Which plants are best in cities?​

Created By RISC | 2 years ago

Last modified date : 2 years ago

What if we grew forests in cities instead of the countryside? Which plants would be best?​

Many agencies are looking into urban forest, such as The Forestias, where a 30-rai forest green will combine a deep forest reserve with deciduous forest, evergreen forest, edible forest, and fragrance forest. The Miyawaki Method has been used by randomly planting a wide variety of local plants and structures, including perennials, shrubs, and ground cover. But definitive information on the best plants for cities isn’t yet available.

RISC researchers and interns from the Department of Plant Science, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University are measuring the height and diameter at breast height (DBH) of more than 150 tree species to find perennials that can grow quickly and survive in the project's forest. The fastest-growing plants during the first 2 years, according to preliminary analysis, were Albizia lebbeck, Ficus racemosa, Dolichandrone serrulata (DC.) Seem., Sterculia foetida, Oroxylum indicum, Albizia procera, Flacourtia rukam, Averrhoa carambola, and Moringa oleifera. These trees could serve as prototype pioneer trees for urban forest development. But this data cannot be used for biodiversity and sustainability indicators of built forests.​

RISC hopes that continuously collecting data will teach us more about the types of plants that thrive in urban areas. It can help us recommend plant species for urban forest ecosystems, such as fast-growing groups, moderate-growing groups, and slow-growing groups to increase biodiversity. Furthermore, the creation of a database of recommended species for urban ecological forests in Thailand can be expanded and used as a guideline for creating green areas in other cities in the future.​

Story by Thanawat Jinjaruk, Senior Researcher, Environment Division, RISC and Phakaphorn Kumsopha
Senior Student Major Plant Science, Faculty of Science Mahidol University