Research in Context
Tree species with area of origin from the Indian Subcontinent to SE Asia and China, Japan and Korea
Zelkova serrata
Ulmaceae
Distribution in Thessaloniki. In tree rows on avenues and central roads.
Biomes temperate
Countries and regions (POWO Database)
Area of origin China to Sakhalin Kuril Islands and temperate East Asia.
Countries and regions in the area of origin
China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Japan, Korea, Kuril Islands, Manchuria, Taiwan.
Global Distribution (introduced)
EUROPE: Czechia-Slovakia, Germany
AMERICAS: USA (New York).
Cities worldwide
Tree inventories around the world (GUTI Database) A popular urban tree, listed in 132 inventories.
ASIA
China: Chengdu, Guiyang, Kunming
Israel: Tel Aviv
Japan: Tokyo
South Korea: Seoul
OCEANIA
Australia: Ballarat, Banyule, Brimbank, Canberra, Colac Otway Shire, Corangamite Shire, Darebin, Greater Geelong, Greater Bendigo, Hobson Bay, Knox, Launceston, Manningham, Marrickville, Melbourne, Mitcham, Moreland, Parramatta, Penrith, Perth, Port Phillip, Shepparton, Stonnington, Sydney, Waverley, Whittlesea, Wyndham.
New Zealand: Christchurch
EUROPE
Austria: Vienna
Denmark: Aarhus
France: Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lyon, Paris
Germany: Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg
Hungary: Budapest
Italy: Florence, Merano
Netherlands: Doetinchem, Waalwijk
Portugal: Lisbon
Spain: Barcelona, Valencia
Sweden: Malmö
Switzerland: Basel, Bern, Geneva, Zurich
United Kingdom: Birmingham, Bristol, Camden, London
AMERICAS
Canada: Durham, Kawartha Lakes, Kelowna, Montreal, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Waterloo
USA:
CALIFORNIA Berkeley, Claremont, Colton, Fresno, Modesto, Ontario, Pasadena, Patterson, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Tracy, West Sacramento,
COLORADO Aurora, Boulder, Denver
GEORGIA Augusta
IDAHO Boise
ILLINOIS Champaign
MASSACHUSETTS Amherst, Arlington, Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Watertown
MICHIGAN Detroit
NEVADA Carson city, Las Vegas
NEW YORK Buffalo, Hastings-on-Hudson, Ithaca, New York, Newburgh, Nyack, Port Chester
NORTH CAROLINA Durham
OHIO Colombus, Delaware
OKLAHOMA Oklahoma city
OREGON Portland
PENSYLVANIA Allentown, Clarks Summit, Connellsville, Edgewood, Harrisburg, Hershey, Lancaster, Latrobe, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, Wilkinsburg, York
RHODE ISLAND Newport
SOUTH CAROLINA Charleston
VERMONT Wilkinsburg, Winooski
WASHINGTON Seattle, Spokane, Washington DC
Performance It seems to perform rather well in the urban center of Thessaloniki.
References on Zelkova serrata
Books
Dirr, Michael A. 2010.
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants : Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. 6. ed., rev., [repr.].
Champaign, Illinois: Stipes.
Kozlowski, Gregor and Sébastien Bétrisey, Song Yi-Gang, Fazan Laurence, Garfi Giuseppe. (2018).
The Red List of Zelkova
Natural History Museum, Fribourg, Switzerland
https://www.zelkova.ch/sites/default/files/The%20Red%20List%20of%20Zelkova%202018.pdf
(pdf file)
Sjöman, Henrik, and Anderson, Arit 2023.
The Essential Tree Selection Guide: For Climate Resilience, Carbon Storage, Species Diversity and Other Ecosystem Benefits.
London: Filbert Press
Plant Species Databases
Select Tree. UFEI.
Urban Forest Ecosystem Institute.
California State Polytechnic University.
'Zelkova serrata' and varieties
https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/1480
Johnson, Owen. (2023).
