Roses named after beloved late officials Huang Wenxiu, He Jiaolong go on sale

The pink Jiaolong rose, featuring full petals and a delicate fragrance, commemorates He Jiaolong, a former official in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region known for promoting local tourism and agricultural products through livestreaming. She died in a horse-riding accident in January.

The names were selected following online naming campaigns held by the research institute late last year and early this year. Researchers later donated roses bearing the names to Baise in Guangxi and Zhaosu county in Xinjiang, where the two officials had worked.

Cai Yanfei, a researcher at the institute, said developing a new rose variety requires years of crossbreeding, selection, and field observation. She said many premium cut roses in China previously relied on imported varieties.