300-year-old banyan tree listed among China’s most beautiful

A 300-year-old banyan tree in west Yunnan’s Yingjiang County was recently selected as one of China’s most beautiful ancient trees, together with 84 other tree species nationwide.

Based on detailed survey and selection, the shortlist was issued by the National Afforestation Committee of China and the Chinese Society of Forestry.

With a maximum height of 40 meters, the tree boasts more than 100 sub-trunks derived from aerial roots, and it covers 0.3 hectare of land as a whole. New aerial roots continue growing out each year.

Standing in a subtropical rain forest near the Laodaonong village, which is around 30 kilometers away from the Yingjiang county seat, the banyan tree is recognized by botanists as China’s biggest alpine Ficus altissima ever discovered.

Bordering Myanmar in the west, Yingjiang falls under the jurisdiction of Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, where lush, verdant banyan trees are worshiped by local Dai folks. 

Source: Dehong Tuanjie News; trans-editing by Wang Shixue