Trees and Shrubs Online
'Zelkova serrata'
www.treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/zelkova/zelkova-serrata/
Research Projects with Plant Species Selection Databases
Plante & Cité
Floriscope, n.d.
https://www.floriscope.io/
'Zelkova serrata' and varieties
https://www.floriscope.io/plantes/zelkova-serrata
Which Plant Where. (2026).
Whichplantwhere.com.au
'Zelkova serrata' and varieties
https://www.whichplantwhere.com.au/plant/zelkova-serrata
Research projects
Project Zelkova | Fribourg, Switzerland.
Conservation Biology and Biogeography of relict, endemic and threatened plants
(Research Group of Prof. Gregor Kozlowski).
Other Sources
Maurici, G. (2025, September 24).
Tree Tales project.
Sawtooth Zelkova / Zelkova serrata.
https://www.talesoftrees.net/post/sawtooth-zelkova-zelkova-serrata
Linkedin posts
Billet, Alexis (2026, September 3)
An article on the species' tree architecture, habitat, phenology and climate resilience
Cordia myxa
Boraginaceae
Distribution in Athens. A few trees in islets or gardens in the boroughs of the city of Athens, Hymettos-Dafni, Aigaleo. Also at the National Garden.
Biomes seasonally dry tropical
Countries and regions (POWO Database)
Area of origin S. Iran to Indo-China.
Countries and regions in the area of origin Assam, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam
Global Distribution (introduced).
EUROPE: East Aegean Islands
ASIA: Gulf States, Iraq, Lebanon-Syria, Lesser Sunda Islands, Maluku, Oman, Türkey.
AMERICAS: Trinidad-Tobago, USA (Florida).
OCEANIA: Fiji, Marianas, Queensland, Western Australia
AFRICA: Algeria, Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Comoros, DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rodrigues, Senegal, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe.
Also other sources verify it has distribution in South America (Matias et al 2015, Barroso et al. 2009).
It is to be noted that it is cultivated in temperate and tropical areas for its edible fruit and other uses (Useful Tropical Plants Database).
Cities worldwide
Tree inventories around the world (GUTI Database). There is only urban tree inventory that lists the species
ASIA: Iran (Ahvaz).
Performance It seems to perform rather well as a specimen tree.
References on Cordia myxa
Papers
Edinardo Fagner Ferreira Matias, Erivania Ferreira Alves, Maria Karollyna do Nascimento Silva, Victoria Regina de Alencar Carvalho, Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho, José Galberto Martins da Costa. 2015.
The genus Cordia: botanists, ethno, chemical and pharmacological aspects
Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia,
Volume 25, Issue 5,2015,Pages 542-552,ISSN 0102-695X
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjp.2015.05.012
Barroso, I.C.E., Oliveira, F.d., Ciarelli, D.M., 2009.
Morphology of the dispersion unit nd germination of Cordia sellowiana cham. and Cordia myxa l.
Bragantia 68, 241–249.
https://www.scielo.br/j/brag/a/8DpmK6ChyM4MQYnKdyNvGRc/?lang=pt
Oza, M.J. and Kulkarni, Y.A., 2017
Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the medicinal species of the genus Cordia (Boraginaceae).
J Pharm Pharmacol, 69: 755-789.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jphp.12715
Private initiatives
Prehealing Trust.
Prehealing.com (2026, June 4).
Cordia myxa (Boraginaceae) - Glue Berry, Lasoda, Assyrian plum.
https://www.prehealing.com/post/cordia-myxa-glue-berry
Plant Species databases
Useful Tropical Plants Database,
"Cordia myxa"
Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info.
https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cordia+myxa
Parks
National Garden – Metropolitan Green S.A.
"Digital display of plants of the National Garden with reference to the history", NPK University Project
"Assyrian plum"
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Pachygone laurifolia
(syn. Cocculus laurifolius)
Menispermaceae
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Distribution in Athens. A few trees in small parks in the boroughs of the city of Athens, Kallithea, Glyfada. Usually in groups of three to five trees. Also older plantings exist in the National Garden and the NTUA campus.
Biomes seasonally dry tropical
Countries and regions
Area of origin Indian Subcontinent to Japan (S. Kyushu) and Philippines.
