Beijing's fresh flower markets are blossoming again as the entire city is immersed in festivity prior to the traditional Spring Festival, the most important holiday in China that is to fall on Feb. 9.

Local growers alone have prepared 6 million potted plants for the holiday season, 50 percent more than last year, said a spokesman with the municipal forestry bureau. "Contrary to its tradition of buying flowers from the south, Beijing will sell flowers to some southern provinces and cities this year," said a spokesman with the bureau.

Thanks to the increased output and diversity of flowers within the city itself, Beijing will import less plants from overseas this year, and imported flowers will make up only 10 percent of its total supply.

Many Beijingers have included fresh flowers in their shopping list when they stock up for the new year festival, as a bouquet of fresh flower is in vogue for home decoration and makes an ideal gift for friends and relatives.

As a result, the eight major flower markets in Beijing are drawing more customers every day. And the local forestry bureau predicts more than 10 million potted flowers in 500 varieties will be sold during the pre-holiday shopping spree between now and the New Year's Eve, excluding bouquets and floral baskets that will involve an additional 100 million stems of fresh flowers at least.

The national capital has 215 major flower growers that together cover up more than 3,000 hectares and produce some 70 million stems of fresh flowers and 35 million potted plants each year. Their annual output add up to 670 million yuan (about US$80 million).