Beautiful native plant species up! The Forestry Bureau selects 106 species of native forest plants in Taiwan, all of which can be selected for horticultural landscape and street trees.

1443 share

60% of Taiwan's territory is covered by forests and has more than 4500 native species of vascular plants. however, most horticultural street trees, such as blackboard trees and bluebells, are exotic species. in order to let Chinese people appreciate the beauty of native plants, the Forestry Bureau commissioned Zeng Yanxue, a professor in the Department of Forestry of Chung Hsing University, to screen out native plants suitable for planting indoors, gardens, parks and streets. The first wave publishes a list of 106 species, encouraging people from all walks of life to plant widely. (for the suggested list, please click here)

Zeng Yanxue and his research team have even compiled a list of suggested tree species in various counties and cities in Taiwan and provided them to the county and municipal governments. Zeng Yanxue says that native tree species are more familiar with the environment, are less likely to suffer from diseases and insect pests, and the management cost is relatively low. I hope that "each county and city has its own representative tree."

The original species of Hualien Mingli Road Qiongya Begonia Green Tunnel (Photo Source: Hualien Municipal Government) there are more than 4500 species of native vascular plants in Taiwan, which are easy to manage and have characteristics.

What are the benefits of growing native plants? Zeng Yanxue, a professor in the Department of Forestry at Chung Hsing University who has studied plants for more than 30 years, says that unlike exotic species, native plants already adapt to the local climate and environment, so the incidence of diseases and insect pests is relatively low. for horticulturists and planting enthusiasts, it is relatively easy to manage. in addition, there are different plants suitable for planting in different places, and native plants can develop into the characteristics of different prefectures, counties and cities.

"Native plants are less likely to suffer from diseases and insect pests and can use a lot less pesticides." Li Zaiyuan, vice president of the National Federation of Horticultural Flower Business Associations of the Republic of China, says that native plants have fewer diseases and insect pests, so they are easy for horticulturists to take care of, and can reduce the frequency and time cost of spraying, while reducing spraying is relatively friendly to the environment and the human body. "We actually hate spraying, and every time we spray it is a risk."

Zeng Yanxue, a professor in the Department of Forestry of Zhongxing University, and the Yuetao (Photography _ Cai Jiashan) he planted in the university first screened 106 species of horticultural landscape native plants, and grasped the principles of suitable soil, good care and so on.

Lin Huaqing, director of forestry, explained that since the end of 107, the Forestry Bureau has asked Zeng Yanxue, a professor of the Department of Forestry of Chung Hsing University, to assist in the inventory of native plants in Taiwan, and after screening the first wave of plants with horticultural landscape engineering potential, he collected seeds and raised seedlings in the whole Taiwan garden of the Forestry Bureau in 108 years, and is expected to release native seedlings for the first time on the International Forest Day on March 20. It will also be provided to operators, schools with afforestation needs, communities and other units to use.

How did more than 4500 species of plants be screened in a short time? "the goal is to plant plants that are suitable for planting and easy to take care of in the city." Zeng Yanxue explained that several principles must be followed in screening. The first principle is to adapt the species to the right place. "native to high elevations, aquatic plants and ferns are excluded first." He said that the goal is to select plants that are suitable for growing in cities, and the above three types of plants are not suitable for living in cities, so they are screened out first.

The second principle is size, classifying different plants according to their length, width and height, and then considering whether it is convenient to take care of them. Zeng Yanxue says that this link is jointly checked by more than 100 experts, scholars and operators, and after the check is completed, according to the suitable planting environment of different plants, make regional classification such as north, central and south, and then subdivide it all the way to individual counties and cities according to local characteristics, and finally screen out these 106 species.

Indoor and outdoor campus park street trees, trees for any purpose can be selected

Zeng Yanxue divides different native plants into suitable categories according to common horticultural landscape areas and uses. he first divides horticulture into two categories: horticulture and landscape, and then divides horticulture into two types that can be planted in indoor and outdoor courtyards. Landscape is divided into three types: campus, park, and street trees. "the plant needs for each use are different. Decide how to use them first, and plant classification will be much faster."

Zeng Yanxue explained that indoor horticultural plants must be shady and small; outdoor gardening plants in courtyards and large balconies should be resistant to drought, high temperature and wind; campus landscape plants should be edible, bird-luring and harmless; and landscape plants in parks and street trees should aim to be beautiful and show local characteristics. "Campus plants are afraid that school children will eat them by mistake, so that some people can eat them."

"now many of the parks and street trees are exotic species." Tseng Yan-Hsueh says that the yellow-flowered bluebells, camphor trees, and Abler, which are common street trees in Taipei, are all exotic species, while a large number of blackboard trees in Taichung City are also exotic species, which make the public feel bad because of their odor. native plants have many beautiful appearance, high tolerance to the environment, and fragrant species to choose from.