Storyline Efficient logistics sends fresh flowers from warm growing base to colder parts in China Flowers from southwest China's Lijiang City are refreshing homes and businesses in the frigid northern parts of the country thanks to innovative flower processing and logistics systems. Because of its mild subtropical highland climate, Yunnan Province flowers can be shipped to colder regions year-round, sometimes in as little as 48 hours. For winter deliveries to cold northern locations, a three-layer protection system is used that includes heat-reflecting foil, insulating foam, and reinforced kraft paper that keeps the flowers fresh. Yang Jie, general manager, Lijiang modern flower industrial park: "We use our own fleet of cold-chain vehicles to ensure a direct 7-to-8-hour trip. The containers are kept at a constant 2 to 4 degrees Celsius." In this case a batch has just arrived in Mohe, one of the country's northernmost cities. Residents were happy for the chance to buy fresh cut flowers in the dead of winter. Liu Dongxue, Mohe resident: "The flowers are very fresh. I bought spray roses and lisianthus. Even though we live at the northernmost edge of the country and winter temperatures can drop to minus 40 degrees Celsius, it's still very convenient for us to buy these flowers." China's air logistics network for fresh flowers is also rapidly expanding with more than 300 domestic flower-carrying flights daily, some extending as far as northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]