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Phool

🇨🇳 The flowers of China

370 pages from China: its flowers, the things made with them and the places to see them, across 58 cities and regions.

China is home to an extraordinary range of flowering plants, with over 30,000 native species and many found nowhere else. Its vast territory covers many climates, from tropical forests to deserts, supporting unique flowers like the Chinese aster, dove-tree, and peony. Endemic and culturally significant species set China's flora apart.

  • China has over 30,000 native plant species, many found nowhere else.
  • The peony is a cultural symbol of wealth and honor.
  • Dawn redwood was rediscovered in China after being thought extinct.
  • Fritillaria delavayi camouflages to avoid being picked.
  • Bamboo and sweet wormwood are widely used in daily life and medicine.

The plant life of China

China's plant life is among the richest in the world, shaped by its huge size and varied landscapes. From humid tropical forests in the south to dry deserts in the northwest, the country supports over 39,000 vascular plant species. More than half of these are found only in China. Ancient geological changes and the survival of plants through the last ice age have helped preserve many rare and ancient species. Forests, grasslands, bamboo groves, and alpine meadows all add to the diversity, making China a global center for plant variety.

From region to region in China

Plant life changes dramatically across China. The northeast has cold coniferous forests and mixed woodlands, while the subtropical south is lush with broad-leaved forests and bamboo. The southwest, including Yunnan and Tibet, is a refuge for ancient trees and rare flowers, spared from the last ice age. Tropical rainforests in Yunnan and Hainan are especially rich in species. In contrast, the north and northwest are drier, with fewer species and more grasslands or desert plants.

Flowers to know in China

China is known for flowers like the Chinese aster and the peony, a symbol of wealth and honor. The dove-tree, golden larch, and dawn redwood are rare trees native to China, with the dawn redwood once thought extinct. The happy tree and gutta-percha tree are valued for their traditional uses. Many species, such as the Yunnan cypress and Fritillaria delavayi, are found only in China and are now threatened or endangered.

How flowers are used in China

Plants have deep roots in Chinese culture, medicine, and daily life. Over 10,000 species are used, mostly in traditional medicine. Sweet wormwood, for example, has been used since ancient times for fevers. Bamboo is woven into mats and toys. Flowers like the peony appear in art and as symbols. Many plants are also grown for food or exported worldwide.

Threats and protection in China

Habitat loss, climate change, and overharvesting threaten many native plants. Endemic and useful species are especially at risk, with a third of useful plants both unique to China and threatened. Some, like Fritillaria delavayi, have even evolved to hide from collectors. Conservation efforts include national and international programs to protect rare species and habitats.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Flora of China", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Flower experiences in China

All 4
🇨🇳 Kunming · All yearDounan flower marketChina's largest cut-flower market, where much of the trade happens in the evening. 🇨🇳 Suzhou · Mar to OctClassical gardens of SuzhouScholar gardens of rock, water and pavilions, where each season has its chosen flower. 🇨🇳 Luoyang · Apr to MayLuoyang peony seasonThe old capital of Luoyang fills its parks with tree peonies every April. 🇨🇳 Luoping · Feb to MarLuoping canola flower seaYellow rapeseed fields stretching between small limestone hills in eastern Yunnan.

