Sansha Flowers and Trees

Sansha Flowers and Trees

　　Henglan Town’s Sansha Village is situated in the northwest of Henglan, with the Xijiang River to its west and neighboring Guzhen Town. It enjoys an excellent geographical location and convenient transportation. The Qijiang Highway runs through the village, and the Jiangzhong Expressway, which crosses over the village, is about to open to traffic. The Gushen Highway is currently under construction. It lies 3 kilometers from the Xiaolan Station on the Guangzhou-Zhuhai Expressway. Sansha Village spans a total area of over 8,600 mu, has a population of more than 6,700, and consists of 10 villager groups. In 2007, the combined income of the village and its villager groups exceeded 20.56 million yuan, with the village-level collective income reaching 7.2 million yuan and the per capita income of villagers surpassing 10,000 yuan. In contrast, in 2000, the combined income of the village and its villager groups was only 5.18 million yuan, the village-level collective income was merely 310,000 yuan, and the annual per capita income of villagers was only 4,600 yuan. Sansha Village transformed from a “backward village” with debts of 1.2 million yuan in 2000 into the leading economic hub of the town. Over the past five years, with the economic development of Sansha Village, the construction, growth, and expansion of the Sansha Industrial Zone, Nan Zhu Bay, Sansha Primary School, and the Sansha Flowers and Trees Base have become highlights in the village's overall development.

　　The Sansha Flowers and Trees Base in Henglan Town is one of the rising stars in Zhongshan’s landscaping seedling industry in recent years. It has developed rapidly and grown substantially, forming a major agricultural specialty industry in the northwest of Zhongshan together with several other seedling production areas in the city, such as Xiaolan, Guzhen, and Dongsheng.

　　 Currently, the Sansha Flowers and Trees Base covers nearly 8,000 contiguous mu and cultivates over 350 varieties of flowers and plants. Among them, the highest production and sales mainly come from potted seedlings, with key varieties including broadleaf red grass, golden leaf, peanut vine, variegated ginger, duckfoot tree, silvergrass, and Fujian tea. For trees, the main varieties are large-leaved banyan, small-leaved banyan, high-mountain banyan, and crape myrtle. Varieties such as candlestick tree, red powder trumpet tree, and flamboyant tree are also gaining popularity in the base.

　　 On June 28, 2004, the Sansha Flower Association of Henglan Town, Zhongshan, was officially established at the Sansha Flowers and Trees Base. As one of the pilot units of specialized farmer economic cooperatives in Guangdong Province, the association adheres to the principle of being “founded by farmers, managed by farmers, and benefiting farmers,” providing pre-production, mid-production, and post-production services to flower growers. Since then, flower farmers in Sansha have had their own organization.

　　The association frequently holds member meetings or thematic sessions to facilitate on-site experience exchanges and discussions on challenges and issues encountered in the planting, distribution, and sales of flowers. It communicates with relevant departments regarding common concerns raised by members, promptly resolving problems faced by flower farmers in production and distribution. Before the association was formed, farmers had to personally handle tedious procedures such as plant quarantine in order to sell seedlings outside the region, which significantly reduced productivity. After the establishment of the Sansha Flower Association, all related plant quarantine certificates can now be processed directly through the association, thereby saving farmers time and reducing operational costs.

　　 Association members leverage their advantages in information and distribution channels to expand flower and plant sales to areas such as Zhuhai, Guangzhou, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Shanghai. Meanwhile, using members as a core, the association has helped radiate and drive flower and plant growers across the entire village and town, boosting farmers’ incomes.

　　 Out of the 10 villager groups in Sansha Village, six primarily focus on developing the flowers and plants industry. There are 900 households engaged in flower and plant cultivation or related activities, employing over 1,800 local laborers and more than 3,000 migrant workers. Based on 2003 figures, the annual net profit per mu of flower and plant cultivation reached around 10,000 yuan, making it the main avenue for villagers in Sansha to achieve prosperity. Rental prices for the Sansha Flowers and Trees Base have also risen sharply in just a few years—from 1,500 yuan per mu in 2002, to 3,000 yuan per mu in 2004, and to 7,300 yuan per mu in 2007. The collective income of the village and its villager groups has continued to increase, transforming Sansha Village from a previously backward area into an advanced and prosperous village in Henglan.