The open plant encyclopedia
Snap a photo or search by any name to see how to care for it, where it comes from, whether it's safe, and a 3D model you can turn.
The plants people record most in your country, and ones that grow there wild.
Filter by what you want to do, shape, origin, country, care and safety.
Radermachera sinica
Also called Serpent tree, Emerald tree, China Doll Plant
China doll is an evergreen tree prized as a houseplant for its glossy, feathery leaves, though it can reach 30 m in the wild. It needs bright light, steady moisture and protection from frost and drying draughts.
Radermachera sinica, also called the china doll, serpent tree or emerald tree, is an evergreen tree in the family Bignoniaceae, native to the subtropical mountain regions of southern China and Taiwan.
In recent years, this plant has become popular as a houseplant for its attractive and glossy, feathery leaves. The specific name sinica means "from China".
Radermachera sinica is often sold as a small houseplant, grown for its attractive glossy leaves; it does not normally flower indoors. It requires plenty of light and moisture in order to thrive. As with most houseplants, wilted leaves indicate either lack of water or overwatering. Recent dwarf variations have been released, often referred to as the Asian Bell Tree. The foliage is highly attractive and is glossy, dark green, and lacy. it consistently grows to a maximum of 3 meters and so makes a very popular indoor or patio plant, requiring a position with indirect sunlight. It can be grown outdoors in tropical to subtropical regions, and also areas with a Mediterranean climate. It should be planted in rich, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade and protect from drying winds and frost, which it cannot tolerate.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Radermachera sinica by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