Cities and regions of China

Beijing 5Guangzhou 5Yunnan 5Hangzhou 4Shanghai 4Fujian 3Guangdong 3Gansu 2Heilongjiang 2Hubei 2Jiangsu 2Kaifeng 2Kunming 2Tibet 2Xinjiang 2Xishuangbanna 2Anhui 1Baoshan District 1Bayi 1Bita Lake 1Bome 1Bozhou 1Chuzhou 1Diqing 1Fuzhou 1Haidian 1Hebei 1Henan 1Heze 1Jingdezhen 1Jingtai County 1Jiujiang 1Kanas Lake 1Khorgas 1Luohu District 1Luoping 1Matsu Islands 1Mengla County 1Mount Lu 1Nanjing 1Narati Grassland 1Qiu County 1Qujing 1Shaanxi 1Shangri-La 1Shanxi 1Shennongjia 1Shenzhen 1Shudu Lake 1Sichuan 1Suzhou 1Tianhe District 1Tongxiang 1Wenzhou 1Yangtze region 1Yining 1Zayu 1Zhejiang 1
ShowFlowersDecorationsPlaces
ColourRedPinkOrangeYellowWhiteCreamBluePurpleGreenMaroonMany-coloured
In flowerSpringSummerMonsoonAutumnWinter
Wild PansyViola tricolor A small wildflower with purple, yellow, and white blooms found across Eurasia 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Wildflower White Water-lilyNymphaea alba A floating white flower of ponds and lakes across Europe and Asia 🇸🇪 Sweden and 5 more · Wildflower CloudberryRubus chamaemorus A golden berry of northern bogs and tundra, picked wild for food and drink 🇳🇴 Norway and 7 more · Wildflower DogwoodCornus Woody trees and shrubs with showy bracts and colorful berries 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Indian fig opuntiaOpuntia ficus-indica A large, spiny cactus grown for its sweet fruit and edible pads 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower LantanaLantana camara A colourful shrub with clusters of small, changing flowers 🇧🇷 Brazil and 9 more · Flowering shrub FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea Tall spikes of bell-shaped, spotted flowers in purple, pink, white or yellow 🇩🇪 Germany and 5 more · Wildflower White cloverTrifolium repens A low-growing, mat-forming clover with white flower heads 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Saffron crocusCrocus sativus The purple autumn flower whose red stigmas yield the spice saffron 🇨🇳 China and 1 more · Garden flower Marvel of PeruMirabilis jalapa Evening-blooming garden flower with many colours on one plant 🇲🇽 Mexico and 6 more · Garden flower Brown mustardBrassica juncea A leafy mustard plant grown for greens, seeds, and oil across Asia and beyond 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower FireweedChamaenerion angustifolium A tall pink wildflower that quickly covers burned or disturbed ground 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Wildflower Marsh-marigoldCaltha palustris A bright yellow wildflower of marshes and wet woodlands in cool climates 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Philippine violetBarleria cristata A small shrub with violet, pink, or white funnel-shaped flowers 🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Flowering shrub Woodfordia fruticosadhavdi A flowering shrub found from Africa to South and Southeast Asia 🇲🇲 Myanmar and 7 more · Wildflower Royal poincianaDelonix regia A tropical tree with bright red-orange flowers and fern-like leaves 🇲🇬 Madagascar and 8 more · Flowering tree Blue orchidVanda coerulea A rare orchid with long-lasting bluish purple flowers from Northeast India and Yunnan 🇮🇳 India and 2 more · Orchid Pinwheel flowerTabernaemontana divaricata A fragrant white-flowered shrub native to South and Southeast Asia 🇲🇲 Myanmar and 2 more · Flowering shrub Clary sageSalvia sclarea A tall herb with aromatic leaves and pale lilac to white flower spikes 🇨🇳 China and 2 more · Herb or useful flower Place Lushan Botanical Garden庐山植物园 A large botanical garden on Mount Lu, known for its gymnosperm collection Jiujiang, 🇨🇳 China · Botanical garden Balloon flowerPlatycodon grandiflorus A perennial with balloon-shaped buds and bell-like blue or white flowers 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Wildflower Brazilian gloxiniaSinningia speciosa A tuberous houseplant with large, velvety flowers from Brazil 🇧🇷 Brazil and 1 more · Garden flower Black-eyed Susan vineThunbergia alata A fast-growing climbing plant with bright flowers and a dark centre 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Garden flower Sulphur cosmosCosmos sulphureus A tall annual with yellow, orange, or red daisy-like blooms 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower Place Potatso National Park普达措国家公园 A highland park of lakes, forests, and rare plants near Shangri-La, Yunnan Shangri-La, 🇨🇳 China · Bloom site Prunus mume The fragrant plum blossom tree that blooms in winter across East Asia 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Flowering tree Showy stonecropHylotelephium spectabile A pink-flowered succulent from China, popular in gardens and bouquets 🇨🇳 China · Garden flower Love-lies-bleedingAmaranthus caudatus Tall Andean plant with long, drooping red or white flower clusters 🇵🇪 Peru and 8 more · Wildflower Kalanchoe blossfeldiana A compact succulent with bright winter blooms from Madagascar 🇲🇬 Madagascar and 1 more · Garden flower Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgare A white-petalled wildflower of meadows, now found across much of the world 🇱🇻 Latvia and 6 more · Wildflower Place Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefectureئىلى قازاق ئاپتونوم ئوبلاستى A vast, multi-ethnic region in northern Xinjiang, China, known for its grasslands and borderlands Khorgas, 🇨🇳 China · Bloom site PasqueflowerPulsatilla vulgaris A spring-flowering perennial with silky purple blooms and feathery seed heads 🇨🇳 China · Wildflower Flame lilyGloriosa superba A striking red and yellow climbing flower, national emblem of Zimbabwe and Tamil Nadu 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe and 9 more · Wildflower Witch-hazelHamamelis A winter-flowering shrub with strap-shaped yellow to red blooms 🇺🇸 United States and 2 more · Flowering shrub Gardenia A fragrant white-flowered shrub from tropical regions worldwide 🇨🇳 China and 6 more · Flowering shrub Place Luoping County罗平县 A county in Yunnan, China, famous for its golden canola fields in spring Luoping, 🇨🇳 China · Bloom site, Mar to Jun Place Rose garden A public garden devoted to growing and displaying many kinds of roses L'Haÿ-les-Roses, 🇫🇷 France · Flower garden Decoration Hanami花見 The Japanese tradition of gathering to enjoy cherry blossoms in spring 🇯🇵 Japan and 7 more · Custom, Jan to May Indian coral treeErythrina variegata A thorny tree with scarlet flowers, grown across Asia and the Pacific 🇧🇷 Brazil and 7 more · Flowering tree Common LilacSyringa vulgaris A spring-flowering shrub with fragrant purple or white blooms 🇷🇸 Serbia and 4 more · Garden flower Trillium Woodland wildflowers with three-petalled blooms and whorled bracts 🇺🇸 United States and 4 more · Wildflower Disocactus ackermannii A scarlet-flowered epiphytic cactus from southern Mexico's cloud forests 🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 more · Wildflower ChampakMagnolia champaca A tall tree with fragrant yellow to orange flowers, prized in South and Southeast Asia 🇲🇲 Myanmar and 7 more · Flowering tree Place Kunming Botanical Garden A major botanical garden and plant research centre in Kunming, Yunnan, China Kunming, 🇨🇳 China · Botanical garden Water-lily tulipTulipa kaufmanniana A dwarf tulip from Central Asia with star-shaped flowers 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan and 6 more · Wildflower Smithia A genus of legume herbs with pink or purple pea-like flowers 🇮🇳 India and 4 more · Herb or useful flower Campbell's MagnoliaMagnolia campbellii A Himalayan tree with large pink or white flowers blooming before the leaves 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Flowering tree Chinese milk-vetchAstragalus sinicus A flowering legume grown in China as green manure for farming 🇨🇳 China · Wildflower
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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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