Top 50 East Asian
Oriental Garden plants you can grow in the UK to help our pollinating insects
List Curated by Thomas McBride From research data collected and collated at the National Botanic Garden of Wales
NB: Butterflies and Moths are not studied at the NBGW so any data on nectar plants beneficial for them is taken from Butterfly Conservation Creating a Japanese or East Asian-inspired Garden A Japanese or East Asian Garden features one of the most tranquil styles of modern planting. Usually featuring plenty of trees, the garden offers shade and serenity from the hot sunshine often with calming water features and a desaturated colour palate. There are also styles that feature Rhododendrons more heavily which tend to be a bit brighter. This list provides the very best native East Asian plants to create your very own piece of the orient. Planting Style Some of the most iconic plants in a Japanese garden are not particularly pollinator friendly but may be used alongside lots of the plants from this list in order to achieve a stunning effect as well as a haven for wildlife. Japanese Maples do flower but are mostly pollinated by small flies as their flowers are very discrete and small. Mosses, grasses, bamboo, sedges and ferns also feature very heavily in traditional styles to create a peaceful backdrop of greenery. These are an important part of a garden eco-system so may be planted but it is important not to solely plant these if you want to attract insects. One of the very iconic East Asian plants is the cherry tree. There are many fantastic species to plant but only one features in this list. They take quite a few years to mature but it is very much worth it. An East-Asian inspired garden will take years to perfect but can provide a serenity that cannot be achieved in other planting styles. Map Maps depict the native area of the plant (in green) Guide to using these pages: They also show areas the plant is naturalised (in purple)
Latin Binomial All maps shown Name are derived from ‘Plants of the Common World Online’; English courtesy of Kew Name Gardens
Flowering Period Photograph (this is when it is good of the plant for pollinators!) in flower
Plant Family
Insect groups known to Growing habit favour the and mature size nectar of this of the plant plant
Useful knowledge or warnings about the plant RHS AGM cultivars of this species (or a related species occasionally) i Key to these Pages Warnings
Additional information on these garden plants
This plant would The flowers only be suitable for and/or leaves meadow-style have a Pleasant Plant tissue is highly planting scent toxic if ingested
The plant has edible parts that are Sap may cause irritation Plant is often used in commonly eaten or (Wash hands after touching traditional Herbal Remedies used in cooking or avoid touching)
ii Temperature RHS Hardiness Scale
Some of the plants listed in our Top 200 are not fully H1a - Above 15ºC hardy in all or some parts of the United Kingdom. H1b - Minimum 10ºC Plants without a thermometer symbol are fully hardy in the severest UK Winter; equating to H5 or hardier. H1c - Minimum 5ºC Plants with a coloured thermometer symbol are hardy to varying degrees as follows: H2 - Minimum 1ºC
H3 - Minimum -5ºC
H4 - Minimum -10ºC
H5 - Minimum -15ºC Almost Hardy Half-Hardy Not Frost Hardy Not Hardy (H4) (H3) (H2) (H1) iii Pollinators Our data on pollinators has been collected from studies spanning over a decade. Pollinator symbols appear when plants are proven to be good nectar (a) (b) plants for certain insects. It should be noted that all bee and hoverfly data is ours but lepidoptera data is taken from Butterfly Conservation.
Our data spans a wide range of different insect species. For simplicity, these species have been condensed into six easy icons to represent them: (c) (d) a) Honeybees c) Bumblebees e) Moths b) Hoverflies d) Butterflies f) Solitary Bees (Includes Moths)
(e) (f) iv Aconitum carmichaeli Chinese Wolfsbane
East Asia
‘Arendsii’ Late Summer - Early Autumn ‘Kelmscott’
Ranunculaceae Buttercup Family
4ft Perennial
Photograph from Mount Venus Nursery 1 Actaea simplex Baneberry
East Asia
‘Brunette’ Late Summer - Early Autumn ‘James Compton’
Ranunculaceae Buttercup Family
4ft Perennial
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Kerry Woods 2 Actinidia tetramera Rosy Crab-Apple Kiwi
China
Var. maloides Spring .
