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Ellen Whyte

A.

Choose the correct term

Circle the correct answer

The Hong Kong orchid tree, which was first discovered in 1908 in Pok Fu Lam, has become part of our national identity. It's deliciously scented white/purple Bauhinia flowers feature on our flag and coins and its leaves make attractive/healthy bookmarks.

This native evergreen/deciduous plant grows well in a sheltered sunny spot and will bloom from early November to the end of March.

While this tree grows everywhere in the territory, it is a hybrid and is  sterile. To grow new trees, you have to take spores/cuttings.

B.

Match the tree pictures with their descriptions

1. The salt resistant Cuban bast grows along seashores, providing shady beaches.

2. The attractive sunshine tree closes its leaves at night, and takes a nap.

3. The Chinese flame tree is often planted along roadsides.

4. The sweet osmanthus is loved for its delicately scented flowers.

a.

b.

c.

d.

C.

Tree talk

1. Being out of your tree means ....

2. Barking up the wrong tree means ....

3. The bush telegraph means ...

4. To beat about the bush ...

a. To be wrong about the reason for something happening.

b. To avoid talking about something directly.

c. To be crazy, sometimes because of drugs or alcohol.

d. The way people pass on information, usually by gossiping.

D.

Use these words

shrub, deciduous, evergreens, tree

1. A _______________ is smaller than a tree, and has more than one main stems growing near the ground.

2. A _______________ has a single trunk, branches growing well above the ground and can reach great heights.

3. _______________ are green throughout the year, while _______________ trees shed their leaves every year.

E.

Underline synonyms (words that mean the same) for:

local, rare, botanical garden for trees

Everyone thought the native Hong Kong croton died out more than a century ago, but in 1997 botanists from the Hong Kong Herbarium found the shrub alive and well on Tsing Yi Island.

This two-metre tall shrub prefers to live in the shade in dense forests. The only known wild specimens exist on south Tsing Yi, just below the island's highest peak. This area is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the Hong Kong croton has been declared an endangered species.

To see this bush for yourself, visit the Shing Mun Arboretum.

Want to discover more about trees and shrubs?

Check out the Hong Kong Flora and Vegetation site at www.hkflora.com. Includes detailed information about nature walks, tree spotting and more.

Answers:

A. purple, attractive, evergreen, cuttings; B. 1. d, 2. c, 3. b, 4. a; C. 1. c, 2. a, 3. d, 4. b; D. shrub, tree, evergreens, deciduous; E. native, endangered, arboretum



HK's trees and shrubs