By November last year a Yunnan "flower innovation team" had undertaken 60 large projects, received 16 patents and secured 18 international and national authorizations on new floral varieties.

It now ranks at the top of its field in the nation for collecting flower resources, floral breeding and research, according to local officials.

The team allows Chinese companies to use its patents for free, with the products now exported to countries and regions including Japan, Columbia, Thailand and the Middle East.

Using proprietary technology in tissue culture, the team also developed an advanced flower-cloning center in 2010 with equipment imported from the Netherlands.

(Source: China Daily)