Tree species with area of origin from the Indian Subcontinent to SE Asia and China, Japan and Korea

Camphora officinarum

Lauraceae

Distribution in Athens. Recent street tree plantings in the boroughs of Chalandri, Petroupoli. Also it is one of the main species at a commercial shopping center in the borough of Aigaleo.

Biomes subtropical

Countries and regions

Area of origin Japan (Nansei-shoto), Korea, Taiwan.

Global Distribution (introduced). Australia (New South Wales, Norfolk Islands, Victoria, Queensland ), New Zealand North, 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, Honduras, El Salvador, USA (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Hawaii).

Cities worldwide

Tree inventories around the world. It is found in 100 tree inventories.

OCEANIA: Australia, New Zealand.

AMERICAS: Argentina (Buenos Aires), Brazil, USA (Berkeley, Charleston, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa)

EUROPE: France (Bordeaux, Paris), Ireland, Italy (Florence), Spain (Barcelona, Costa Brava, Valencia)

ASIA: China, Japan (Tokyo), Israel, Taiwan

AFRICA: South Africa

Performance At well maintained parks and green spaces (with irrigation) they appear to perform well.

Literature references ARDEM project - INRAE

Koelreuteria bipinnata

Sapindaceae

Distribution in Athens. A remarkable tree that is the focal point in a recent square renovation in the borough of Dafni - Hymettos.

Biomes temperate

Countries and regions

Area of origin S. China to N. Vietnam.

Global Distribution (introduced). USA (Alabama)

Cities worldwide

Tree inventories around the world. In 44 inventories in the countries:

OCEANIA: Australia,

AMERICAS: Brazil, USA (Berkeley, Los Angeles, Oakland, Oklahoma city, San Diego, San Francisco, Washington)

EUROPE: France (Bordeaux, Montpellier, Paris), Spain (Valencia)

ASIA: China, Israel,

Literature references ARDEM project, INRAE

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 specimen 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).

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)

Cocculus_ laurifolius - (1) City of Athens - Plateia Romis - (20240107) 300 dpi RESIZED 2.

Pachygone laurifolia
(syn. Cocculus laurifolius)

Menispermaceae

Cocculus_ laurifolius - leaves RESIZED - (1) City of Athens - Plateia Romis - (20240107) 3

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.

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, afni-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

Paulowniaceae

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.

Cordia myxa

Boraginaceae

Distribution in Athens. It is a vary rare specimen tree. In the boroughs of Dafni Hymettos and the city of Athens.

Biomes seasonally dry tropical

Countries and regions

Area of origin S. Iran to Indo-China.
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.

Cities worldwide

Only one presence in urban tree inventories around the world.

ASIA: Iran (Ahvaz).
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).

Citrus japonica

Rutaceae

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.

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

WEBSITE DATABASES

Ufl.edu. (2015). Snailseed - Tree selection - Landscape plants - Edward F. Gilman - UF/IFAS. [online] Available at: 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

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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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT8xo779Gc0

Tree species with area of origin from the Indian Subcontinent to SE Asia and China, Japan and Korea

Camphora officinarum

Lauraceae

Koelreuteria bipinnata

Sapindaceae

Koelreuteria paniculata

Sapindaceae

Ligustrum ovalifolium

Oleaceae

Pachygone laurifolia (syn. Cocculus laurifolius)

Menispermaceae

Broussonetia papyrifera

Moraceae

Paulownia tomentosa

Paulowniaceae

Cordia myxa

Boraginaceae

Distribution in Athens. It is a vary rare specimen tree. In the boroughs of Dafni Hymettos and the city of Athens.

Citrus japonica

Rutaceae

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.

REFERENCES

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

Pachygone laurifolia
(syn. Cocculus laurifolius)

ARDEM project, INRAE. 2022