Subtropics

The exposition of subtropics displays plants from Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan and Mediterranean countries. Due to their prolonged separation, about 75 percent of the plant species in Australia are endemic to the country.

Of the plants that are characteristic of Australia we have eucalypts (Eucalyptus) and wattles (Acacia); these two genera make up about 95 percent of Australian forest vegetation.

Other species characteristic of the country are bottlebrushes (Callistemon) with their brush-like flowers; bottletrees (Brachychiton) with very stout trunks; and kangaroo paws (Anigozanthos) with peculiar-looking flowers reminiscent of the paws of the famous marsupials.

Due to its favourable climate, the subtropical vegetation of east Asia is very rich, with many endemic species. In our exposition the most famous plant is camellia (Camellia japonica); this decorative plant arrived in Europe as early as the 18th century. The beautiful flowers of rosemallows (Hibiscus) are well known all over the world.

The most important conifer in the subtropical mountain forests of Japan and China is the Japanese cedar or sugi (Cryptomeria japonica), which produces light but very strong timber.

In Mediterranean countries the original forests have been almost completely destroyed by human activities and have been replaced by dense and prickly evergreen Maquis shrublands. Estonians, too, are familiar with products made from different parts of such plants as cork oak (Quercus suber); Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis) and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), both of which are rich in essential oils; and Olive (Olea europaea), which is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world.