Common Name：Sweet Gum
Scientific Name：Liquidambar formosana
Form and growing behaviour
•Tall deciduous tree, max height 30m
•Local tree species
•Commonly found in woodland
•A commonly grown tree type
Identifying features
•Simple serrate leaves with three lobes, acuminate apexes
•Leaves turn into red in autumn and winter
•Shape of inflorescences and fruit are special—like a ball with soft
spikes
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Common Name： Hong
Kong Orchid Tree
Scientific Name：Bauhinia blakeana
Form and growing behaviour
•Evergreen tree
•Can reach 8m to 10m of height
•A main greening or ornamental tree species in Hong Kong
Identifying features
•Singe leaves, two lobes, in heart-shape
•Red-violet flowers, the petal in the centre is in dark violet
•Long flowering period, from November to March
•Rarely fruit, therefore usually reproduced by cutting
Little story—The floral emblem of Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Orchid was first found by a father from the French
Mission in 1908. He discovered it near a broken house in the coastal
area of Pok Fu Lam. It was officially selected as the floral emblem
of Hong Kong.
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Common Name：
Fishtail Palm
Scientific Name：Caryota ochlandra
Form and growing behaviour
•Evergreen palm, of 3-5m height
•straight trunk, ring-shaped traces left after the leaves fall,
making the trunk looks like it is
having joints
•A main greening or ornamental tree species in Hong Kong
Identifying features
•Bipinnate compound leaves
•Small leaves are in shape of fishtail, which is the best
identifying feature
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Common Name：Heung Tree
Scientific Name：Aquilaria sinensis
Form and growing behaviour
•Evergreen tree, can be 6m tall
•Local tree species
•Can be found in fung shui woods and secondary forests
•Owing to its economic value, it was widely grown in the old days
Identifying features
•Grey bark
•Smooth shiny leaf surfaces with fine veins
•Unique shape of fruit, dehisce during maturity and hang
tadpole-shape seeds with fine
threads
Little story—The origin of Hong Kong
The fragrant resin of Heung trees can be used in the production of
incense for memorial ceremonies or aroma relaxation. In the late
middle Ming Dynasty, related incense products were manufactured in
large scale in regions of New Territories and outlying islands. The
products prevailed in the entire nation. Because Hong Kong is the
main export and transit place of incense products, people regarded
this place as the "incense harbour" literally, and Hong Kong, the
exact pronunciation in Cantonese, became the name of this city.
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Common Name：Acacia
Scientific Name：Acacia Confusa
Form and growing behaviour
•Tall tree with smooth grey bark, often with green algae attached
•True leaves only appear in seedling period, and will disappear when
grown up
•The "leaves" that we see are actually "fake leaves" called
phyllodes developed from petioles
•In the flowering season, there is always a sea of gold-yellow
flowers
Interesting profile
•Acacia is tough and vital. It can grow in dry, hard or infertile
soil. It is often planted in wind
break or fire break zones.
•Acacia is always used as the pioneer trees in woodlot (especially
for those which suffered
from hill fire) because there are
nitrogen-fixing bacteria (diazotroph) in its roots that can help
improving the infertility of the soil.
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Common Name：Sea
Hibiscus
Scientific Name：Hibiscus tiliaceus
Form and growing behaviour
•Evergreen tree with height up to 6m
•Rapid growing
•Broad canopies offer shading function
•Local tree species
•Usually grow in coastal areas, often on beaches
•Widely planted as horticultural and greening use
Identifying features
•Heart-shaped leaves
•Eye-catching yellow flowers
•Flowering period in May to July
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Common Name：Elephant's
Ear
Scientific Name：Macaranga tanarius
Form and growing behaviour
•Evergreen tree, can be 5m tall
•Rapid growing
•Wide canopies with dense foliage, can serve shading purpose
•Looks like mushrooms in distance
•Local tree species
•Good adapting ability to the environment
•Also planted for horticultural and greening use
Identifying features
•Ovate leaves, round and large like an elephant's ear as the name
suggested
•Leaf stalks do not connect the leaves on the edge but at the back,
a special feature for
identifying the Elephant's Ear
Little story－the bleeding plant
When the trunk surface being damaged, red liquid will come out like
bleeding. That maybe the reason that the Elephant's Ear has the name
of "Blood Tung" in Chinese.
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