Global Distribution (introduced). Peru
Cities worldwide
Tree inventories around the world. A quite unknown species, in only 6 inventories :
AMERICAS: Argentina (Buenos Aires), USA (New Orleans, Pasadena, Santa Monica)
EUROPE: Spain (Barcelona, Valencia)
Performance It seems to perform rather well as a small tree in the city's maintained landscapes.
Literature references University of Florida, Landscape Plants - Tree selection database.
Literature on Pachygone laurifolia
Universities
University of Florida (2015).
Cocculus laurifolius, Snailseed
Tree selection - Landscape plants - Edward F. Gilman - UF/IFAS.
Plant Species Databases
Flora ornamental y biodiversidad de Barcelona
https://floraornamentaldebarcelona.com/
Cóculo de hoja de laurel
https://floraornamentaldebarcelona.com/2018/12/16/coculo-de-hoja-de-laurel-cocculus-laurifolius/
Trees and Shrubs Online, www.treesandshrubsonline.org
Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles
Pachygone laurifolia
https://www.treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/pachygone/pachygone-laurifolia/
Worldfloraonline.org. (2025).
Cocculus laurifolius
https://worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000613563
Books
Bean, William Jackson. 2019.
Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles. (revised)
Kantartzis, N.A. 1999
Floriculture - Evergreen Ornamental and Forest Trees for Architecture and Landscape Architecture
Athens, Greece.
Tree inventories
New Orleans
Total Tree Inventory Summary Report
Prepared by ArborPro Inc. for the city of New Orleans (2016).
Total-Tree-Inventory-Summary-Report.pdf
California Urban Forest Inventory (UFEI).
A statewide compilation of urban tree inventories.
A dataset by UFEI. June 25, 2024
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/24d270ef645c4384b75493e9f26272f7
Camphora officinarum
syn. Cinnamomum camphora
Lauraceae
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Distribution in Athens. Recent street tree plantings in the boroughs of Chalandri, Petroupoli. It is one of the main species at the commercial shopping center "River West" in the borough of Aigaleo. A specimen tree is a focal point in a recent central square renovation in the borough of Dafni.
It is the main tree species in the garden of the Megaron Athens Concert Hall. Camphor trees organized in small groups constitute one of the main features of its landscape.
Biomes subtropical
Countries and regions (POWO Database)
Area of origin Korea (Jejudo), W. Central & S. Japan to E. & S. Taiwan.
Countries in the area of origin Japan, Korea, Nansei-shoto, Taiwan
Global Distribution (introduced).
OCEANIA Australia (New South Wales, Norfolk Islands, Victoria, Queensland ), New Zealand North,
ASIA: India (Assam), Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Cambodia, Caroline Islands, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, Fiji, Guinea, Gulf of Guinea Is., Hainan, Laos, Leeward Islands, Marianas, Mauritius, Réunion, Seychelles, Trinidad-Tobago, Vietnam
AMERICAS: Honduras, El Salvador, USA (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Hawaii).
Cities worldwide (GUTI Database)
Tree inventories around the world. It is found in 100 tree inventories.
OCEANIA:
Australia (Albury, Ballarat, Banyule, Bathurst, Boroondara, Brimbank, Burnside, Cairns, Campbelltown, Corangamite Shire, Darebin, Fremantle, Greater Geelong, Gold Coast, Greater Bendigo, Hobson Bay, Knox, Launceston, Leichhardt, Logan, Manningham, Marrickville, Melbourne, Mildura, Mitcham, Moonee Valley, Moreland, Moreton Bay, Muswellbrook, Nedlands, Parramatta, Penrith, Perth, Port Phillip, Shepparton, South Grampians Shire, South Perth, Stirling, Stonnington, Subiaco, Sydney, Waverley, Whittlesea, Willoughby, Wyndham).
New Zealand: Christchurch.
AMERICAS: Argentina (Buenos Aires), Brazil (Belo Horizonte, Guarapuava, Santa Maria), USA (Alameda County, Berkeley, Cape Coral, Charleston, Claremont, East Palo Alto, Fresno, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Modesto, New Orleans, Oakland, Pacoima, Palo Alto, Pasadena, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Monica, Sarasota, Sun Valley, Tampa).
