Abstract:Aromatic plants possess not only distinctive sensory value but also practical functions in medicinal applications and aromatic compound extraction. With a profound historical legacy in landscape design, fully harnessing their multidimensional functionality can endow modern landscapes with deeper utilitarian significance. Through field investigations of 40 diverse green spaces in urban Guangzhou, this study analyzes the current status and challenges of aromatic plant cultivation. A total of 169 species of cultivated aromatic plants from 120 genera and 58 families were recorded in urban green areas of Guangzhou, with 8 families such as Myrtaceae, Magnoliaceae and Oleaceae as the main families. Fragrantflowered plants accounted for the highest proportion at 68.63%, while trees and shrubs together comprised 78.11%. Eight species were commonly used, with Osmanthus fragrans ‘Semperflorens’being a representative example, while their typical applications included solitary planting, row planting, and geometric shaping. The variety of aromatic plants was richest in ornamental zones and lowest in active recreation zones. Despite abundant aromatic plant resources, issues such as centralized application, rigid configuration and weakened functionality persisted. Based on this, strategies are proposed to establish a collection and conservation system for local aromatic plant germplasm resources, develop a tripartite design strategy integrating 'configuration-habitat-function', and precisely match aromatic plants with functional layouts.
