Wendy Zhang/ Shanghai Daily news

Shanghai's largest flower market, opening today with abundant varieties and low prices, has proved to be a big hit, the Xinmin Evening News reported today.
The Lanling Flower Market, located at No.1539 Lingshi Road in Zhabei District in the north of the city, attracted more than 200 flower growers from both the local suburban area and nearby Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces.
Xu Fusheng grows more than ten mu (0.67 hectare) of carnations at Chonggu Town of Qingpu District. He left home at 4 a.m. this morning to drive to the market which opens at 6 a.m. "I brought 1,000 bunches of flowers here today, and half were sold in a little over an hour," Xu said happily, adding that he would ask another 12 flower growers in his town to sell their flowers there.
Nearly 3.5 million flowers of more than 20 autumn varieties were available in the market this morning.
Flowers in the market are very fresh and cheap, said Chen, a resident of Xinhua Road. "Two yuan (US$0.25) for 18 carnations, five yuan for ten curcumas, four yuan for 20 gerbera jamesoniis, four yuan for 20 roses and 20 yuan for 20 lilies. I bought more than 20 bunches of various flowers with less than 100 yuan," Chen said, adding that the prices are sure to be double or triple in neighbourhood flower shops.