Actinidiaceae Kiwi Family
12ft Climber
Photograph from Flickr (CC) BBC Gardeners World 3 Anemone hupehensis var. japonica Japanese Anemone
East Asia
‘Pamina’ Summer . ‘Rotkäppchen’
Ranunculaceae Buttercup Family
3ft Perennial
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Sen Itto 4 Astilbe chinensis False Goat’s-beard
East Asia
‘Purpurlanze’ Summer . ‘Superba’
Saxifragaceae Saxifrage Family
3ft Perennial
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Yew Chan 5 Callicarpa bodinieri Bodinier’s Beautyberry
East Asia
Summer . ‘Profusion’ Autumn (Berries)
Lamiaceae Mint Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Dietmut Teijgeman-Hansen 6 Camellia japonica Japanese Camellia
East Asia
‘Hagoromo’ Spring . ‘Pink Perfection*’
Theaceae Tea Family
Medium Shrub
* Fully double flowered cultivars are not good for pollinating Photograph from Flickr (CC) Eric Hunt insects so try to buy single flowers (see photo) when7 possible. Chaenomeles speciosa Chinese Quince
China
‘Geisha Girl’ Spring . ‘Moerloosei’
Rosaceae Rose Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Stanze Bla 8 Corydalis flexuosa Chinese Blue Corydalis
China
‘Blue Panda’ Spring . ‘Purple Leaf’
Papaveraceae Poppy Family
2ft Perennial
Photograph from Flickr (CC) M’s Photography 9 Daphne bholua Nepalese Daphne
Asia
‘Gurkha’ Winter . ‘Jacqueline Postill’
Thymelaeaceae Daphne Family
Small Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Timothy C E Paine 10 Deutzia gracilis Japanese Snow Flower
Japan
‘Nikko’ Mid Spring - Early Summer
Hydrangeaceae Hydrangea Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Dan Mullen 11 Enkianthus perulatus Dodan-tsutsuji
East Asia
- Species - Spring .
Ericaceae Heather Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Ume Y 12 Fatsia japonica Japanese Aralia
East Asia
- Species - Autumn . ‘Variegata’
Araliaceae Ivy Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Cerlin Ng 13 Geranium wlassovianum Siberian Cranesbill
Northeast Asia
None Midsummer - Early Autumn
Geraniaceae Cranesbill Family
2ft Perennial
Photograph from Wikipedia (CC) Jamain 14 Hamamelis mollis Chinese Witch-hazel
China
‘Jermyns Gold’ Mid Winter - Early Spring ‘Wisley Supreme’
Hamamelidaceae Witch-hazel Family
Large Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Wendy Cutler 15 Heptacodium miconioides Seven Son Flower Tree
China
- Species - Late Summer - Late Autumn
Caprifoliaceae Honeysuckle Family
Medium Tree
Photograph from Flickr (CC) F. D. Richards 16 Hibiscus syriacus China Rose Mallow
‘Hamabo’ Midsummer - Early Autumn ‘Woodbridge’
Malvaceae Mallow Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Flickr by Toshihiro Gamo 17 Hosta sieboldiana Syn. H. fortunei Giant Blue Plantain-lily
Japan
Var. aureomarginata Summer . ‘Frances Williams’
Asparagaceae Asparagus Family
2ft Perennial
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Gary Lerude 18 Hosta ventricosa Blue Plantain-lily
China
- Species - Summer . ‘Aureomarginata’
Asparagaceae Asparagus Family
2ft Perennial
Photograph from Flickr (CC) C T Johansson 19 Hydrangea anomala Climbing Hydrangea
East Asia
ssp. petiolaris Summer .
Hydrangeaceae Hydrangea Family
10ft+ Climber
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Linda de Volder 20 Hydrangea macrophylla Large-leaf Hydrangea
Japan
‘Hanabi’ ‘Zorro’ Summer . ‘Quadricolour’
Hydrangeaceae Hydrangea Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) CyprusPictures 21 Hylotelephium spectabile Showy Stonecrop, Sedum
East Asia
‘Brilliant’ Late Summer - Mid Autumn -Species-
Crassulaceae Stonecrop Family
2ft Perennial
Photograph from Flickr (CC) F. D. Richards 22 Kerria japonica Japanese Marigold-bush
East Asia
‘Golden Guinea’ Late Spring - Midsummer ‘Pleniflora*’
Rosaceae Rose Family
Medium Shrub
* Double flowered cultivars are not good for most pollinating insects so try to buy single flowers when possible Photograph from Flickr (CC) A. Qiao 23 Lamprocapnos spectabilis Bleeding Heart
East Asia
- Species - Mid Spring - Early Summer ‘Alba’ ‘Valentine’
Papaveraceae Poppy Family
2ft Perennial
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Mark Wordy 24 Ligularia stenocephala Narrow-headed Leopardplant
East Asia
‘The Rocket’ Summer . ‘Zepter’
Asteraceae Daisy Family
4ft Perennial
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Emma Forsberg 25 Ligustrum sinense Chinese Privet Bush
East Asia
Related species: L. lucidum Midsummer ‘Tricolor’ - Early Autumn ‘Excelsum Superbum’
Oleaceae Olive Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) A. Qiao 26 Lilium regale Regal Lily
China
- Species - Summer .
