"The pinkest cherry blossoms are at the high-speed railway station, and when you get closer, they're actually real flowers and real trees!" Recently, a batch of blooming cherry blossom trees quietly "landed" at Wuhan Station. Passengers dragging suitcases can enjoy rows of cherry blossom trees in full bloom even before leaving the station, attracting many travelers to stop and take photos.
As it is currently cherry blossom season in Wuhan, this city surrounded by a sea of flowers is welcoming a peak in passenger flow. How can visitors from afar immediately feel the springtime atmosphere of Wuhan? Wuhan Station has come up with an innovative answer.
"This is our first time introducing real cherry blossom trees inside the station." On March 17, Wei Dan, a passenger service staff member at Wuhan Railway Station's Wuhan Passenger Transport Workshop, told Jiupai News that the team specially selected early-blooming species at their peak, placing them at the east and west platforms, station entrances, and along routes travelers must pass, ensuring that passengers "see blossoms as soon as they exit the station."
"Many travelers specifically visit Wuhan to view cherry blossoms, but many popular attractions require ticket reservations. We hope that through this thoughtful initiative, all visitors arriving in Wuhan can feel the city's spring and hospitality at first glance." She said this measure quickly became a new check-in spot, with many travelers stopping to take photos and giving praise for this pleasant surprise.
This batch of cherry blossoms are not traditionally planted in the ground, but grown in containers, also called "mobile cherry blossoms." They come from the Baiquan base in Dongxihu District. In spring, over 1,500 cherry blossom trees from here set out in batches to decorate the scenic spots of Wuhan's three towns and even many places around China as potted displays. After completing their mission, they return to their base, awaiting another bloom the following year.
Wu Junkun, on-site person-in-charge of the rental and display at Wuhan Station from the Plant Nursery Company of Wuhan Ecological Landscaping Group, introduced that the cherry blossoms introduced to the high-speed railway station this time are the early-blooming "Pink Lady" variety, whose best viewing time perfectly matches the peak travel season. This not only creates a unique landscape inside the station, but also allows visitors to realize their wish to “enjoy cherry blossoms upon exiting the station.”
"Thanks to container cultivation technology, these cherry blossoms are highly adaptable to different environments. Even in short-term, complex environments, they can maintain good condition, making the display flexible and instantly scenic wherever they are placed." Wu Junkun said the flowering period of these cherry blossoms will last about half a month and is expected to end by the end of March.
It is reported that the current "mobile cherry blossom" rental and display business is receiving enthusiastic market feedback. As of now, the company’s sales revenue from potted cherry blossoms has exceeded 2 million yuan (about 1.14 million Malaysian ringgit) this year. The plant nursery company provides full-chain services from seedling selection, transportation, scene arrangement, maintenance to recycling. Compared to directly purchasing seedlings, the rental display model significantly reduces customers' overall costs.