In July and August, the valleys around Xining — particularly the farmland south and east of the city, visible from the road to Kumbum Monastery — are blanketed in flowering rapeseed (canola). The bright yellow fields against the red-brown hillsides and the blue sky typical of plateau summers create the landscape that defines the visual character of Qinghai in summer and fills Chinese tourists' social media feeds. The view from the road between Xining and Huangzhong is particularly striking.
The rapeseed is a practical crop: its oil is used in cooking throughout the region, and the fields are cultivated by local farmers for income. The flowers are at their peak in late July and early August, lasting about three weeks before the harvest begins. Many photography tours from Xining specifically target these fields in summer.