Henan farmer grows over 400,000 pots of succulents, netizens exclaim they are too cute
Because of their cute appearance, succulents, hailed by netizens as "cute little fleshy plants," have gradually become popular in recent years, and are even kept as "pets" by young people. At the Yufeng Succulent Fine Flower Base in Qiangang Village, Lugang Town, Fengqiu County, person in charge Liu Dejun has planted more than 400,000 pots of succulent flowers in over 400 varieties. This large expanse of utterly adorable "little things" has made many netizens who have visited unable to resist exclaiming "too cute..."
"We have been developing this succulent greenhouse for 4 years now. At present there are 10 greenhouses, over 400 varieties, and more than 400,000 pots of flowers, covering high, medium and low grades," Liu Dejun told reporters on April 11 at the base. He said that the relatively high-end varieties currently on the market include Moonlight Shou, Ice Lamp Yulu, Palace Lantern Yulu, Sun's Ice Lamp, Cheese, and others. Take Moonlight Shou, for example: its plant form is relatively large and its appearance is rather imposing, and its current market price is about 700 to 1,000 per pot.
"I liked growing flowers since I was a child, because growing flowers makes people feel good," Liu Dejun said. In recent years, Korean dramas have been quite popular, and this kind of succulent plant appears frequently in them, winning deep affection from young people. Therefore, whether online stores or brick-and-mortar stores, succulent sales have been relatively good. So, a few years ago, Liu Dejun began trying to grow succulents on a large scale.
"My family has eight or nine mu of land. The fields aren't busy now, so I came here to work, with a monthly wage of one or two thousand yuan." Worker Liu Huili works facing these flowers and plants every day, and as her mood improved, she gradually came to like these flowers too, with a happy smile beaming on her face every day.
It is not just Liu Huili; this base has also driven employment for more than 20 people. At present, as the largest succulent base in northeastern Henan, its flowers are mainly sold to Zhengzhou and other cities within the province.
Liu Dejun told reporters that next, he plans to lead local farmers to build flower-growing greenhouses together, and then sell products to all parts of the country through WeChat and the internet, increasing farmers' income and leading everyone to prosperity together.
A little encyclopedia of succulents
Succulents refer to higher plants with enlarged vegetative organs. They usually have three vegetative organs - roots, stems and leaves - and three reproductive organs - flowers, fruits and seeds - and their appearance is cute and likable. In horticulture, they are also called fleshy plants or succulent flowers, but the name "succulents" is the most commonly used.
According to reference materials, succulents have relatively strong vitality, can grow in all four seasons, and their appearance remains unchanged for a long time. Because of these characteristics, miniature succulent potted plants are very popular among white-collar workers. Cute succulents paired with flower pots of different shapes and materials, then placed at home or in the office, are both pleasing to the eye and fresh and fashionable.