Visitors take photos of themselves with the cherry blossoms at Yuquanshan Suburban Forest Park in Taiyuan. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/China Daily]

The 11th Yuquan Mountain Cherry Blossom Festival kicked off on April 8 at Yuquanshan Suburban Forest Park in Taiyuan, capital of North China's Shanxi province.

The Yuquanshan Suburban Forest Park is located west of Geliaogou village, adjacent to Gengyang Park in Jiancaoping district to the north. It covers an area of approximately 13 square kilometers, and features nearly 50,000 cherry trees that are in full bloom.

It is currently the largest cherry blossom garden in North China. Since its first cherry blossom festival in 2014, this park has attracted numerous visitors from both within and outside the province.

Cherry blossoms are now in full bloom at Yuquanshan Suburban Forest Park in Taiyuan. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/China Daily]

This year's Yuquan Mountain Cherry Blossom Festival will last until May 5. The cherry blossoms at Yuquan Mountain are divided into early and late blooming varieties, with the early blooming period around the Qingming Festival and the late blooming period occurring in the latter half of April.

During the opening ceremony, the Taiyuan municipal bureau of culture and tourism unveiled routes for the 2024 Taiyuan flower viewing season. These routes include the mountain peach blossoms at Taishan Mountian and the Mengshan Scenic Area; cherry blossoms at Yuquanshan Suburban Forest Park, Wenyin Park, and Heping Park; peonies at Yongzuo Temple, Yingze Park, Jinci Park, and Doudafu Shrine; lilacs at Longshan Mountain, Xuefu Park, and Nanzhai Park; as well as apricot blossoms at the Wanmu Ecological Park, Taiyuan Fenhe River Scenic Area, and Yingze Park.