City tree causes allergies
( 2003-09-18 13:56) (China Daily)
Guangzhou has been urged to replace silkcotton trees along the city's streets
because they do not provide much shade, reports Guangzhou Daily.
"The silkcotton tree has a small amount of foliage at the best of times and
produces no leaves at all for several months of the year. In a hot city like
Guangzhou, people need shade-giving trees," said Mei Jiefu, a delegate to the
Municipal People's Political Consultative Conference.
The silkcotton tree, or bombax, is a tropical, deciduous tree with bright red
flowers. Guangzhou's official tree, the silkcotton is popular and can be found
throughout the city.
Experts agree that the silkcotton may not be a wise choice as a city tree.
Besides the problem of shade, many people are allergic to the kapok seeds it
yields.
"We only need a few of them to serve as the symbol of the city," said Li
Baosong, a specialist with the Municipal Park and Forestry
Bureau.
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