Image – Wikimedia
All the plants that inhabit the Earth have done everything to best adapt to their respective habitats, since the opposite means not surviving, not being able to move forward. In the specific case of Asia, it is an immense continent, the largest of all, and therefore, the one with the greatest diversity of climates and microclimates, and therefore, the one with the greatest variety of species of trees, shrubs, etc., Houses.
If we focus only on China, it is a country that occupies an area of nine and a half million square kilometers. To give you an idea of its extent, tell yourself that the area of Spain is “only” 505,900 km2, and despite this, we know that the temperatures are not the same in the north of the peninsula, for example, than in the Balearic Islands or the Canary Islands. So, we can get an idea of the number of Chinese trees that populate this country. The ones we are going to show you are just a few.
Acer triflora
Image – Wikimedia/Gmihail
There are different species of maple native to China, such as the Acer griseum or the popular Acer palmatum, who also lives in Japan. But I wanted to take advantage of this article to tell you about trees in China that are less known, such as the Acer triflora. It grows in the hills of the north of the country, It is deciduous and reaches a height of about 25 meters maximum.. The leaves are compound, with serrated margins, and are green although they turn red in autumn.
And if we talk about the flowers, they are very small, so much so that they can go unnoticed. They are grouped in inflorescences in groups of three, which is why it is called A. triflorum (triflorum = three flowers). It tolerates frost and snowfall well, but suffers from late frosts.
Calocedrus macrolepis
Image – Wikimedia/KENPEI
the Calocedrus macrolepis It is an evergreen conifer with a pyramidal habit native to southwestern China that can reach 30 to 35 meters in height.. The leaves are between 1 and 8 millimeters long, green, and bear some resemblance to the foliage of certain ferns, such as Pteris. The cones are purple and about 20 millimeters long.
Its growth rate is slow, but it resists moderate frosts (down to -6°C), which makes it interesting to grow in temperate or subtropical gardens.
castanopsis concinna
Image – 阿橋 Wikimedia/HQ
the castanopsis concinna It is an evergreen tree that grows in the deciduous forests of southern China, where it is protected as it is threatened by habitat loss. Reaches 20 meters in heightand has elongated, leathery, green leaves.
The flowers are long whitish inflorescences and grow from the upper part of the branches. The fruit measures one centimeter in diameter and is round.
Chamaecyparis hodginsii
Image – Wikimedia/aaronliston
the Chamaecyparis hodginsii It is an evergreen tree endemic to the country that grows between 20 and 30 meters in height.. It has a characteristic almost straight trunk and a very elegant pyramidal crown. The leaves are green scales, and the bark is brownish. The cones are globose, about 20 millimeters long, and contain seeds about 4 millimeters long.
It is a Chinese tree that needs to be either in areas where it rains frequently or near fresh water courses. Resistant down to -12ºC.
cornus capitata
Image – Wikimedia/Stan Shebs
the cornus capitatacalled dogwood or leech, is an evergreen tree that is part of the forest flora of inland China. Reaches 12 meters in height, and can have a very wide crown, 5-6 meters. The leaves are green, although they tend to be somewhat hidden when the plant flowers, which it does in the summer. Its flowers are white, measure about 4 centimeters wide, and are very numerous.
It is a very pretty plant that can be grown in gardens with acid soils, and also in pots. Of course, if you choose to have it in a pot, it will need to be pruned from time to time. It tolerates frosts down to -12°C.
Ligustrum lucidum
Image – Flickr/mauro halpern
Privet, as it is called in Spain, is an evergreen tree native to southern China. It grows either as a shrub to at least 3 meters or as a tree itself up to 15 meters. Its leaves are opposite, dark green in color, and measure up to 15 centimeters long by 8 centimeters wide. Its fruits are bluish berries that measure one centimeter in diameter.
It is widely planted in gardens in temperate climates, as it grows in different soils (neutral, acid, alkaline), and it resists both high temperatures (35-40°C) and frosts down to -12° vs.
Magnolia lilflora
The Magnolia lilfloraknown as tulip magnolia or lily, is a deciduous species native to southwestern China. It grows like a small tree reaching 5 meters in height., and has simple, glossy green leaves. The flowers are large, as they are about 6 centimeters in diameter. These are also pink.
As it grows much less than other magnolias, it is a plant that can be kept in small gardens as long as the soil is acidic and the climate is mild, and of course also in pots. Withstands down to -20ºC.
picea asperata
Image – Wikimedia/rduta
The picea asperata It is one of the species of the genus Picea native to China. It is found in the forests of the western part of the country. It is persistent and has a pyramidal shape. It reaches a maximum height of 40 meters, although the usual thing is that it stays at around 20 meters.. The leaves are grayish green and remain on the plant for several months until they are replaced by others. The cones are cylindrical and measure about four inches long by three inches wide.
It is a Chinese tree that will only grow well if the soil is acidic and the climate temperate. It tolerates frosts down to -18ºC.
Pinus hwangshanensis
Image – Wikimedia/tak.wing
the Pinus hwangshanensis It is endemic to China, particularly the eastern mountains of the country. It is evergreen and reaches an approximate height of 25 meters. It develops a wide crown 6-7 meters long, which is populated with dark green needle-like leaves. The cones are about 5-6 centimeters wide and yellow-brown in color.
Growing at high altitudes, it is a plant that can only survive if the climate is temperate in your region. Resistant down to -15ºC.
Sinojackia xylocarpa
Image – Flickr/HQ 阿橋
The Sinojackia xylocarpa It is a Chinese evergreen tree endemic to the eastern part of the country. It grows up to 7 meters tall and maintains a slender trunk. Its leaves are oval or elliptical, measuring up to 8 centimeters long by 5 centimeters wide, and green. The flowers are grouped in hanging inflorescences, and are white.
In cultivation, it requires rich, well-drained and cool soil. Resistant down to -18ºC.
What do you think of these Chinese trees?