EUROPE:
France Bordeaux, Paris & St Tropez, Lyon (Frendo David 2026).
Greece Athens
Ireland Cork
Italy Florence, Prato
Spain Barcelona, Costa Brava, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Valencia
ASIA: China (Chengdu, Changsha, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Guiyang, Hangzhou, Hefei, Hong Kong, Kunming, Nanchang, Nanjing, Shanghai, Wuhan), Japan (Tokyo), Israel (Tel Aviv), Taiwan (Taipei)
AFRICA: South Africa (Pretoria), Zimbabwe (Harare)
Performance They appear to perform well. However most plantings are at well maintained and irrigated parks that may even incorporate turfgrass or water elements.
Literature references It is recommended for climate resilience. (UEVT Villa Thuret - INRAE, ARDEM 2022 and Floriscope 2025).
References on Camphora officinarum syn. Cinnamomum camphora
Research Projects
Unité expérimentale Villa Thuret (Jardin Botanique), INRAE, ARDEM network. 2022
Jardin Botanique Villa Thuret.
Bugeaud, Rose-marie, 2022
“Arbres de demain - Fiches espèces.”Created on December 23, 2022. Modified on March 25, 2024.
https://jardin-thuret.hub.inrae.fr/actualites/presentation-des-fiches-especes
Unité expérimentale Villa Thuret (Jardin Botanique), INRAE, ARDEM network.
Bugeaud, Rose-marie, Ducatillion Catherine & Oberlé Eléonore, 2022
Technical file - Cinnamomum camphora
https://jardin-thuret.hub.inrae.fr/content/download/6760/55196?version=1
Plante & Cité
Floriscope | Camphora officinarum
https://www.floriscope.io/plantes/camphora-officinarum
Bauhinia variegata, B. purpurea
Bauhinia blakeana (B. variegata x B. purpurea)
Fabaceae
Distribution in Athens. The species Bauhinia variegata is one of the main species for new street tree plantings in the borough of the City of Athens. It has been used to an extent for replacing the Morus spp trees that have been ravaged in recent years by the introduced asian wood borer Xylotrechus chinensis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).
It has been planted in many boroughs in the last decade, as specimens or street rows: Agios Dimitrios, Dafni-Hymettos, Irakleio, Maroussi, Palaio Faliro. It is also found in parks and green spaces in Crete.
Biomes seasonally dry tropical
Countries and regions (POWO Database)
Area of origin
Bauhinia variegata
Assam, Bangladesh, East Himalaya, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, China South-Central, Laos, Panamá, Thailand, Vietnam, West Himalaya
Bauhinia purpurea
Assam, Bangladesh, East Himalaya, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan
Cities worldwide (GUTI Database)
Tree inventories around the world.
Bauhinia variegata
The species is found in 64 tree inventories.
OCEANIA:
Australia: Albury, Brimbank, Burnside, Darwin, Gold Coast, Leichhardt, Marrickville, Mildura, Moreland, Nedlands, Parramatta, Penrith, Stonnington, Sydney, Willoughby.
AMERICAS: Bermuda (Hamilton), Brazil (Assis, Bahia, Belo Horizonte, Goiandira, Paraiba, Ponta Grossa, Vicosa), Panama (Bella Vista, Betania, San Francisco), Colombia (Ibague City, Manizales, Medellin, Pereira), Mexico (Morelia), Costa Rica (San Jose), USA (Cape Coral, Claremont, Honolulu, Las Vegas (Clark County), Los Angeles, New Orleans, Pasadena, San Diego, Santa Monica, Sarasota, Tampa).
EUROPE:
Greece Athens
Portugal Lisbon
Spain Barcelona, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Valencia
ASIA: Tukey (Antalya), India (Bangalore, Chandigarh, New Delhi), China (Guangzhou, Haikou, Hong Kong), Israel (Karmiel, Tel Aviv), Palestine (Gaza), Singapore (Singapore)
AFRICA: Botswana (Gabarone), Kenya (Nairobi), South Africa (Pretoria)
Bauhinia purpurea
The species is found in 25 tree inventories.
