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10 plants worth knowing

South Korea

South Korea is a mountainous country, about 60% covered in forest – much of it restored in a massive reforestation drive after the Korean War, regarded as one of the greatest successes of its kind in the world. Mixed forests of oaks and Japanese red pine dominate, firs and dwarf scrub grow on the highest peaks, and on the volcanic island of Jeju the vegetation shifts from subtropical evergreen forests on the coast to the subalpine slopes of Mount Hallasan.

Hover over a plant to see on the map where it grows.

where it grows

  1. Rose of Sharon 1

    shrub · National flower of South Korea

    Rose of Sharon

    Hibiscus syriacus

    Mugunghwa – the “eternally blooming flower” – opens new blooms every day all summer long and is named in Korea’s national anthem.
  2. Japanese red pine 2

    tree · Mentioned in the national anthem of South Korea

    Japanese red pine

    Pinus densiflora

    Koreans’ favourite tree: the rusty-barked pine accompanies them from a pinewood cradle to a pinewood coffin.
  3. Ginseng 3

    perennial

    Ginseng

    Panax ginseng

    Korean red ginseng is the country’s calling card – the roots are grown for up to six years before they are harvested.
  4. Korean fir 4

    tree

    Korean fir

    Abies koreana

    An endemic fir from the mountains of southern Korea that has won over gardens worldwide with its purple cones.
  5. Japanese zelkova 5

    tree

    Japanese zelkova

    Zelkova serrata

    For centuries ancient zelkovas at the entrances to Korean villages have served as guardian trees and meeting places.
  6. Korean rhododendron 6

    shrub

    Korean rhododendron

    Rhododendron mucronulatum

    Pinkish-purple jindallae herald spring in Korea – every Korean schoolchild knows Kim Sowol’s poem “Azaleas”.
  7. Chili pepper 7

    crop

    Chili pepper

    Capsicum annuum

    Without red gochu peppers there would be no fiery kimchi or gochujang paste – in autumn whole villages dry the pods on roofs and in yards.
  8. Napa cabbage 8

    crop

    Napa cabbage

    Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis

    Every autumn Korean families pickle hundreds of heads of napa cabbage for kimchi – the kimjang custom is on the UNESCO list.
  9. Ginkgo 9

    tree · City tree of Seoul

    Ginkgo

    Ginkgo biloba

    In autumn golden ginkgos turn Seoul’s streets into yellow avenues – it is the capital’s most widely planted street tree and its symbol.
  10. Korean forsythia 10

    shrub

    Korean forsythia

    Forsythia koreana

    Golden gaenari bloom in March on embankments and along roads and rivers – together with azaleas, they are Korea’s most typical sign of spring.