Around 1,000 Shanghai residents were given free fragrant sweet osmanthus seedlings by the Shanghai Greenery Commission during a greenery campaign at the Jing'an Park on Monday.
According to the Shanghai Greenery Commission, which is affiliated with the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau, residents could take seedlings home and plant them in a pot. Residents were informed that the seedlings could grow into plants about 2 meters tall in two years.
According to the deal, residents must return the plants to the "One Square-meter Greenery" foundation, which will then plant them in greenbelts located all over the city. The commission said that the residents can then take back seedlings of their choice once they have given back the osmanthus.
The residents were also given gardening tips by the organizers in order to improve their chances.
"The program, known as 'one-square-meter greenery into 10,000 households,' encourages residents to create some green space at home and raise their awareness on ecology," said commission official Ge Yuyao.
Ge said that the pots with the osmanthus plants can be placed in window sills or balconies.
Osmanthus is an ideal plant given the climate of Shanghai, because the plant can endure both high and low temperatures. The plant can grow as high as 18 meters.
In order to ensure the success of the project, the residents were asked to sign letters of commitment, wherein they promised they would plant the seedlings at home and return them after two years.
The residents could also apply for new seedlings if the first ones they were given do not grow as expected.
A Shanghai resident who lives close to the park, Liu Jinnong said, "I like having plants at home and will take care of the seedling."
Liu added, "This program promotes greenery concept among residents, which is good."