Dragon Year: Do you know these dragon-like plants? →

The Jade Rabbit returns on the snow, and the Golden Dragon soars in the wind. Have you already felt the festive atmosphere of welcoming the Year of the Dragon? The "Dragon" brings together the characteristics of many animals, with a variety of images, and is brave and forward-looking, bringing good luck and prosperity to people. How many of the following plants with "dragon" in their names or with bodies that resemble "dragons" do you know? The Municipal Greening and Urban Appearance Bureau has made an inventory for everyone, let's take a look!

**Longbai——** Dragon turns the world around

The Chinese juniper is a common evergreen plant in Shanghai. It is a variant of the Chinese juniper. Its crown is narrow and cylindrical, and its trunk and branches are twisted upward in a spiral, like a dragon.

**Longyoumei——** Dragon chants auspicious snow

The plum blossoms are in full bloom this season. Among the plum varieties, there is a kind of plum called Longyou, whose branches are naturally twisted without any artificial processing. The snow-white plum blossoms dot the branches, making the dragon look extraordinary.

Dragon Claw Willow - Dragon Soars Across the Seas

Dragon Claw Willow is a variant of Salix matsudana. Its branches are irregularly twisted or curled, just like long wavy hair. The tips of the willow leaves are raised, like dragon claws, hence the name.

**Dragon Claw Sophora japonica——** Dragon Dances in the Sky

The Dragon Claw Sophora japonica is named for its twisted and bent branches that resemble the claws of a dragon. It is a bud mutation of the Chinese Sophora japonica. Its crown is stacked like a canopy and is also a common plant in Chinese classical gardens.

**Longsang——** Golden Dragon Brings Blessings

The mulberry trees we are familiar with can not only be used to harvest mulberry and raise silkworms, but also to eat mulberry to keep healthy. Compared with ordinary mulberry trees, the dragon mulberry can be harvested for leaves and fruits, and its twisted branches can be used as cut flowers, adding more revenue to the agricultural and forestry economy.

**Dragon Dates——** Blessing from the Auspicious Dragon

Longzao, also known as Longzhaozao, Quzhizao, Longxuzao, has peculiar branches, like a group of dragons dancing. It spreads leaves in spring, blooms in early summer, bears fruits in autumn, and has high ornamental value in winter.

These outdoor plants have the word "dragon" in their names

As graceful as a startled swan, as graceful as a swimming dragon

Add unique charm to the green landscape of Shanghai

We are in the New Year

You can also choose a few pots of "dragon" plants

To create a festive atmosphere at home during the New Year!

**Dragon Face Flower——** Dragon’s Joyful Face

The outer outline of the dragon face flower resembles a dragon's face, and its flowering period in early spring coincides with the Spring Festival.

Longkou Flower——Everything is prosperous with the dragon

Also known as the dragon head flower, its corolla is tubular and lip-shaped, with a sac-like base that resembles a dragon's mouth that can open and close.

**Dragon spits pearls——** Dragon plays with pearls

A small evergreen shrub grown in pots. The calyx is swollen in the middle and deeply fissured at the top. The corolla is deep red and grows out of the calyx. The stamens and style extend out of the corolla, just like a dragon spitting out a pearl.

Dragon's beard tree ** (dragon blood tree)——"dragon" blessing all the world**

An evergreen small tree, often used as a foliage potted plant at home. The leaves are sword-shaped and clustered at the top of the stems, branches or twigs, overlapping each other, similar to a dragon's beard. Its juice is dark red and is the main raw material for the precious Chinese medicine "Xuejie"; it is also the origin of the plant's name.

Dragon Horns——Xinxin towards the "Dragon"

A member of the succulent family, it has a four-sided stem and is a low plant with many branches. The flowers are bell-shaped, five-lobed, and often have brown spots. It has good heat resistance and is easy to grow in groups.

Tequila: Dragon brings prosperity to everything

The second member of the succulent family, the leaves are basal, fleshy and rosette-shaped, with dark brown hard thorns at the tip and sparse thorn-like small teeth on the leaf margin. The horticultural varieties may be thornless, and the plant size varies greatly.

Tortoise-shell dragon——****The dragon shines brightly

The third of the succulent family, it is a representative of stem-shaped succulent plants. Its semicircular stem resembles a "tortoise shell", while its slender creeping stems resemble a "dragon", which vividly summarizes the morphological characteristics of the plant.

Dragon scales - auspicious "dragon" emerging from water

The fourth of the succulent family. Dragon scale is a delicate and unique small succulent plant, named because the grid texture on the leaves resembles pieces of dragon scales.

Gentian——The Dragon is back

The name was first recorded in Shennong's Herbal Classic. The perennial root is yellow-white. The flower is shaped like morning glory and is green. The leaves and roots can be used as medicine to clear away heat and dampness, and relieve liver and gallbladder fire. In addition to purple, the ornamental horticultural variety also has pink.

Source: Shanghai News, Municipal Greening and Urban Appearance Bureau