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Phool

🇨🇳 The flowers of China

400 pages from China: its flowers, the things made with them and the places to see them, across 60 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 7Yunnan 6Guangzhou 5Fujian 4Hangzhou 4Shanghai 4Guangdong 3Jiangsu 3Suzhou 3Gansu 2Heilongjiang 2Hubei 2Kaifeng 2Kunming 2Tibet 2Xinjiang 2Xishuangbanna 2Zhejiang 2Anhui 1Baoshan District 1Bayi 1Bita Lake 1Bome 1Bozhou 1Chengde 1Chuzhou 1Diqing 1Fuzhou 1Guizhou 1Haidian 1Hebei 1Henan 1Heze 1Jingdezhen 1Jingtai County 1Jiujiang 1Kanas Lake 1Khorgas 1Longmen Grottoes 1Luohu District 1Luoping 1Matsu Islands 1Mengla County 1Mount Lu 1Nanjing 1Narati Grassland 1Qiu County 1Qujing 1Shaanxi 1Shandong 1Shangri-La 1Shanxi 1Shennongjia 1Shenzhen 1Shudu Lake 1Sichuan 1Tianhe District 1Tongxiang 1Wenzhou 1Yangtze region 1
ShowFlowersDecorationsPlaces
ColourRedPinkOrangeYellowWhiteCreamBluePurpleGreenMaroonMany-coloured
KindWildflowerGarden flowerCut flowerFlowering treeFlowering shrubBulb flowerClimberOrchidWater flowerCactus or succulentAlpine flowerTropical flowerHerb or useful flower
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 Brown mustardBrassica juncea A leafy mustard plant grown for greens, seeds, and oil across Asia and beyond 🇨🇳 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 Marsh-marigoldCaltha palustris A bright yellow wildflower of marshes and wet woodlands in cool climates 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower FireweedChamaenerion angustifolium A tall pink wildflower that quickly covers burned or disturbed ground 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Wildflower German irisIris × germanica A tall, rhizome-rooted iris with showy bearded blooms in many colours 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Garden flower Red campionSilene dioica A wild pink-red flower of woods and roadsides in northern and central Europe 🇮🇪 Ireland and 4 more · Wildflower Water-lily tulipTulipa kaufmanniana A dwarf tulip from Central Asia with star-shaped flowers 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan and 6 more · Wildflower Tulipa suaveolens Wild Eurasian tulip with bowl-shaped flowers in many colours 🇷🇺 Russia and 6 more · Wildflower Chinese LilyLilium brownii A wild and cultivated lily from China with edible bulbs 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Wildflower Campbell's MagnoliaMagnolia campbellii A Himalayan tree with large pink or white flowers blooming before the leaves 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Flowering tree Rose of SharonHibiscus syriacus The national flower of South Korea with short-lived summer blooms 🇰🇷 South Korea and 4 more · Flowering shrub Lilium davidii A tall Asian lily with edible bulbs and orange recurved flowers 🇨🇳 China and 1 more · Wildflower YellowhornXanthoceras sorbifolium A hardy flowering tree from northern China with edible seeds and fragrant white blooms 🇨🇳 China and 2 more · Flowering tree Forsythia连翘 A yellow-flowered shrub that signals early spring in gardens and parks 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Flowering shrub Camellia reticulata Tall pink-flowered camellia from Yunnan, grown for gardens and tea oil 🇨🇳 China · Flowering tree Woodland peonyPaeonia obovata A woodland peony with white, pink or purple-red flowers from East Asia 🇨🇳 China and 2 more · Wildflower Sulphur cosmosCosmos sulphureus A tall annual with yellow, orange, or red daisy-like blooms 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower PaperwhiteNarcissus tazetta A tall, white-and-yellow narcissus grown for scent and indoor blooms 🇫🇷 France and 7 more · Bulb flower Hubei AnemoneEriocapitella hupehensis A late-summer flowering perennial with purple, pink or white blooms 🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Wildflower Lilium speciosum A late-summer lily with fragrant white to pink flowers from East Asia 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 more · Wildflower Leopard plantFarfugium japonicum A shade-loving perennial with bold leaves and yellow autumn flowers 🇨🇳 China and 1 more · Garden flower Meconopsis grandis A blue-flowered poppy from the Himalayas grown for its striking blooms 🇧🇹 Bhutan and 3 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 Tachibana orangeCitrus × tachibana A wild mandarin orange found in the forests of Japan 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 more · Wildflower Blue orchidVanda coerulea A rare orchid with long-lasting bluish purple flowers from Northeast India and Yunnan 🇮🇳 India and 2 more · Orchid Satsuma mandarinCitrus unshiu A sweet, easy-peeling citrus fruit grown in Japan, China, and beyond 🇯🇵 Japan and 5 more · Flowering tree Pinwheel flowerTabernaemontana divaricata A fragrant white-flowered shrub native to South and Southeast Asia 🇲🇲 Myanmar and 2 more · Flowering shrub Wild daffodilNarcissus pseudonarcissus A pale yellow spring flower and the national emblem of Wales 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 9 more · Wildflower Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgare A white-petalled wildflower of meadows, now found across much of the world 🇱🇻 Latvia and 6 more · Wildflower Bleeding glory-bowerClerodendrum thomsoniae A climbing plant with white and red flowers grown for decoration 🇨🇲 Cameroon and 4 more · Garden flower 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 Rose mossPortulaca grandiflora A low, colourful succulent with bright flowers for sunny gardens and containers 🇧🇷 Brazil and 3 more · Garden flower Chinese milk-vetchAstragalus sinicus A flowering legume grown in China as green manure for farming 🇨🇳 China · Wildflower 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 Zinnia Bright, long-stemmed flowers native to dry grasslands from the US to South America 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · 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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