Plant-fest: domestic and wild plants
Plant-fest: domestic and wild plants as seen in HK's landscape
On the earth, there are wild plants, domestic plants, and even in-between ones that surround humans on a day to day basis.
Wild plants grow freely, sometimes twisting themselves while growing, like this tree. Because nobody trims its leaves, they are very different from domestic plants. They have evolved to survive independently without the help of humans, with sturdier trunks and the traits to survive natural disasters like typhoons and floods. The red cordline plant is one such example of a common wild plant. Sometimes, wild plants grow in small nooks and crannies in a garden, like those daisy-like flowers you sometimes see in cracks through the sidewalk. They have light seeds that get carried by the wind, and they likely end up in a patch of grass. Humans refer to them as weeds.
Photo credit: Sylvia Tong
Domestic plants are usually garden plants or farm crops, like flowers and harvested wheat, and depend on humans. Because humans use selective breeding, the leaves and stems are more good-looking and pleasing.
But there are plants both domestic and wild, like the trees on the middle of the sidewalk. The government plants them, but there aren't any gardeners tending to them very often. The bamboo sticks that usually support them have a tag with the species' scientific name and indicate that it was planted legally by the government. The species of the trees or plants are usually less twisted and tidier, and they are fit to thrive in an urban environment. The Camphor tree in the photo is one such example.
Photo credit: Sylvia Tong
Plants have been among humans for a long time, beginning from when cave dwellers selected the safe to eat mushrooms and fruits and left the poisonous herbs and berries. As the human race developed, so did the plants, as the plants would supply sweeter fruits or sturdier wood as we built towns and cities. However, with COVID 19 being a constant presence in our lives, it's interesting to notice the variety of plants around you as you go about in daily life.