Image - Wikimedia
All the plants that inhabit the Earth have done everything possible to adapt to the best of their ability to their respective habitats, since the opposite means not surviving, not being able to move on. In the specific case of Asia, this is a huge continent, the largest of all, and therefore, the one with the greatest diversity of climates and microclimates, and therefore, one with the greatest variety of species of trees, shrubs , etc., houses.
If we focus only on China, this is a country that occupies an area of nine and a half million square kilometers. To give you an idea of how big it is, tell you that the surface of Spain is "only" 505.900km2, 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 that, we can get an idea of the number of Chinese trees that inhabit that country. The ones we are going to show you are just a few.
Acer triflorum
Image - Wikimedia / Gmihail
There are different species of maples native to China, such as the Acer griseum or the popular Acer palmatum, which also lives in Japan. But I wanted to take advantage of this article to tell you about trees in China that are not so well known, such as the Acer triflorum. This 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 known as A. triflorum (triflorum = three flowers). It tolerates both frost and snowfall well, but suffers from late frosts.
Calocedrus macrolepis
Image - Wikimedia / KENPEI
El Calocedrus macrolepis It is an evergreen conifer with a pyramidal habit native to southwestern China that grows up to 30-35 meters tall.. The leaves are between 1 and 8 millimeters long, are green, and have a certain resemblance to the foliage of some ferns, such as the Pteris. The cones are purple and about 20 millimeters long.
Its growth rate is slow, but it resists moderate frosts (down to -6ºC), which makes it interesting to grow in temperate or subtropical gardens.
castanopsis concinna
Image - Wikimedia / 阿 橋 HQ
El castanopsis concinna It is an evergreen tree that grows in the broadleaf forests of southern China, where it is protected as it is threatened by habitat loss. Reaches 20 meters in height, and has elongated, leathery, green leaves.
The flowers are long, whitish inflorescences, and sprout from the upper part of the branches. The fruit measures one centimeter in diameter and is round.
Chamaecyparis hodginsii
Image – Wikimedia/aaronliston
El Chamaecyparis hodginsii It is an endemic evergreen tree of 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 requires being either in areas where it rains frequently, or near freshwater courses. Resistant up to -12ºC.
cornus capitata
Image - Wikimedia / Stan Shebs
El cornus capitata, called 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 a bit hidden when the plant blooms, something it does in 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 container, it will be necessary to prune it from time to time. It tolerates frosts down to -12ºC.
Ligustrum Lucidum
Image - Flickr / mauro halpern
El privet As we call it in Spain, it is an evergreen tree native to southern China. It grows either as a shrub-tree of 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, since it grows in different soils (neutral, acidic, alkaline), and it also withstands both high temperatures (35-40ºC) and frosts down to -12ºC.
magnolia liliflora
La magnolia liliflora, known as tulip magnolia or lily tree, is a deciduous species native to southwestern China. It grows as a small tree up to 5 meters tall., and has simple, glossy green leaves. The flowers are large, as they measure about 6 centimeters across. 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 acid and the climate is mild, and of course also in pots. Supports up to -20ºC.
Picea asperata
Image – Wikimedia/rduta
La Picea asperata It is one of the species of the genus Picea native to China. It is found in the forests of the west of the country. It is evergreen, and has a pyramidal habit. It reaches a maximum height of 40 meters, although the usual thing is that it stays at about 20 meters.. The leaves are greyish-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 is temperate. It tolerates frosts down to -18ºC.
Pinus hwangshanensis
Image – Wikimedia/tak.wing
El Pinus hwangshanensis It is endemic to China, specifically to 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 by leaves similar to dark green needles. The cones are about 5-6 centimeters wide, and are yellow-brown in color.
Growing at high altitudes, it is a plant that can only survive if the climate is temperate in your area. Resistant up to -15ºC.
Sinojackia xylocarpa
Image - Flickr / 阿 橋 HQ
La Sinojackia xylocarpa It is an evergreen Chinese tree endemic to the eastern part of the country. It grows up to 7 meters tall, and maintains a slender trunk. Its leaves are ovate or elliptical, 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 fresh soil. Resistant up to -18ºC.
What do you think of these Chinese trees?