Uncommon Plant Orders in Hong Kong
Native / Non-native
Sweet Flags & Allies - Acorales
Grass-Leaved Sweet Flag - Acorus gramineus Forget-Me-Nots - Boraginales Long-Flowered Ehretia - Ehretia longiflora Staff-Vines & Allies - Celestrales Chinese Bittersweet - Celastrus hindsii Bentham's Bittersweet - Celastrus monospermus Loose-Flowered Euonymus - Euonymus laxiflorus Chinese Euonymus - Euonymus nitidus Long-Leaved Euonymus - Euonymus tsoi Chloranthuses - Chloranthales Sarcandra - Sarcandra glabra Yellow Sarcandra - Sarcandra glabra f. flava Crabapple Bushes, Bladdernuts & Allies - Crossosomatales Elegant Bladdernut - Turpinia arguta Mountain Bladdernut - Turpinia montana Guinea-Flowers & Allies - Dilleniales Elephant Apple - Dillenia indica Sandpaper Vine - Tetracera sarmentosa |
Yams, Colicroots & Allies - Dioscorales
Bentham's Yam - Dioscorea benthamii Honeysuckles, Moschatels & Allies - Dipsacales Glossy Abelia - Abelia x grandiflora Honeysuckle - Lonicera japonica Hance's Viburnum - Viburnum hanceanum Sweet Viburnum - Viburnum odoratissimum Evergreen Viburnum - Viburnum sempervirens Gingkos - Gingkoales Gingko - Gingko biloba Gnetums - Gnetales Luofushan Joint-Fir - Gnetum luofuense Waterlilies, Fanworts & Allies - Nymphaeales Waterlily - Nymphaea sp. Screwpines, Stemona & Allies - Pandanales South China Screwpine - Pandanus austrosinensis Thatch Screwpine - Pandanus tectorius Common Screwpine - Pandanus utilis |
Pepper Plants, Birthworts & Allies - Piperales
Fish-Smell Plant - Houttuynia cordata South China Pepper - Piper austrosinense Lizard's Tail - Saururus chinensis Proteas, Lotuses, Planes & Allies - Proteales Scarlet Grevillea - Grevillea banksii Silk Oak - Grevillea robusta Cochin-China Helicia - Helicia cochinchinensis Reticulate Helicia - Helicia reticulata Sacred Lotus - Nelumbo nucifera Sandalwoods, Mistletoes & Allies - Santalales Rheed's False Olive - Cansjera rheedii Dendrotrophe - Dendrotrophe varians Grapes & Allies - Vitales Kuling Ampelopsis - Ampelopsis glandulosa var. heterophylla Bushkiller - Causonia japonica Diverse-Leaved Creeper - Parthenocissus dalzielii |
Sweet Flags & Allies - Acorales
Grass-Leaved Sweet Flag 金錢蒲 Acorus gramineus
Forget-me-nots - Boraginales
Long-Flowered Ehretia 長花厚殼樹 Ehretia longiflora
Staff-Vines & Allies - Celestrales
Bentham's Bittersweet 獨子藤 Celastrus monospermus
Chinese Bittersweet 青江藤 Celastrus hindsii
Loose-Flowered Euonymus 疏花衛矛 Euonymus laxiflorus
Chinese Euonymus 中華衛矛 Euonymus nitidus
A small, evergreen tree, the four-petalled, yellow flowers appear in early summer. The fruit is a four-celled reddish capsule.
Long-Leaved Euonymus 長葉衛矛 Euonymus tsoi
Chloranthuses - Chloranthales
Sarcandra 草珊瑚 Sarcandra glabra
Distributed across South and East Asia this shrub produces conspicuous red berries. Aromatic oils may be produced from the leaves. The entire plant has anti-stress, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, blood activating and anti-bacterial effects in Chinese medicine. Also known as 'Autumn Holly-berry' or 'No-thorn Holly'. It seems to be only distantly related to other plants as it belongs in the obscure order of the chloranthales.
Yellow Sarcandra 黄果草珊瑚 Sarcandra glabra f. flava
Crabapple Bushes, Bladdernuts & Allies - Crossosomatales
Elegant Bladdernut 銳尖山香圓 Turpinia arguta
Mountain Bladdernut 山香圓 Turpinia montana
Guinea-Flowers & Allies - Dilleniales
Elephant Apple 五椏果 Dillenia indica
Sandpaper Vine 錫葉藤 Tetracera sarmentosa
Yams, Colicroots & Allies - Dioscoreales
Bentham's Yam 大青薯 Dioscorea benthamii
Honeysuckles, Moschatels & Allies - Dipsacales
Glossy Abelia 大花六道木 Abelia x grandiflora
Honeysuckle 忍冬 Lonicera japonica
Hance's Viburnum 蝶花莢蒾 Viburnum hanceanum
Sweet Viburnum 珊瑚樹 Viburnum odoratissimum
Evergreen Viburnum 常綠莢蒾 Viburnum sempervirens
Gingkos - Gingkoales
Gingko 銀杏 Gingko biloba
The gingko struggles to grow well in Hong Kong as it prefers a cooler climate. However, there are a couple around, grown ornamentally.
Gnetums - Gnetales
Luofushan Joint-Fir 羅浮買麻藤 Gnetum luofuense
Waterlilies, Fanworts & Allies - Nympheales
Waterlily 睡蓮科 Nymphaea sp.
Screwpines, Stemona & Allies - Pandanales
South China Screwpine 露兜草 Pandanus austrosinensis
Thatch Screwpine 露兜樹 Pandanus tectorius
Widely found in coastal areas around the South China Sea, the screwpine or pandan tree produces large fruits with a passing resemblance to pineapples. It is a small tree that grows up to 14 metres in height. The leaves are spiny and possess saw-like edges. The leaves of a similar species are used as a flavouring in South-East Asia and the fruit is eaten in the Pacific Islands.
Common Screwpine 扇葉露兜樹 Pandanus utilis
Native to Madagascar and Mauritius.
Pepper Plants, Birthworts & Allies - Piperales
Fish-Smell Plant 魚腥草 Houttuynia cordata
South China Pepper 華南胡椒 Piper austrosinense
Lizard's Tail 三白草 Saururus chinensis
Proteas, Lotuses, Planes & Allies - Proteales
Scarlet Grevillea 昆士蘭銀樺 Grevillea banksii
Native to Queensland, Australia this small tree can be found in some Hong Kong parks and gardens.
Silk Oak 銀樺 Grevillea robusta
Native to tropical and subtropical Australia. There is a short flowering time in April.
Cochin-China Helicia 小果山龍眼 Helicia cochinchinensis
Reticulate Helicia 網脈山龍眼 Helicia reticulata
Sacred Lotus 蓮花 Nelumbo nucifera
Also known as the Indian lotus this plant is widely grown for decorative and food purposes across greater China.
Sandalwoods, Mistletoes & Allies - Santalales
Rheed's False Olive 山柑藤 Cansjera rheedii
Dendrotrophe 寄生藤 Dendrotrophe varians
Grapes & Allies - Vitales
Kuling Ampelopsis 牯嶺蛇葡萄 Ampelopsis glandulosa var. heterophylla
Bushkiller 烏蘞莓 Causonia japonica
Diverse-Leaved Creeper 爬牆虎 Parthenocissus dalzeilii
A non-native vine, it can stick to and grow on most surfaces.