Working with Horticulture Research Institutions in China for Economic Impact in the United States

China is the only country on earth that nourishes unbroken connections of all types of forests and has the most diverse flora of any country in the North Temperate Zone. Floristic and climate similarities, as well as a common latitude and similar land area, between China and the United States make it possible to grow hundreds of Chinese plants for U.S. ornamental plant markets. China has twice as many plants species, as well as three times as many woody species, than the United States. To bring Chinese plant germplasm resources to our horticultural markets and continue its economic impact on green industries, we should understand Chinese culture and their horticultural research environment. We can achieve this by working closely with Chinese horticultural institutions and horticulturists. Plant exploration is a key to collecting new and underutilized ornamentals. We have to work with a local plant taxonomic institute or a biological department at a university and apply for a Chinese research grant to warrant Chinese governmental support. Ornamental plant research was established in China in recent years. We have to collaborate with Chinese researchers closely and establish research nurseries and trial fields for further evaluation and breeding work. It is also important that we present our collaboration work at international conferences and publish research findings in SCI journals. Early Chinese plant introductions have played, and continue to play, a crucial role for the green industry in the United States. Millions of dollars are generated annually from these plants. Today, we should further explore the potential Chinese ornamental plants and bring their beauty and economic value to our daily gardens, nurseries, and landscapes.