190
NOTES AND QUERIES
UNUSUAL TREES IN HONG KONG
Cinnamomum cassia Blume: Cassia-Bark Tree (Chinese Cassia)
This tree is a South China species, but does not occur naturally in Hong Kong, nor commonly anywhere in Kwangtung Province with which the New Territories adjoin. Its distribution is confined to Kwangsi Province and the west of Kwangtung Province, where it is grown commercially on a considerable scale, providing the raw material for the well-known commercial product “cassia bark”.
Before 1952, no cultivated C. cassia had been recorded in Hong Kong; however, in 1952 it was found that three cassia-bark trees were growing at three hermitages near Castle Peak Temple - one tree at each hermitage. These three trees, together with nursery stock derived from them, are the only living specimens so far known in Hong Kong.
Since C. cassia is such a rare and unusual tree in Hong Kong, it is intriguing to note its significance in the gardens of the hermitages. How old are these trees and why were they brought to these hermitages? It was learned that they were grown from young seedlings brought from Kwangsi about twenty years ago, and that they were planted, not for commercial purposes but because of the cassia tree/hermit connection.
Hermits often consider themselves to be on a different plane from ordinary men and they like to keep something as a symbol of dignity in their company as a means of emphasising this. C. cassia is associated with the qualities of gentleness and sacredness, in the Chinese view, and these qualities form a source of inspiration and delight to the hermits. The presence of a cassia-bark tree in such a place is believed not only to enrich its grounds, but also to be symbolic of spiritual purification for those staying there. This is the reason why the cassia-bark tree has made such a dramatic entry into Hong Kong and why it is considered to be of such importance by the hermits.
The tree is easily confused with its two allied species, namely C. camphora and particularly C. burmanni both of which are found in Hong Kong. However, one can easily separate the camphor tree C. camphora from C. cassia by the bark which is rough on the former while that on C. cassia is smooth. The leaf shape is used to distinguish C. burmanni from C. cassia; on C. burmanni the leaf is pointed, while that on C. cassia is truncate.
190
NOTES AND QUERIES
UNUSUAL TREES IN HONG KONG
Cinnamomum cassia Blume: Cassia-Bark Tree (Chinese Cassia)
This tree is a South China species, but does not occur naturally in Hong Kong, nor commonly anywhere in Kwangtung Province with which the New Territories adjoin. Its distribution is confined to Kwangsi Province and the west of Kwangtung Province, where it is grown commercially on a considerable scale, providing the raw material for the well-known commercial product “cassia bark”.
Before 1952, no cultivated C. cassia had been recorded in Hong Kong; however, in 1952 it was found that three cassia-bark trees were growing at three hermitages near Castle Peak Temple - one tree at each hermitage. These three trees, together with nursery stock derived from them, are the only living specimens so far known in Hong Kong.
Since C. cassia is such a rare and unusual tree in Hong Kong, it is intriguing to note its significance in the gardens of the hermi- tages. How old are these trees and why were they brought to these hermitages? It was learned that they were grown from young seed- lings brought from Kwangsi about twenty years ago, and that they were planted, not for commercial purposes but because of the cassia tree/hermit connection.
Hermits often consider themselves to be on a different plane from ordinary men and they like to keep something as a symbol of dignity in their company as a means of emphasising this. C. cassia is associated with the qualities of gentleness and sacredness, in the Chinese view, and these qualities form a source of inspiration and delight to the hermits. The presence of a cassia-bark tree in such a place is believed not only to enrich its grounds, but also to be symbolic of spiritual purification for those staying there. This is the reason why the cassia-bark tree has made such a dramatic entry into Hong Kong and why it is considered to be of such importance by the hermits.
The tree is easily confused with its two allied species, namely C. camphora and particularly C. burmanni both of which are found in Hong Kong. However, one can easily separate the camphor tree C. camphora from C. cassia by the bark which is rough on the for- mer while that on C. cassia is smooth. The leaf shape is used to distinguish C. burmanni from C. cassia; on C, burmanni the leat is pointed, while that on C. cassia is truncate.
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