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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
Common sunflowerHelianthus annuus A tall annual plant grown for its large yellow flower heads and edible seeds 🇨🇦 Canada and 4 more · Wildflower RosemarySalvia rosmarinus A fragrant evergreen shrub with needle-like leaves and purple, blue, or white flowers 🇪🇸 Spain and 5 more · Flowering shrub Sacred lotusNelumbo nucifera The pink aquatic flower sacred in Asia and grown for food, worship and beauty 🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Water flower LindenTilia Tall, broad-leaved trees with fragrant yellow flowers and heart-shaped leaves 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Flowering tree AmaranthAmaranthus A tall, colourful plant grown for its flowers, leaves and edible seeds 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower Common dandelionTaraxacum officinale A familiar yellow wildflower with fluffy seed heads found across temperate regions 🇨🇳 China · Wildflower YarrowAchillea millefolium A wild, fern-leaved plant with flat clusters of white or pink flowers and a spicy scent 🇨🇳 China and 6 more · Wildflower Opium poppyPapaver somniferum A tall annual poppy grown for seeds, opium, and striking garden flowers 🇨🇳 China and 2 more · Wildflower RapeseedBrassica napus A yellow-flowered crop grown for its oil-rich seeds and protein meal 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Common poppyPapaver rhoeas The vivid red wildflower of fields and remembrance 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Sensitive PlantMimosa pudica A touch-sensitive plant whose leaves fold up when disturbed 🇧🇷 Brazil and 8 more · Wildflower Thorn-appleDatura stramonium A poisonous, night-blooming plant with trumpet-shaped white or violet flowers 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Rhododendron A vast group of shrubs and trees with showy blooms in many colours 🇳🇵 Nepal and 4 more · Wildflower Hydrangea Flowering shrubs with large heads that change color with soil pH 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 more · Flowering shrub ElderSambucus nigra A tall shrub or small tree with clusters of white flowers and dark berries 🇩🇪 Germany and 6 more · Wildflower CornflowerCentaurea cyanus A bright blue wildflower once common in European grain fields 🇩🇪 Germany and 7 more · Wildflower Common ValerianValeriana officinalis Tall, sweet-scented wildflower with pale pink blooms and a long history in herbal lore 🇮🇸 Iceland and 8 more · Wildflower Common sageSalvia officinalis A Mediterranean herb with grey-green leaves and blue to purple flowers 🇨🇳 China and 1 more · Herb or useful flower ChamomileMatricaria chamomilla A fragrant white and yellow annual flower used for tea and herbal remedies 🇨🇳 China · Wildflower PeonyPaeonia Large spring flowers in pink, red, white, yellow and purple, grown in gardens worldwide 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower 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 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 Marvel of PeruMirabilis jalapa Evening-blooming garden flower with many colours on one plant 🇲🇽 Mexico and 6 more · Garden flower 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 Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgare A white-petalled wildflower of meadows, now found across much of the world 🇱🇻 Latvia and 6 more · Wildflower MoonflowerIpomoea alba A night-blooming vine with large white fragrant flowers 🇨🇳 China and 4 more · Wildflower Lilium pensylvanicum A cold-climate lily with upright orange-red blooms 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Wildflower Iris florentina A white, violet-scented iris grown for orris root and as a grave flower 🇮🇹 Italy and 7 more · Wildflower Red campionSilene dioica A wild pink-red flower of woods and roadsides in northern and central Europe 🇮🇪 Ireland and 4 more · Wildflower Place Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens香港動植物公園 A historic garden and zoo in Central, Hong Kong with themed plant collections 🇨🇳 China · Botanical garden Lilium davidii A tall Asian lily with edible bulbs and orange recurved flowers 🇨🇳 China and 1 more · Wildflower Hubei AnemoneEriocapitella hupehensis A late-summer flowering perennial with purple, pink or white blooms 🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Wildflower Rose mossPortulaca grandiflora A low, colourful succulent with bright flowers for sunny gardens and containers 🇧🇷 Brazil and 3 more · Garden flower Place South China National Botanical Garden华南国家植物园 A major botanical garden in Guangzhou with diverse plant collections and research focus Guangzhou, 🇨🇳 China · Botanical garden Lilium speciosum A late-summer lily with fragrant white to pink flowers from East Asia 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 more · Wildflower Bigleaf HydrangeaHydrangea macrophylla A Japanese shrub with large pink or blue flower heads that change colour with soil 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 more · Garden flower Aztec marigoldTagetes erecta The golden-yellow flower of Mexican altars and Day of the Dead offerings 🇲🇽 Mexico and 6 more · Wildflower Pinwheel flowerTabernaemontana divaricata A fragrant white-flowered shrub native to South and Southeast Asia 🇲🇲 Myanmar and 2 more · Flowering shrub Zinnia Bright, long-stemmed flowers native to dry grasslands from the US to South America 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 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 Balloon flowerPlatycodon grandiflorus A perennial with balloon-shaped buds and bell-like blue or white flowers 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Wildflower Black-eyed Susan vineThunbergia alata A fast-growing climbing plant with bright flowers and a dark centre 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Garden flower Royal poincianaDelonix regia A tropical tree with bright red-orange flowers and fern-like leaves 🇲🇬 Madagascar and 8 more · Flowering tree
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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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