Miniature bonsai trees are highly welcomed by Chinese customers and the market increases by 10 percent every year. [Photo by Zhou Lanxu and Wang Jia/chinadaily.com.cn]

Wang Guangming, a farmer in the Guzhuang community of Rugao, East China's Jiangsu province, earns about 1.5 million yuan ($212,000) to 2 million yuan a year growing bonsai trees.

"A bonsai pine tree that is about the height of an adult can sell for more than 100,000 yuan," said Wang, who lives in a villa with a garden full of the bonsai trees he grows. "Nearly 3,00 families in the community grow bonsai trees to make a living."

The community attracted nearly 2 million visitors in 2019, and revenue from tourism stood at 250 million yuan.

In Rugao city, about 100,000 farmers work in the bonsai industry and it provides jobs to more than 200,000 farmers across the country. An worker experienced in growing bonsai trees can earn 2,000 to 3,000 yuan a day.

Chen Ninghua, deputy manager of the city's Flowers and Trees World Holding Company, said that apart from expensive large bonsai trees, the company has also developed miniature bonsai trees, which are about the size of an adult's hand, to attract more customers.

"The market of miniature bonsai trees increases by 10 percent every year," she said. "The miniature bonsai trees are welcomed by customers and are also more convenient to transport."

She said that the city will finish constructing a high-end horticulture market by December, which will contain an exhibition center that shows customers how bonsai trees can improve their living environment in gardens, bedrooms and living rooms.