Hello to our fellow tree lovers, we hope to find you in good health. Are you curious about what types of Chinese trees you might find in China?
Well, we have curated a list of several trees that you might find in this amazing country. So, let’s get started!
1. Dove Tree
Also known as the handkerchief tree or ghost tree, this is a medium-sized tree belonging to the deciduous tree family.
The shape, color, and texture of their leaves also make them hard to distinguish from one another.
They can be recognized by their smooth bark that looks like sandpaper, and they have compound leaves with leaflets where the blade is folded back on itself creating an umbrella-like appearance.
2. Dawn Redwood
Redwoods, commonly known as Dawn Redwoods or Oregon White Pines, is a genus of coniferous evergreen trees native to western North America.
The name “dawn” refers to the fact that these trees grow at dawn. They are often found growing at high elevations along mountain ridges and near streams.
Their growth rate is slow compared to other types of pine trees, so the trees are not usually found within city limits but rather in the wilder areas outside cities.
3. Parashorea Chinensis
Pleiospilos Chinsesanus, a species of plant endemic to Taiwan, has very long spiny branches with small narrow elliptical leaves.
It can grow to be about 20 meters tall with its thin trunk and large branching pattern. These are very rare plants found mainly in southern China near Guangzhou.
This plant was originally discovered in 1980 and there hasn’t been much research done on it since then.
4. Cathaya
The Cathay Apple (also called Chinese Elm) belongs to the elm family Ulmaceae.
This plant can reach heights of up to 50 feet with trunks up to 8 inches thick, although most specimens do not exceed 25 feet.
The tree has broad spreading branches with needle-like leaves and round fruit which look like apples.
Like all elms, the leaves fall off in autumn and winter, leaving behind bare twigs that will eventually die away.
Some cultivars of the tree are available from early summer through late spring.
5. Golden Larch
The Golden Larch, is a deciduous coniferous evergreen tree native to Siberia that grows to heights over 30 ft., sometimes taller than 35 ft.
Its leaves are arranged spirally around the stem, and it bears yellowish flowers in clusters during June and July.
In autumn the leaves turn gold as the needles begin to shed. The outermost layer of the bark resembles mottled silver fur.
6. Flying Spider-Monkey Tree Fern
These ferns are the only living members in the order Aspleniifolius. The group contains only two extant genera, Dryopteris and Asplenia.
All of them have flat fronds composed of opposite pinnae, each bearing one, two, or three lanceolate blades.
The base is attached directly to the rhizome via a short stipe; however, some forms lack either stipes or roots.
The pinnules are covered with scales, bristles, or both.
The venation is parallel or slightly divergent: The rachillae connect to veins 1–3, whereas the rest run down to vein 4 without stopping.
7. China Fir
The China fir is an attractive tree with slender, fast-growing, green stems and glossy dark green foliage.
Its crown is dense and rounded creating a mound making it perfect for landscaping.
While this tree is generally considered as a single species, many catalogs include it as multiple varieties.
However, the different taxonomies divide the China fir into six subspecies based on their geographic location.
It is not clear if any of these should be regarded as distinct species.
Regardless, they represent a unique collection of genetically diverse population groups which can be used to study adaptation, speciation, and conservation issues.
8. Gingko
The Gingko is a member of the genus Lithocarpus and is a fast-growing tree, reaching heights of 40 to 60 ft.
A mature specimen may possess multiple trunks and numerous branches.
Mature trees have long, narrow, and somewhat pointed leaves, while young trees tend to have broader leaflets.
The leaves consist of five leaflets.
One leaflet can be 5 inches wide when fully expanded, although typically the top half of the leaf is wider than the bottom.
The color of the leaves changes throughout the year; at first they are a deep red color but become paler with age.
9. Plum Blossom
A flower in the rose family. Japanese plums were once cultivated widely in Japan, but the popularity waned after World War II.
Plum blossoms are now commonly grown in gardens in temperate regions.
They bloom twice, once in early spring before the trees are budded and again in mid/late summer when they fully bloom.
10. Chinese Coffin Tree
The Chinese Coffin Tree (also called Chiang Nan Piho) is a large evergreen tree belonging to the cupressaceae family.
