916-year-old juniper tree discovered in NW China

XINING, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- A 916-year-old Juniperus przewalskii -- commonly known as the Qilian juniper -- has been identified during a scientific survey in northwest China's Qinghai Province, local forestry authorities announced on Friday. The tree, located in Baishushan within the Qaidam Basin, is now the oldest known specimen of its species.

The survey, conducted by the forestry and grassland bureau of Delingha City in the Mongolian-Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Haixi, focused on two key aspects: field inspections and laboratory analysis of samples. By examining 87 tree cores and disc samples, researchers determined the age structure of the Qilian juniper population in Baishushan.

Their findings revealed that approximately 2.3 percent of the surveyed junipers are at least 500 years old, 13.8 percent are between 300 and 499 years old, and 83.9 percent are between 100 and 299 years old. Prior to this discovery, the oldest recorded Qilian juniper in the surveyed area was 769 years old.

Bureau head Sun Dengfu said that the survey developed a multidimensional growth prediction model for local trees, offering data to support research on native plants, climate and geological changes, and eco-cultural tourism in the Qaidam Basin.

Endemic to China, Juniperus przewalskii thrives on sunny slopes at altitudes of 2,600 to 4,000 meters on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and exhibits strong drought tolerance.