华南植物园 - South China Botanical Garden

Last Tuesday, I visited the South China Botanical Garden, CAS, in Guangzhou. This city, formerly known as Canton, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong Province (广东省) in the south of China.


The South China Botanical Garden is 329 hectares (more than 800 acres) and has numerous collections in its more than 30 special collections gardens, including Magnolia, Zingiber (Gingers), bamboo, palms, and orchids. I met with Dr. XIA Nianhe, a bamboo expert; Prof. HU Qiming, Professor of Plant Taxonomy; and Mr. LIN Qiaosheng, Manager of Grounds. They stressed that any program of collaboration or exchange needs to be first and foremost mutually beneficial. They therefore welcomed my proposed exchange program as a good way of ensuring mutual benefit, and provided several important comments as to its possible structure and function in order to ensure its success.

Left to Right: Me, Dr. Xia, Prof. Hu, and Mr. Lin

Interestingly, it was noted that members of their staff who have exchanged with, or studied at, foreign institutions in the past return to work in the research institute of the botanical garden and that their newly acquired practical knowledge is left untapped. They mentioned the need for lower to middle-level horticultural staff to be exchanged in order to acquire this practical knowledge and to raise the level of horticultural display in the garden upon their return.