Dogwoods & Hydrangeas - Cornales
Native / Non-native
Dogwood Family - Cornaceae
Chinese Alangium - Alangium chinense Hong Kong Dogwood - Cornus hongkongensis |
Hydrangea Family - Hydrangeaceae
Chinese Quinine - Hydrangea febrifuga Hydrangea - Hydrangea macrophylla |
Beeches, Oaks, Walnuts & Allies - Fagales
Sheoaks - Casuarinaceae
Horsetail Tree - Casuarina equisetifolia Beech Family - Fagaceae Hairy Chestnut - Castanopsis concinna Eyre's Chinquapin - Castanopsis eyrei Castanopsis - Castanopsis fissa Bamboo-Leaved Oak - Cyclobalanopsis neglecta Stone Oak - Lithocarpus corneus Tanoak - Lithocarpus glaber Oak-Leaved Stone Oak - Lithocarpus quercifolius Champion's Oak - Quercus championii Thick-Leaved Oak - Quercus edithiae Litsea Oak - Quercus litseoides |
Walnut Family - Juglandaceae
Chinese Wingnut - Pterocarya stenoptera Wax Trees and Shrubs - Myricaceae Chinese Bayberry - Morella rubra |
Laurels - Laurales
Laurels - Lauraceae
Laurel Dodder - Cassytha filiformis Camphor Tree - Cinnamomum camphora Tien-Tai Spicebush - Lindera aggregata Fragrant Litsea - Litsea cubeba Pond Spice - Litsea glutinosa Oblong-Leaved Litsea - Litsea rotundifolia |
Chekiang Machilus - Machilus chekiangensis
Yellow Machilus - Machilus grijsii Many-Nerved Machilus - Machilus pauhoi Red Machilus - Machilus thunbergii Woolly Machilus - Machilus velutina Neolitsea - Neolitsea chuii |
Dogwood Family - Cornaceae
Chinese Alangium 八角楓 Alangium chinense
Hong Kong Dogwood 香港四照花 Cornus hongkongensis
Flowering in May and June.
Hydrangea Family - Hydrangeaceae
Chinese Quinine 常山 Hydrangea febrifuga
These indigo berries are quite common in Tai Po Kau during the winter months. Also known as Anti-febrile Dichroa from its Latin name Dichroa febrifuga it is one of the 50 fundamental herbs in Chinese traditional medicine. It has anti-malarial effects and is a native plant in Hong Kong. It's an evergreen shrub growing to 1-3 metres in height. Flowers in August.
Hydrangea 繡球 Hydrangea macrophylla
Native to Japan, widely grown as an ornamental. Flowers in January in Hong Kong.
Sheoaks - Casuarinaceae
Casuarina (Horsetail Tree) 木麻黃 Casuarina equisetifolia
Also known as the horsetail tree, this is a common species, especially along sandy shores, although it can also grow inland. It's native range is SE Asia, the Pacific Islands and Australia. It produces small, spiky seeds from July to October.
Beech Family - Fagaceae
More information about the Fagaceae of Hong Kong.
Hairy Chestnut 華南錐 Castanopsis concinna
Eyer's Chinkapin 甜櫧 Castanopsis eyrei
Castanopsis 黧蒴錐 Castanopsis fissa
Bamboo-Leaved Oak 竹葉青岡 Cyclobalanopsis neglecta
Stone Oak 煙斗柯 Lithocarpus corneus
Tanoak 柯 Lithocarpus glaber
Oak-Leaved Stone Oak 櫟葉柯 Lithocarpus quercifolius
Champion's Oak 嶺南青岡 Quercus championii
Thick-Leaved Oak 華南青岡 Quercus edithiae
Litsea Oak 木薑葉青岡 Quercus litseoides
Walnut Family - Juglandaceae
Chinese Wingnut 楓楊 Pterocarya stenoptera
Wax Trees and Shrubs - Myricaceae
Chinese Bayberry (Yeung Mui) 楊梅 Morella rubra
This tree, native to the southern half of China has been cultivated for 2,000 years. Every May it produces large quantities of deep purple berries. Sometimes called a 'strawberry tree'.
Laurels - Lauraceae
Laurel Dodder 無根藤 Cassytha filiformis
Camphor Tree 樟 Cinnamomum camphora
Native to southern China the leaves have a glossy texture and a smell of camphor when crushed.
Tien-Tai Spicebush 烏藥 Lindera aggregata
Fragrant Litsea 木薑子 Litsea cubeba
This is a small, evergreen tree native to China and SE Asia. It produces a fruit that is processed for its lemony essential oil. Its also called 'Mountain Pepper' as the fruit looks like peppercorns. It flowers during the winter. The indigenous people of Taiwan use it as a flavouring in food.
Pond Spice 潺槁樹 Litsea glutinosa
Oblong-Leaved Litsea 豺皮樟 Litsea rotundifolia
Short-Flowered Machilus 短序潤楠 Machilus breviflora
Flowering in Jul-Aug, fruiting in Nov-Dec.
Chekiang Machilus 浙江潤楠 Machilus chekiangensis
The most common type of machilus tree in Hong Kong. It flowers in February with plumes of white flowers, giving way to green berries on red stalks in March and April.