OCEANIA:
Australia (Fremantle, Parramatta, South Perth, Stirling)
AMERICAS: Colombia (Manizales), USA (Honolulu, Los Angeles, North Hills, North Hollywood, Pacoima, Tampa, Van Nuys).
EUROPE:
Greece Athens
Spain Santa Cruz de Tenerife
ASIA: Iran (Ahvaz), Indonesia (Bandung),India (Bangalore, Chandigarh), China (Chengdu, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Wuhan), Israel (Tel Aviv), Singapore (Singapore)
AFRICA: Kenya (Nairobi)
Performance They appear to perform well.
Literature references It is recommended for climate resilience. (UEVT Villa Thuret - INRAE, ARDEM 2022 and Floriscope 2025).
References on Bauhinia spp
Urban Tree Mapping Applications
https://athenstrees.cityofathens.gr/
Historic Gardens
https://green-athens.gr/bauhinia-variegata/
Research Projects
Unité expérimentale Villa Thuret (Jardin Botanique), INRAE, ARDEM network. 2022
Jardin Botanique Villa Thuret.
Bugeaud, Rose-marie, 2022
“Arbres de demain - Fiches espèces.”Created on December 23, 2022. Modified on March 25, 2024.
https://jardin-thuret.hub.inrae.fr/actualites/presentation-des-fiches-especes
Unité expérimentale Villa Thuret (Jardin Botanique), INRAE, ARDEM network.
Bugeaud, Rose-marie, Ducatillion Catherine & Oberlé Eléonore, 2022
Technical file - Bauhinia variegata
https://jardin-thuret.hub.inrae.fr/content/download/6686/54822?version=1
Plante & Cité
Floriscope | Bauhinia variegata
https://www.floriscope.io/plantes/bauhinia-variegata
Floriscope | Bauhinia purpurea
https://www.floriscope.io/plantes/bauhinia-purpurea
Floriscope | Bauhinia x blakeana
https://www.floriscope.io/plantes/bauhinia-x-blakeana
Koelreuteria paniculata
Sapindaceae
Distribution in Athens. It is not an uncommon tree species. However it is absent in most boroughs. Old plantings as street tree rows or as specimens in parks in the boroughs of the city of Athens, Haidari, Ilioupoli, Papagou-Cholargos, Zografou.
Biomes temperate
Countries and regions
Area of origin China to Korea.
Global Distribution (introduced).
Europe: Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia-Slovakia, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, NW. Balkan Pen., Romania, Sardegna, Spain, Ukraine.
Asia : India, Japan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.
Americas: USA (Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia)
Cities worldwide
Tree inventories around the world. In 154 inventories in the countries:
OCEANIA: Australia, New Zealand.
AMERICAS: Canada, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, USA (Chicago, Delaware, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, Newport, Oakland, Philadelphia, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, Washington).
EUROPE: Austria (Vienna), Croatia (Zagreb), Denmark, France (Bordeaux, Lyon, Montpellier, Paris), Germany (Frankfurt), Hungary (Budapest), Italy (Bologna, Florence, Turin), Netherlands, Portugal (Lisbon), Spain (Barcelona, Valencia), UK (Birmingham, Bristol, London), Sweden (Malmö), Switzerland (Basel, Bern, Zurich), Ukraine.
ASIA: China, India, Turkey (Trabzon), Georgia (Tbilisi).
Performance At the NTUA campus, they show a remarkable tolerance to hot summer conditions and the ability to self propagate with seed.
Literature references Sjöman and Anderson (2023). Research on tolerance of tree species to various stress factors, reveals its hardiness (Sjöman, Hirons and Martin 2025).
Ficus elastica
Moraceae
Distribution in Athens. It is a tree species found in private gardens and occasionally in the streets. Most often as an interior house plant. In the boroughs of the city of Piraeus, the city of Athens, Dafni-Hymettos, Ilioupoli.
Biomes wet tropical
Countries and regions
Area of origin Nepal to China (W. Yunnan) and W. Malesia.
