By Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences

Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences

Virtual Herbal Garden

Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences

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A garden of herbs with medicinal use was first opened at the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences in 2003. It complements the other exhibits in the Museum in presenting a more complete picture of Hong Kong’s heritage as a meeting place for East and West.

The garden aims to provide visitors with a pleasant and relaxing place for educational experience and contemplation in which to further appreciate Chinese and Western Medicine.

Aloe vera 蘆薈 Barbados AloeHong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences

In addition to medicinal plants used in Chinese medicine, the Herbal Garden has since selected plants used by practitioners of western medicine (e.g. Aloe), and now also feature plants originate from which western medicinal drugs originate (e.g. Sweet Wormwood).

Artemisia annua 青蒿 Sweet wormwoodHong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences

Artemisia annua
Common name: Sweet Wormwood
Plant Family: ASTERACEAE
Used as Chinese medicine: parts above ground
Use in western medicine: artemisinin and its derivatives (extracted from leaves, stems, and inflorescences)

Ficus hirta 五指毛桃 Hairy Fig, From the collection of: Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences
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Ficus hirta
Common name: Hairy Fig
Plant Family: MORACEAE
Used as Chinese medicine: root

Zanthoxylum nitidum 兩面針 Shiny-leaf Prickly Ash, From the collection of: Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences
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Zanthoxylum nitidum
Common name: Shiny-leaved Prickly Ash
Plant Family: RUTACEAE
Used as Chinese medicine: root

Aquilaria sinensis 土沉香 Incense Tree, From the collection of: Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences
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Aquilaria sinensis
Common name: Incense Tree
Plant Family: THYMELAEACEAE
Used as Chinese medicine: resin-impregnated wood

Morus alba 桑 White MulberryHong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences

In the Museum Herbal Garden are authentic medicinal herbs of the Guangdong and southern China region (e.g. Perilla), herbs characteristic of the Lingnan region (e.g. Hairy Fig), those that are ornamental because of their flowers and leaves (e.g.) Changeable Rose-mallow), and those that can be eaten (e.g. White Mulberry). In addition to medicinal plants used in Chinese medicine, the Herbal Garden has selected plants used by practitioners of western medicine (e.g. Aloe), and also feature plants from which western medicinal drugs originate (e.g. Sweet Wormwood).

Hibiscus mutabilis 木芙蓉 Changeable Rose-mallow, From the collection of: Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences
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Hibiscus mutabilis
Common name: Changeable Rose-mallow
Plant Family: MALVACEAE
Used as Chinese medicine: flower, leaves, root

Ginkgo biloba 銀杏 Maidenhair TreeHong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences

Ginkgo biloba
Common name: Ginkgo, Maidenhair Tree
Plant Family: GINKGOACEAE
Used as Chinese medicine: fruit, leaves

Callicarpa formosana 杜虹花 Taiwan BeautyberryHong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences

Callicarpa formosana
Common name: Taiwan Beautyberry
Plant Family: VERBENACEAE
Used as Chinese medicine: leaves

Brugmansia arborea 木本蔓陀羅 Angel's Trumpet, From the collection of: Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences
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Brugmansia arborea
Common name: Angel’s Trumpet
Plant Family: SOLANACEAE
Used as Chinese medicine: flower

Dianella ensifolia 山菅蘭 Dianella, From the collection of: Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences
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Dianella ensifolia
Common name: Dianella
Plant Family: LILIACEAE
Used as Chinese medicine: rhizome or parts above ground

Camellia japonica 山茶 Camellia, From the collection of: Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences
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Camellia japonica
Common name: Japanese Camellia, Camellia
Plant Family: THEACEAE
Used as Chinese medicine: flower

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