But now, thanks to over-harvesting and surging demand, several species of wild orchids . . . known as lan in China . . . are at risk of dying out altogether.

According to China Daily, ten species indigenous to the mountains of Zhejiang province are on the brink of extinction.

"Excessive harvesting of wild orchids had also led to soil erosion and consequently affected the environment for other plants and animals, " the paper quoted an official in the province's Xinchang county as saying.

The area around Zhejiang province in eastern China is perfect for growing orchids, which tend to flourish on rich, mountainous soils.

One hundred years ago it was possible to find 2,400 of China's 3,000 different varieties in Zhejiang alone.

Rampant development and overcultivation have reduced that number to just 740.

The Orchidaceae family is both large and diverse. At least 25,000 occur naturally along with more than 100,000 hybrids and while they are loved all over the world for their vibrant colours and pungent aromas, no nation prizes orchids quite as much as the Chinese.

Poets, philosophers and writers of the Confucian era frequently thought of orchids as the natural equivalent of the intellectual elite to which they belonged, one of the highest honours available in a society where hierarchy and elitism ruled supreme.

"Orchids are popular because they symbolise the noble character of the literati, " Chen Haijiao, an expert on orchids, told China Daily.

"Confucius and many other masters wrote a lot of poems about orchids. Therefore, Chinese people have a long tradition of appreciating orchids and a strong inclination to buy and grow them."

The orchid is also probably the most painted flower in Chinese art, adorning everything from classical silk paintings to modern advertising hoardings. Rare breeds of the flowers are highly sought-after. Varieties with particularly strong colours or aromas sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars per bunch.

At a recent flower exhibition in Shaoxing, in eastern China, a single pot of orchids sold for around 1.35 million yuan ( 130,000).

As China's burgeoning middle classes increase alongside the country's staggering economic growth, demand is unlikely to diminish.