Countries and regions in the area of origin Assam, Bangladesh, China South-Central, East Himalaya, Jawa, Laos, Malaya, Myanmar, Nepal, Sumatera, Thailand, Vietnam
Global Distribution (introduced).
OCEANIA: Marshall Is, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Vanuatu.
ASIA: Andaman Is., Caroline Islands, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Cambodia, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, Fiji,
Hainan, Laos, Leeward Islands, Marianas, Mauritius, Nicobar Is., Sri Lanka. Réunion, Seychelles, Trinidad-Tobago, Vietnam
AFRICA: Cameroon, Comoros, Gambia, Gulf of Guinea Is., Réunion.
AMERICAS: Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guinea, Gulf of Guinea Is., Jamaica, Juan Fernández Is., Mexico Southwest, Haiti, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela, Venezuelan Antilles, Windward Is., USA (Florida)
EUROPE: Sicilia (Italy), Spain.
Cities worldwide
Tree inventories around the world. In 77 inventories in the countries:
OCEANIA:
Australia Banyule, Brimbank, Burnside, Cairns, Corangamite Darebin, Gold Coast, Greater Bendigo, Knox, Manningham, Marrickville, Mildura, Mitcham, Moonee Valley, Moreland, Nedlands, Parramatta, Perth, Port Phillip, South Perth, Stirling, Stonnington, Sydney, Whittlesea).
New Zealand Christchurch.
AMERICAS: Argentina (Buenos Aires, Partido Del Pilar), Bermuda (Hamilton), Brazil (Bahia, Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Ponta Grossa, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Maria), Colombia (Bogotá, Leticia, Manizales, Medellin, Pereira), Costa Rica (San Jose), Panama (Bella Vista, Betania), Nicaragua (León), Mexico (Mexico City, Morelia), Peru (Piura)
USA Honolulu, Palo Alto, Pasadena, San Diego, Santa Monica, Tampa.
EUROPE:
Portugal Lisbon
Spain Barcelona, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Valencia
ASIA: India (Bangalore), China ( Chongqing, Hong Kong), India (New Delhi), Malaysia (Putrajaya), Palestine (Gaza), Israel (Karmiel, Tel Aviv), Taiwan (Taipei)
AFRICA: Egypt (Cairo), Morocco (Casablanca), Kenya (Nairobi), Nigeria (Ibadan), Togo (Kpalimé, Lomé), Zimbabwe (Harare).
Performance It seems to perform well although in most cases sheltered near housing.
Literature references
Ligustrum ovalifolium
Oleaceae
Distribution in Athens. A few trees in streets in the boroughs of Dafni - Hymettos.
Biomes temperate
Countries and regions
Area of origin Japan
Global Distribution (introduced). Baleares, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, USA (Alabama, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, New York), Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Juan Fernández Is., Mexico Southeast, Réunion, St.Helena, Korea.
Cities worldwide
Tree inventories around the world. In 37 inventories in the countries:
OCEANIA: Australia,
AMERICAS: Argentina (Buenos Aires), Mexico, USA (Berkeley, Denver)
EUROPE: France (Lyon, Paris), Italy (Bologna), Spain (Barcelona, Valencia), UK (Bristol, London), Portugal (Lisbon)
ASIA: China
AFRICA: Kenya (Nairobi)
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Broussonetia papyrifera
Moraceae
Distribution in Athens. It had been planted more often a few decades ago. As a street tree or in gardens in the boroughs of city of Athens, Dafni-Hymettos, Papagou-Cholargos, Zografou. Remarkable specimen trees can be found in the National Garden.
Biomes temperate
Countries and regions
Area of origin India to Korea and Indo-China.
Global Distribution (introduced).
EUROPE: Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kriti, Romania, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain.
ASIA: East Himalaya, Japan, Jawa, Lesser Sunda Islands, Malaya, Maluku, Nansei-shoto, Ogasawara-shoto, Pakistan, Philippines, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan, West Himalaya.
AMERICAS: Argentina Northeast, Chile Central, Easter Islands, USA (Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas,West Virginia, Virginia).
