Rare Large Stand of Endangered Natural Yew Trees Discovered in Zhashui, Shaanxi

A rare large stand of natural yew trees, numbering more than 100,000, has recently been discovered in Zhashui County, Shaanxi, which is located in the Qinling Mountains. Some experts say that the yew is an endangered tree species preserved from the Quaternary glacial period, and that the extensive area and large number of this natural yew forest are rare.

It is understood that Zhashui is located on the southern slope of the Qinling Mountains, in the transitional zone between the subtropical and warm temperate zones, with abundant rainfall and a forest coverage rate of 78 percent. It is rich in plant resources and has been known since ancient times as a "natural medicine storehouse." In Dongyuan Gully, Fenghuang Town, a yew was once found with a trunk circumference of 2.18 m, a canopy covering half a mu of land, and an age of more than 1,900 years. This is the oldest yew discovered in the northwest region to date.

The yew forest discovered this time is located within Huling Village, Xiaoling Town, distributed on hillsides at an altitude of more than 1,200 m. At present, this yew forest has sprouted new buds, and yellow-green flower buds are arranged in rows on both sides of the backs of the tender leaves, shaped like grain seeds and visible to the naked eye.

According to records, the yew is also known as purple yew and red cypress pine. There are 11 species in the world, and 5 species are distributed within China. Because of its biological characteristics, it has high requirements for the ecological environment and poor natural regeneration ability, making it a precious plant on the verge of extinction. China lists it as a first-class protected plant. The United Nations has also explicitly prohibited its felling.

According to reports, the relevant local government departments have begun studying the protection and development of the yew and have decided to establish a yew resource protection area.