altitude means blooms come later than in other parts of China. Unfortunately, however, foreign visitors may find Tibet difficult to access. Your best bet is to contact tour operators out of the provincial capital Lhasa. If you can manage to visit, your reward will be peach blossoms set against snow-capped mountains laced with clouds at the roof of the world. It's an awe-inspiring sight.

Peonies hold a special place in Chinese imagination. Long an object of appreciation in Chinese art and poetry, peonies are known in China as the "King of Flowers." This grand distinction will seem fitting to anyone who's been fortunate enough to see a well-tended peony garden in full bloom.

Luoyang is an old imperial city that served as a capital during multiple dynasties. In addition to the annual peony festival, Luoyang is famous for its White Horse Temple and Longmen Grottoes. Luoyang National Peony Garden is located on the outskirts of the city and is where visitors will find the bulk of activities during the peony festival. The historic garden is home to over 1,200 different varieties that bloom at slightly different times beginning around the start of April. Visitors who come any time during the month are guaranteed to see a spectacular sight. As a bonus, consider taking a day trip to the famous Shaolin Temple in Zhengzhou City, which is only an hour by train from Luoyang.

Beijing hosts the annual Jingshan Peony Festival in Jingshan Park. The park sits directly across from the north exit of the Forbidden City, where most tours finish. One can easily cross the street after leaving the Palace Museum to enter Jingshan Park. Not only is the park a great place to see peonies during the spring, visitors can climb up the Jingshan Hill for a panoramic view of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Expect to spend the better part of a day if you elect to combine these two attractions. Jingshan Hill is easy to walk but does contain lots of stairs so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.

Flowers are important elements in Chinese culture. From paintings and poetry to traditional traditional design practices like feng shui, flowers play starring roles. As poignant reminders that beauty is fleeting, flowers tap into our human imagination in more ways than one. Mainland China is a land of immense beauty with no shortage of places to see beautiful flowers. Even if you can't visit the destinations in our guide, take a walk around your local neighborhood or park. There we will be something in bloom. Make a point next time to stop and admire. You'll be glad you did.