OCEANIA: Fiji, Marianas, Marquesas, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Society Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuamotu, Tubuai Is., Uganda, Vanuatu, Wallis-Futuna Islands.
Cities worldwide
Tree inventories around the world. In 55 inventories:
OCEANIA: Australia, New Zealand
AMERICAS: Argentina (Buenos Aires), United States (Charleston, Newport, Pasadena, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, Tampa).
EUROPE: Austria (Vienna), Croatia (Zagreb), Denmark (Aarhus), France (Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Paris), Hungary (Budapest), Italy (Florence, Turin), Portugal (Lisbon), Spain (Barcelona, Valencia), Sweden (Malmö), Switzerland (Basel, Geneva, Zurich), United Kingdom (Bristol, London),
ASIA: India, China
AFRICA: Kenya (Nairobi),
Performance They seem to perform well either at parks, private gardens or on the sidewalks.
Paulownia tomentosa
Distribution in Athens. It is rarely found in the urban green spaces. However, since early 2000's, it has been promoted in Greece for wood production. As a park tree in the borough of Ilioupoli.
Biomes temperate
Countries and regions
Area of origin Central & Eastern China, South Korea.
Global Distribution (introduced).
EUROPE: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Spain.
ASIA : Bangladesh, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
AMERICAS: USA (Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia).
Cities worldwide
Tree inventories around the world.
In 82 inventories:
OCEANIA: Australia, New Zealand.
AMERICAS: Argentina (Buenos Aires), Brazil, Canada, Chile, USA (Delaware, Newport, Pasadena, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Washington).
EUROPE: Croatia (Zagreb), Denmark (Aarhus, Copenhagen), France (Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Paris), Germany (Frankfurt), Hungary (Budapest), Italy (Bologna, Florence, Turin), Netherlands, Spain (Barcelona, Valencia), UK (Birmingham, Bristol, London), Sweden (Malmö), Switzerland (Basel, Bern, Geneva, Zurich).
ASIA: China, Japan (Tokyo), Turkey (Trabzon).
Performance It seems to perform well at open spaces in parks. At a recent conference in Athens, it has been suggested to be further used in the landscape of urban green spaces and parks.
Literature references 1st Panhellenic Conference on Green Spaces in the Urban Environment. 2024, November 22 & 23. Agricultural University of Athens.
Citrus japonica
Distribution in Athens. It is a shrub or small tree that is occasionally used in home gardens. Also it is cultivated in some parts of Greece for its fruit. In some parks in tree rows. In the park of Alsos Aegaleo.
Biomes subtropical
Countries and regions
Area of origin SE. China to Hainan.
Global Distribution (introduced).
ASIA : India (Assam), Japan, Korea, Vietnam
AMERICAS: Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Trinidad-Tobago, USA (California).
AFRICA: Gambia
Cities worldwide
Tree inventories around the world.
In 23 inventories:
OCEANIA: Australia.
AMERICAS: Argentina (Buenos Aires, Puerto Iguazú, Santiago del Estero), USA (Claremont, New Orleans, San Francisco, Tampa).
EUROPE: Spain (Costa Brava), UK (Camden)
ASIA: China, Iran (Rasht,Sari), Israel (Tel Aviv), Singapore.
Performance It seems to perform well at open in well maintained parks and home gardens.
Chimonanthus praecox
Images source: Vaso Timonidou 2025
Distribution in Athens. It is a shrub or small tree. Extremely rare in Athens. Observations in a private garden in the borough of Hymettos-Dafni and at the Diomedes Botanic Garden.
Biomes temperate
Countries and regions
Area of origin China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast.
Cities worldwide
Tree inventories around the world.
In 21 inventories:
OCEANIA: Australia (Hobson Bay).
EUROPE: Italy (Bologna, Florence), France (Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lyon, Paris ), Switzerland (Geneva), Sweden (Malmö)
ASIA: China (Beijing, Chengdu, Changsha, Chongqing, Guiyang, Hangzhou, Hefei, Kunming, Nanchang, Shanghai, Wuhan).
