A grand flower show featuring tulips kicked off in Guangdong's provincial capital, providing a new attraction for local residents and tourists.

The First China Tulip Show that opened Sunday in Sunflower Garden in Guangzhou's Nansha district, located at the mouth of the Pearl River, will end March 31, increasing the festival atmosphere in the South China metropolis, dubbed "A City of Flowers".

This is the first time such a grand tulip show has been organized in the southern Chinese region in winter, organizers said.

"The seeds of the tulips were imported from the Netherlands but they were cultivated and planted in Guangzhou," said Li Kehao, a Sunflower Garden senior executive.

"The tulip show is expected to become a popular destination for residents and tourists who love flowers and tulips during the coming holidays of Christmas and Chinese lunar new year that begins on Feb 5," he told China Daily.

More than 5,000 people have booked tickets online to the tulip show so far, he added.