What if your evening drink came with a side of bioluminescence? That's the idea germinating at Beijing's Dongsheng Bajia Park, where a sprawling 7,000-square-meter greenhouse will bloom this fall with glow-in-the-dark decorative plants.

Featuring a glowing cafe and a luminous corridor of plant life, the venue will offer a surreal after-dark twist on a nature walk.

The project, led by Magicpen Biotechnology Co, is set to turn one man's childhood fantasy into a public spectacle. The dream took root in the rural backyard of Li Renhan, who would later become the founder of the company.

That childhood wonder eventually became the driving force behind Magicpen's breakthrough technology.

"I wished I could make plants glow in the dark, like fireflies," Li said.

As of August, the company has developed more than 10 varieties of bioluminescent plants, including petunias, tobacco and poplar.

At the heart of the innovation is an artificial intelligence platform called Agent VitaMind, which accelerates genetic design and metabolic engineering.

"Using AI, we boosted the supply of luminescent substrates and enhanced certain fungal activity in plant cells," Li said. "We prevented gene silencing, so the glow remains stable across generations."

The company hopes that the upcoming third generation will feature increased luminescence. The goal is to develop multicolor variants of glowing plants while improving their cold tolerance and drought resistance. The enhanced plants are being bioengineered to be suitable for parks and cultural tourism spots across the country.

"After modification, the plants will grow and appear no different from ordinary greenery in the daytime, paving the way for large-scale commercial deployment," Li said.

The current generation of glowing plants produces a faint green light under a full moon, which is clearly visible on moonless or overcast nights. With the third generation, AI will optimize the luminescent pathway to achieve stable visibility even under a brighter half-moon.

"The garden's corridors and shaded canopies help to reduce moonlight interference, enhancing the overall viewing experience," Li said.

To address safety concerns about the possible spread of genetically engineered life forms, the company uses sterile or low-pollen varieties, such as double-petal petunias. The idea is to prevent crossbreeding with wild plants.

Luminescent genes are expressed only in leaves, stems and flowers — not in seeds or pollen — so even accidental dispersal won't produce glowing offspring.

Furthermore, the greenhouses are sealed with insect-proof nets, and all plant waste is heat-treated before disposal. The company also uses AI simulations to predict any ecological impact on bees, soil microbes or local animals.

"In five years, we expect glowing plants to serve as supplemental night lighting in parks and pathways, reducing the use of electricity," Li said.

Glowing plants are currently on display at the Beijing Flower World in the city's Fengtai district, as well as at Magicpen Bio-Research Base on the outskirts of Hefei, Anhui province, and at the Anhui Science and Technology Museum.

Global research on glowing plants has advanced significantly in recent years. In June, Spanish researchers developed transgenic plants that change color when infected by a virus, enabling the early detection of pests.

Contact the writers at wangsongsong@chinadaily.com.cn