Turn-in-the-wind, Panicled Mallotus
Common Name
:
Turn-in-the-wind, Panicled Mallotus
Chinese Name
:
白楸
Scientific Name
:
Mallotus paniculatus
Classification
:
Evergreen
Origin
:
South China, Southeast Asia, and Northeast Australia
Flowering Period
:
July to October in Hong Kong
About
Turn-in-the-wind possesses great ornamental value and can be used as a street tree, but it requires regular pruning to maintain an appealing shape. Its evocative English name is inspired by its dual-coloured leaves – dark green on top and white underneath. When the wind blows, the leaves' eye-catching white undersides are exposed, rippling like ocean waves. The scientific name of Turn-in-the-wind is equally vivid. Its genus name, "Mallotus", means "wool-like", describing the plant's fuzzy hairs, while its epithet, "paniculatus", refers its panicle inflorescence.
Source: Greening, Landscape & Tree Management Section Development Bureau (greening.gov.hk)