China's floral market is booming ahead of the Spring Festival, with sales surging both online and offline, as the increase in quality, variety, and affordability of decorative flowers is driving demand to new heights.
Data from the China Flower Association and major e-commerce platforms show that this year's market is marked by rising household purchases, a wider variety of high-quality blooms, and more affordable prices.
Popular flowers like orchids and peonies are widely available, while new varieties such as wintersweet and holly are also gaining traction.
Sales of these emerging favorites have soared by over tenfold year on year on platforms like Huayibao, JD.com and Pinduoduo. Meanwhile, roses, lilies, sunflowers, and gerbera daisies -- popular among younger consumers -- have seen sales increases of over 50 percent.
The market is becoming more accessible, with a focus on freshness through cold-chain logistics and same-day delivery.
Flower sales have also expanded significantly into lower-tier cities and rural areas, with purchases in these regions increasing more than tenfold compared to previous years.
At the Dounan Flower Market of Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province, a major floral hub in China, traditional festival flowers like orchids and anthuriums are in high supply, and new varieties such as tulips and Australian plums are also in strong demand.
"Since tulips hit the market, weekly purchases have reached 400,000 stems, equivalent to the annual purchases of 100 physical stores. With cold-chain delivery, customers can receive their flowers the next day after placing an order," said Chen Longlong, a floral procurement manager for an online e-commerce platform.
Despite the surge in demand, prices remain reasonable. Lilies are priced at 10 yuan (about 1.4 U.S. dollars) per stem, while a pot of six to ten orchids costs between 200 and 300 yuan (about 27 to 41 U.S. dollars) -- 10 percent cheaper than in previous years.
China's flower market blooms ahead of Spring Festival
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