They can grow up to 164 feet tall.
These trees are highly valued for their timber which is used for a lot of different products including furniture, boats, and bridges.
11. Gutt-Percha Tree
The gutt-perch tree, also known as “Sago” is a very hardy palm that originated in tropical Southeast Asia, where it was introduced for use as a roofing material.
This hardy palm prefers wet soil and is usually found growing in large clumps, often in association with other palms, especially coconut palms.
Gutt-percha has been growing in Indonesia since 1900.
The fruits grow in bunches along the central axis of the trunk and are about 6 cm in diameter when ripe, containing many small seeds.
12. Pagoda Tree
A type of deciduous or coniferous pine native to east Asian countries.
Pagodas are associated with Buddhist temples, typically in pairs.
Each pair supports a shrine containing relics from Buddha’s life and teachings.
13. Tree Of Heaven
The Tree of Heaven, also called the Honeysuckle Tree, White Mulberry, Fragrant Tree of Heaven, the Nine Layer Tree, or the Mandarin Lilac, is a slow growing tree from southeast China and Vietnam.
The flowers are white, fragrant, cylindrical buds. Leaves appear in June and July and form a ball around the branch tips.
14. Chinese White Poplar
Also known as the “white birch” or “yellow birch”. The Chinese white poplar (Populus tomentosa) is one of four poplars used primarily for its lumber.
This plant has gained much attention in recent years due to its resistance to the emerald ash borer.
15. Katsura Tree
Kazura refers to the katsura tree, from the same Chamaecyparis family as the Japanese cypress.
It is believed that this and its relatives were brought from East Asian areas such as Korea and Manchuria by the Chinese during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).
Katsura trees are popular street plantings in Japan because of their distinctive shape.
Typically, the trunks are straight and cylindrical in cross-section, with bark similar to maple.
They are often planted in pairs, with one growing at the front of the property and the other at the back.
16. Babylon Willow
This species is native to Europe and Western Asia.
In particular, it occurs on the shores of Lake Baikal in Siberia, where it grows in great abundance at low altitudes near rivers or lakes.
It is typically seen in urban parks and is valued for its fast growth without shade, making it suitable for a range of climates including those affected by frost and drought.
It needs a neutral pH in order to thrive, though some gardeners report success using more acidic soils.
These trees require little care or pruning but should be kept free from severe winter winds.
17. Yunnan Cypress
The Yunnan cypress is common in China and eastern India.
The name “Yunnan” means ‘south of Kunlun mountain’, referring to Mount Kunlun which lies in Tibet.
The trees prefer moist and cool conditions and grow well in acid soils.
18. Maidenhair Tree
Also called the wild fig or American sycamore, the Maidenhair Tree is a deciduous coniferous tree of the pine family Pinaceae.
Commonly referred to as ‘firs’ or ‘pines’, it is considered a subspecies of Larix.
These trees are native to China and Japan, where they form dense thickets or thick stands under a tall canopy.
It produces catkins in late spring to early summer. The wood used for building houses and furniture is called larchwood.
19. Yulan Magnolia
The Yulan magnolia is a flowering evergreen shrub/tree which belongs to the Magnoliaceae family. It originates from southern Japan.
Its flowers are white, fragrant, and have five petals; they are arranged in clusters and appear at roughly 5-month intervals.
A single branch may bear up to 120 clusters. When a flower cluster loses its petals, the remaining fruit develops into a seed pod.
Some cultivars have unusual leaves, particularly the leaf blade which can vary greatly in size.
20. Happy Tree
Happy trees thrive in areas that are warm and humid and can often be seen on the shores of the Yangtse River in China.
This tree has been used to make traditional Chinese medicine for a long time.
The extracts have been useful in helping alleviate digestive issues, psoriasis, and even liver issues.
Happy trees also make a fine source of timber, being highly resistant to insect attacks and fire damage.
Final Thoughts
That is all for this article, we hope that you have enjoyed learning about these amazing Chinese trees.
There are a lot of different types of trees in China and even though our list is long we have only scratched the surface. We hope you have a great day. Goodbye for now.
