Trees that reach a height of more than 70 meters are called giant trees.
The height of China's giant trees is constantly refreshing, and the reputation of "King of Trees" has changed hands again and again!
In 2021, a bald fir tree was found in Gaoligong Mountain, Yunnan Province, with a height of 72 meters, which was recognized as "the tallest tree in China".
In 2022, in ** Medog County, a Bhutanese pine was found, up to 768 meters, was named China's "King of Trees". However, 76The throne of the "King of Trees" of the 8-meter Bhutanese pine was snatched away not long after.
In the same year, experts inspected Chayu County and found a Yunnan Huangguo fir, with a height of 834 meters, known as China's "new tree king".
"New Tree King"!The age of the tree is 380, and the height of the tree is 834 meters and 28 storeys high
*Chayu County is located in the transition zone between the Himalayas and the Hengduan Mountains in the southeast Tibet alpine valley area, with an average altitude of 2,800 meters. The forests here are verdant, the streams are meandering, and the lakes are quiet, and it is known as "the first small Jiangnan".
Walking into the primeval forest of Chayu, you can not only see rare tree species such as yew, spruce, fir, sandalwood, etc., but also many towering ancient trees.
The new tree king "Yunnan Huangguo fir" is located in Buzong Village, Chayu Town, and grows in the floodplain forest of the river valley on the side of Gangri Gabuqu, a tributary of the Chayu River, towering into the clouds, and the tree body is huge.
The scientific expedition team carried out artificial tree climbing measurements on the tall Yunnan Huangguo fir, and combined with UAV-assisted measurements, and finally obtained the data: 83It is 4 meters tall and 28 stories tall.
At a glance, you can't see the top of Yunnan Huangguo fir, the body is stout, the diameter at breast height reaches 207 cm, the age of the tree is about 380 years old, it is in the prime of life, it grows vigorously, and it is proud of the forest.
How much is the difference between China's "New Tree King" and the world's tallest tree?It is known that the North American redwoods in California, USA, are 115 tall8 meters, the height of a 40-story building.
The tree has purple-brown cones that grow 10 cm tall in 87 days
When this Yunnan Huangguo fir was discovered, new shoots sprouted at the treetops, and the new shoots were delicate and fruitful. The purple-brown cones, ovate cylindrical, 5-10 cm long, stand upright, and the surface is like a scale armor, neat and regular.
After two measurements, the top bud of Yunnan Huangguo fir has grown significantly taller. After an interval of 87 days, they grew 10 centimeters taller and the cones were more ripe.
The cones of P. yunnanensis usually ripen in October, and the seeds are obliquely triangular. When the seeds are ripe, they fall off naturally, spread by the wind, and take root.
In the growing place of the population of Yunnan Huangguo fir, there are also national first-class protected plants **yew, national second-class protected plants Yunnan Coptis chinensis, **star anise and so on.
The growth rate of Yunnan Huangguo fir is not fast, at a rate of several centimeters per year, it grows slowly, and in a few decades or hundreds of years, it slowly grows into a towering tree, or even a giant tree, which is known as a miracle in the plant world.
There are more than 50 species of plants distributed on the tree, including the second-class protected plant tiger head orchid
In the place where the Huangguo fir grows, the biodiversity is extremely rich. More than 50 species of higher plants grow on the body of China's "New Tree King" with a height of more than 80 meters.
Including some plants that like to climb on tall trees, as well as parasitic plants and epiphytes, for them, the "giant tree" Yunnan Huangguo fir, is one of the best choices.
The expedition team not only collected records of Yunnan Huangguo fir, but also collected the plants that grew on it.
At a height of 10 meters above the giant tree, plants such as the cold fern were found.
At a height of 30 meters above the giant tree, a national second-class protected plant, tiger head orchid, was discovered.
At a height of 40 meters from the giant tree, the ** sword fern was found.
At a height of 50 meters from the giant tree, plants such as tree radishes and polypore fungi were found.
There are also some plants that climb on the giant tree, and grow to new heights by relying on the giant tree.
Height 834 meters, the canopy is huge, how to support a huge body?
How does a giant tree as tall as a 28-story building, with lush branches and a huge canopy, like a "giant tower of plants", support its huge body?
First, the taproot of the giant tree develops in depth, like reinforced concrete, passing through various soil layers, so that the tree can still stand tall in the devastation of wind, frost, rain and snow.
Lateral roots, on the other hand, act like fine blood vessels, which not only increase the contact area with the soil, but also absorb water and nutrients more effectively.
Second, the trunk of the Yunnan Huangguo fir has a rough appearance and many forks. The branches not only add visual layering, but also increase stability. The inside of the trunk is rich in cellulose and xylin cells, which makes the trunk have higher hardness and resistance to compression.
Third, the leaves of the Yunnan Huangguo fir are long and thin, intertwined into a dense web that maximizes photosynthesis. When a strong wind blows, the slender branches and leaves, which swing flexibly with the wind, can disperse the wind and reduce resistance.
Fourth, the Yunnan Huangguo fir grows in low-lying river valley forests, surrounded by tall mountains that block strong winds and attract lightning currents. To a large extent, the test of natural disasters is reduced.
Fifth, Yunnan Huangguo fir is not in a hurry to grow taller, and always silently accumulates nutrients and strength to grow slowly. Over the course of a few hundred years, it has accumulated an abundance of nutrients that are large enough to support a huge tree.
That's what we often say, if you want to hurry, you can't get there. Take your time, but faster. You see, this has grown into a giant tree.
Conclusion
83.After the discovery of the 4-meter Yunnan Huangguo fir, it was known as China's "new tree king". Unexpectedly, only a year later, a taller giant tree was found in **.
In 2023, the expedition team found a **cypress tree in Tongmai Town, Bomi County, Nyingchi City, with a tree height of 1023 meters, known as "Asia's tallest tree".
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