Coffee Shrubs to small trees, evergreen. Branches stretched, subterete. Leaves papyraceous, oblong-elliptic, length 2 times > width. Inflorescence umbellate, axillary, each with 2–6 fasciculate flowers. Flowers scented; corolla white, 5 lobes, somewhat reflexed. Fruit a drupe, green when young, deep red at maturity, typically containing 2 planoconvex ellipsoid seeds.
♦ Fruiting: from August to October ♦ Seed Source: Parks, campuses, private nurseries ♦ Time required for germination: About 5 weeks
Common Garcinia Trees, evergreen, upright to 20 meters tall; branches densely robust, crown round. Young leaves often brownish yellow. Flowers, clustered in leaf axils, yellowish white; female flowers slightly larger than male flowers. Fruit orange, citrus-like, but not edible.
♦ Fruiting: from August to October ♦ Seed Source: Parks, campuses, street trees, coastal areas ♦ Time required for germination: About 1 week
Lily Herbs, perennial, 40–60 cm up to a meter tall. Bulbs underground, broadly ovate or globose, white or pale yellow, of many imbricate scales; scales fleshy, 2–4 x 1–1.5 cm; membranous layer outside. Roots fibrous, at the base of bulbs and stems. Stems erect without branching; base red or with purple-brown spots. Leaves simple, alternate, narrowly linear, sessile, amplexicaul; veins parallel.
♦ Fruiting: from August to October ♦ Seed Source: Markets ♦ Time required for germination: About 2 weeks
Sword Jackbean Herbs, annual, suberect or twining, 60–100 cm tall. Leaves alternate, trifoliate, petioles 8–12 cm; leaflets broadly ovate to oblong-ovate. Racemes axillary. Flowers sparse; pedicels extremely short; corolla white, butterfly-like. Fruit a flat pod, slightly curved, up to 30 cm long, containing 10–14 seeds. Seeds elliptical, pink or red.
♦ Fruiting: from August to October ♦ Seed Source: Markets ♦ Time required for germination: About 1 week
Egg Tree Trees, evergreen, up to 20 m tall. Leaves decussate, up to 40 cm long, thick leathery, red when young. Corymbose cymes axillary. Flowers polygamous. Fruit a berry, ovoid or globose, apiculate, sometimes oblique. Seeds 1–4, with juicy ladle-like aril.
♦ Fruiting: from August to November ♦ Seed Source: Parks, campuses, street trees ♦ Time required for germination: About 6 weeks
Red Cedar Large trees; trunk bark rough; crown umbrella shape when fully grown, with wide canopy for shading—ideal street trees. Leaves trifoliate; leaflets margin serrate. Dioecious. Inflorescences paniculate, axillary. Flowers, small, yellowish green, apetalous. Fruit a drupe, berry-like, greenish when young, brown when ripe, 3–4 oblong seeds. Leaves can be dried for tea substitute. Ripe fruit can be preserved as tasty pickle.
♦ Fruiting: from August to December ♦ Seed Source: Parks, campuses, street trees ♦ Time required for germination: About 1 week
Elephant Apple Trees, evergreen, up to 25 m tall; young branches robust, brown pubescent; old branches glabrous, with obvious leaf scars. Leaves single, alternate, thin leathery; blades 15–40 °— 8–15 cm, oblanceolate-elliptic, margin serrate. Fruit pseudocarpous, yellowish green; pericarp smooth, enclosed by enlarged leathery sepals; pulp transparent, sticky, with many kidney-shaped seeds.
♦ Fruiting: from August to December ♦ Seed Source: Parks, campuses, street trees ♦ Time required for germination: About 2 weeks
Common Jasmine Orange Shrubs or small trees, evergreen, 1–3 m tall; bark greyish white, irregular longitudinal cracks on old stems. Leaves pinnate, alternate; leaflets obovate or elliptic. Inflorescences corymbose. Flowers fragrant, white; petals 5. Fruit ellipsoid, apiculate, red at maturity, edible.
♦ Fruiting: between August to the following June ♦ Seed Source: Campuses, street trees, parks ♦ Time required for germination: About 1 week
Maidenhair Tree Gymnosperm. Trees, deciduous; bark with longitudinal cracks, light grayish brown on young trees and gray brown on old trees. Leaves flabellate, pale green, turning bright yellow before falling in autumn; petioles longer than blades. Ovulate strobili with long pedicels, two ovules on the apex, usually only one developed. Seeds drupe-like; outer layer fleshy, yellow.
♦ Fruiting: September and October ♦ Seed Source: Markets, street trees ♦ Time required for germination: About 1 week
Chinese Chestnut Trees, deciduous; branchlets hairy. Leaves alternate, oblong-elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, 8–15 cm long, apex acute or acuminate; margin needle-like serrate. Inflorescences catkin. Male flowers often clustered, cup-shaped, with strong fragrance; perianth 6-cleft. Cupules densely spiny; nuts 2–3 per cupule, tomentose and apiculate, edible and favorable.
♦ Fruiting: from September to October ♦ Seed Source: Markets, street trees ♦ Time required for germination: About 1 week