The Flora of Liu Fang Yuan 流芳園
The Huntington’s Chinese Garden is filled with ornamental plants from Suzhou and drought-tolerant California natives.
Liu Fang Yuan is home to approximately 200 species of trees and grasses. In total, more than 1,150 plants—ranging from individual trees to clumps of annuals—thrive among the garden’s paths and pavilions. They include beloved ornamentals found in the gardens of Suzhou and California natives centuries older than The Huntington itself.
This map introduces 40 Suzhou garden plants (and some close relatives) that flourish in Liu Fang Yuan. Most of these trees and grasses are appreciated for their literary or cultural significance, having been the subject of poetry and painting for centuries. Others fulfill important practical functions, providing food, medicine, or construction material to garden-makers.
The following entries offer general information about each of these 40 plants. Please note that the Latin name and accession number refer specifically to the plant specimen pictured in the photograph. For example, in the entry for “flowering plum (mei 梅),” the tree photographed is Prunus mume ‘Peggy Clarke,’ which has accession number 95267 in The Huntington’s collection. The flowering periods indicated are specific to Liu Fang Yuan but are very approximate; they may vary by several weeks each year.
Explore the garden’s flora by clicking on the map and photographs below. (Please use a tablet, laptop, or desktop for the best viewing experience.)