They'd make a cool walkway border, though.

Could work well enough? The idea is that you don't need to fully "light up" a street. See the photo here: https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=21785

Especially if they further engineer brushes or small trees, like to glow strongest for a few hours after sundown. From my napkin math plants achieve something from 1% to 5% efficiency in converting sunlight into calories / chemical energy. I think that should be enough to provide low illumination to a small area around them.

Right now in order to put up an energy efficient streetlamp you need to dig in the earth to bury a cable (or have a big ass solar panel on top) and rely on high technology LED energy efficient lights. Now imagine just having to plant a seed. Such advanced biotechnology isn't just a question of environmentalism and resource efficiency, it also has the potential to democratize the technology needed to have higher quality of life anywhere on earth. Imho universities should be making such useful seeds that can replace complex industry supply chains and make them available for free.

It's hilarious. Another one if these faux Chinese Solarpunk propaganda stories. Cute.