Liliaceae Lily Family
6ft Bulbous
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Plant Image Library 27 Lilium lancifolium Tiger Lily
East Asia
Related sp: L. pardalinum Summer .
Liliaceae Lily Family
4ft Bulbous
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Katie Steiger-Meister 28 Lysimachia clethroides Gooseneck Loosestrife
East Asia
- Species - Summer .
Primulaceae Primrose Family
3ft Perennial
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Kerry Woods 29 Magnolia kobus Kobus Magnolia
East Asia
None Spring .
Magnoliaceae Magnolia Family
Small Tree
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Mark Kent 30 Meconopsis quintuplinervia Harebell Poppy
China
- Species - Summer .
Papaveraceae Poppy Family
2ft Perennial
Photograph from Flickr (CC) T. Ma 31 Paeonia delavayi Delavay’s Paeony
China
‘Black Pirate’ Late Spring - Early Summer - Species -
Paeoniaceae Paeony Family
3ft Perennial
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Leonora Enking Paeonia lactiflora Chinese Paeony
East Asia
‘Bowl of Beauty’ Late Spring - Early Summer ‘Miss America’
Paeoniaceae Paeony Family
3ft Perennial
Photograph © Thomas McBride 33 Pieris japonica Japanese Andromeda Bush
East Asia
‘Blush’ ‘Purity’ Spring . ‘Mountain Fire’
Ericaceae Heather Family
Small Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Pony Lauricella 34 Primula secundiflora Chinese Pink Cowslip
China
None Summer .
Primulaceae Primrose Family
3ft Perennial
Photograph from Flickr (CC) WunDoroo 35 Prunus incisa Fuji Cherry
Japan
‘Fujimae’ Spring . ‘Kojo-no-mai’
Rosaceae Rose Family
Small Tree
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Autan 36 Rheum palmatum Ornamental Rhubarb
East Asia
‘Bowles Crimson’ Summer . ‘Savill’
Polygonaceae Knotweed Family
6ft Large Perennial
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Mrs Enil 37 Rhododendron hippophaeoides Sichuan Blue Rhododendron
China
‘Haba Shan’ Spring .
Ericaceae Heather Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Plant Image Library 38 Rhododendron yakushimanum Yakushima Rhododendron
Japan
‘Koichiro Wada’ Spring . ‘Hachmann's Polaris’
Ericaceae Heather Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) A Qiáo 39 Rosa rugosa Japanese Rose
East Asia
‘Fru Dagmar Hastrup’ Midsummer - Early Autumn ‘Scabrosa’
Rosaceae Rose Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Andrew A Reding 40 Rosa xanthina Yellow Manchu Rose
East Asia
‘Canary Bird’ Spring .
Rosaceae Rose Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Wikipedia (CC) T Voekler 41 Sanguisorba hakusanensis Lilac Squirrel Flower
East Asia
None Summer .
Rosaceae Rose Family
2ft Perennial
Photograph from Wikipedia (CC) Alpsdake 42 Skimmia japonica Japanese Skimmia
East Asia
‘Fragans’ ‘Rubella’ Spring . ‘Nymans’
Rutaceae Rue Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Wikipedia (CC) Wilhelm Zimmerling 43 Spiraea japonica Japanese Spiraea
Japan
‘Candlelight’ Summer . ‘Dart’s Red’
Rosaceae Rose Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) BeautifulCataya 44 Stachyurus chinensis Chinese Spiketail
East Asia
‘Celina’ Late Winter - Mid Spring ‘Joy Forever’
Stachyuraceae Spiketail Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph © Thomas McBride 45 Thalictrum rochebruneanum Lavender-mist Meadow-Rue
East Asia
‘Elin’ Summer . - Species -
Ranunculaceae Buttercup Family
2ft Perennial
Photograph from Wikipedia (CC) Michael Wolf 46 Tricyrtis formosana Taiwanese Toad Lily
Taiwan
None Autumn .
Liliaceae Lily Family
3ft Rhizomous
Photograph © Thomas McBride 47 Weigela florida Garden Weigela
East Asia
‘Alexandra’ Late Spring - Midsummer ‘Variegata’
Caprifoliaceae Honeysuckle Family
Medium Shrub
Photograph from Flickr (CC) Shihmei Barger 48 Wisteria floribunda Japanese Wisteria
Japan
‘Domino’ ‘Rosea’ Summer . ‘Lawrence’
Fabaceae Legume Family
10ft+ Climber
Photograph from Wikipedia (CC) Forest & Kim Starr 49 Wisteria sinensis Chinese Wisteria
China
‘Amethyst’ ‘Jako’ Mid Spring - Early Summer ‘Prolific’
Fabaceae Legume Family
10ft+ Vine
Photograph from Flickr (CC) ukgardenphotos 50