City planning more parks filled with magnolias

Shanghai will develop 20 magnolia parks by the end of 2026 as part of a three-year plan to promote the flower that represents the city, local greenery authorities announced on Wednesday.

Through the end of 2026, the city will build or renovate 20 specialty parks covering more than 1,000 square meters each with magnolia their major flower, and 30 roads lined with the flower, the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau said.

Another 100 new magnolia planting and appreciation spots are part of the plan.

Along Suzhou Creek and Huangpu River and at the Five New Cities, as well as newly built greenland, park belts circling the city, greenways and streetside pocket parks across the city, magnolia landscapes will be developed, and more magnolia trees will appear on the city's streets, according to the bureau.

Efforts will also be made to promote the growth of magnolias through means such fertilizing, anti-corrosion treatments and terrain adjustment, according to the bureau.

"Magnolia, as the city flower, is not fully displayed in the city," said Xu Xiaobo, deputy director of the bureau's park and greenland department. "The number is not enough, the flowering period only lasts about 10 days, and their growth is not well due to soil conditions."

Based on a survey, magnolias account for fewer than 1 percent of trees lining 272 major streets in the city.

The city will also cultivate a number of magnolia planting and maintenance talents and host a magnolia culture festival to raise awareness of the flower among the public, said Xu.