Leaf Element and Soil Nutrient of Garden Plants and Their Stoichiometry in Nansha, Guangzhou

In this study, the element content and stoichiometry of leaves and soils of 11 garden plants was analyzed in Nansha of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Results showed that the contents of N, P and K in plant leaves ranged from 9.65 g/kg to 33.53 g/kg, 1.36 g/kg to 2.90 g/kg and 11.25 g/kg to 24.74 g/kg, respectively. Soil pH ranged from 5.87 to 8.38, soil organic matter ranged from 8.34 g/kg to 24.78 g/kg. Generally, there were significant differences in total N, total P, total K, available N, available P and available K among plant soils. Soil was characteristized with low N and P, medium soil organic matter level and high K. Leaf C/N, C/P and N/P ranged from 12.28-44.42, 152.17-314.95 and 3.56-13.02, respectively. The plants were divided into 4 categories using cluster analysis. Dracaena angustifolia belonged to the first kind, the second kind included Ruellia tuberosa, Schefflera arboricola and Cordyline fruticosa 'Green Leaves', the third kind included Ophiopogon intermedius 'Argenteo-marginatus', Cordyline fruticosa, Duranta repens 'Dwarf Yellow', Belamcanda chinensis, Hymenocallis littoralis and Schefflera odorata 'Variegata', Hibiscus rosa-sinensis belonged to the fourth kind. Generally, the leaf nutrient content decreased in the order of the third kind > the forth kind > the second kind > the first kind. The soil fertility was divided into 4 categories using cluster analysis. The first kind included D.angustifolia, O.intermedius 'Argenteo-marginatus' and H.littoralis, the second kind included S.odorata 'Variegata', C.fruticosa and C.fruticosa 'Green Leaves', the third kind included B.chinensis and R.tuberosa, and the fourth kind included H.rosa-sinensis, D.repens 'Dwarf Yellow' and S.arboricola. Generally, the soil fertility decreased in the order of the fourth kind > the second kind > the first kind > the third kind.