Ten varieties of plants and trees imported from other parts of the country and overseas will be planted in greenbelts and parks around Shanghai in the near future.

The trees and plants were chosen after a test planting program included 600 candidates in 2003 at the Shanghai Forestry Resource Base in Baoshan District.

Among the more colorful trees to be imported to the city are maple trees from Canada and Japan.

Peach and plum trees will be imported from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

"The city will have bright plant colors for all seasons," said Gao Xiangwei, a spokesman for the Shanghai Greenery Administrative Bureau.

The new plants will also involve several herbs, such as rosemary, lavender, and thyme.

The trees will be planted gradually around the city over the next four years, with the project scheduled to be completed in time for the 2010 World Expo.

Among other trees included in the project is the American Biltmore. The tree is considered very tough, as it deals well with polluted air and its branches are hard to break.

Bamboo trees and dogwood trees will also be planted across the city as part of the project.

(Source: www.shanghai.gov.cn )