The peony
The peony is the Chinese national flower. Luoyang City, in Henan Province, is known as the City of Peonies. Some of China's most expansive peony gardens are located here. Each April, tourists flock to Luoyang to see these enormous flowers when they are at their peak. I found this white peony at the Shenzhou Peony Garden. It was larger than a grapefruit, with the stalk just barely able to maintain the weight of the flower.