Eriobotrya japonica
Rosaceae
Distribution in Athens. It is a small to medium tree that is commonly planted in gardens and in parks. Very rarely in streets as its abudant fruit litters the pavement or the road. As a street tree in the borough of the city of Athens and the suburb of Gerakas.
Biomes temperate
Countries and regions
Area of origin China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast.
Cities worldwide
Tree inventories around the world.
In 21 inventories:
OCEANIA: Australia (Hobson Bay).
EUROPE: Italy (Bologna, Florence), France (Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lyon, Paris ), Switzerland (Geneva), Sweden (Malmö)
ASIA: China (Beijing, Chengdu, Changsha, Chongqing, Guiyang, Hangzhou, Hefei, Kunming, Nanchang, Shanghai, Wuhan).
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgoaceae
Image source: Vaso Timonidou (December 2025) Alsos Kifissias
Distribution in Athens.
It has been planted in the Japanese Garden of Athens. It is also found in the Diomedes Botanic Garden. Occurences in the boroughs of Kifisia and Glyfada. It is expected to be found in some private gardens as it is provided by local large plant nurseries.
An impressive specimen tree is located in the park of Kifissia (images above). Its first planting and establishment has been recently described by Nikolaos (Nick) Thymakis, award-winning Landscape Project Manager and Designer:
"It had come from Vienna in 2005, as a seedling sourced from the 1st Gingko to be introduced in Europe (Vienna Botanical Garden - director Dr. Michael Kiehn) and it was planted at the inauguration of the Kifissia Flower Show (2005 edition), by myself, the mayor of Kifissia Nikos Chiotakis, the president Eleftheria Liapaki and the Minister for Agriculture Evangelos Basiakos..." (Thymakis 2025).
Biomes It grows primarily in the temperate biome.
Countries and regions
Area of origin Southeast China
Global Distribution (introduced).
ASIA: China North-Central, China South-Central, Japan, Korea
EUROPE: Austria, Romania
AMERICAS: USA (Illinois)
Cities worldwide
Probably the most cosmopolitan of urban tree species. At the GUTI database which congregates a total of 473 tree inventories worldwide, its presence is documented in 217 cities.
REFERENCES
RESEARCH PROJECTS
ARDEM project, INRAE. 2022
Jardin Botanique Villa Thuret.
“Arbres de demain - Fiches espèces.”Created on December 23, 2022. Modified on March 25, 2024.
https://jardin-thuret.hub.inrae.fr/actualites/presentation-des-fiches-especes
BOOKS
Sjöman, Henrik, and Anderson, Arit 2023. The Essential Tree Selection Guide: For Climate Resilience, Carbon Storage, Species Diversity and Other Ecosystem Benefits. London: Filbert Press
PAPERS
Henrik Sjöman, Hirons, A. and Kevin (2025). Species-specific evaluation of growth and environmental tolerance for ecosystem services – evaluation from a botanic tree collection. Urban Ecosystems, 28(3).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-025-01725-3
SOCIAL MEDIA
Thymakis Nikolaos, (2025 December 10), as a comment on a photo posted on Facebook of Anna Salma. Regarding a beautiful Ginkgo biloba located at the park of Kifissia.
Salma Anna. “A sun ray in Kifissia" Facebook, 10 December 2025,
Anna Salma' - Μια ηλιαχτίδα στην Κηφισιά 🥰💛 | Facebook
PLANT SPECIES DATABASES
University of Florida (2015).
Cocculus laurifolius, Snailseed
Tree selection - Landscape plants - Edward F. Gilman - UF/IFAS.
https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/Pages/coclau/coclau.shtml
Useful Tropical Plants. (2017).
Cordia myxa.
https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cordia+myxa
Koelreuteria bipinnata
https://www.floriscope.io/plantes/koelreuteria-bipinnata
University of North Florida UNF, 2025
Botanical Garden
https://www.unf.edu/botanical-garden/plants/koelreuteria-bipinnata.html
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
1st Panhellenic Conference on Green Spaces in the Urban Environment. Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), Athens, Greece.
Spanos, K., Gaitanis L., Chavenetidou M., Korisianos, P. (2024, November 22–23). The use of Paulownia spp in the urban and periurban green spaces.