Trees are frequent subjects in poetry for a reason. A tree can stretch up to the sky and stand tall for hundreds of years from a tiny seed, and it can provide shelter for animals and insects, as well as feed other living things such as ferns, fungus and lichens. 

The trees in the video are called Cyclobalanopsis oxyodon (Miq.) Oerst, or Quercus oxyodon growing in the mountains of Shangri-La, Yunnan Province. They are a kind of evergreen tree species in the Asian sub-genus of "ring-cupped oaks" and the family Fagaceae.

Quercus oxyodon is native to the Himalayas and southern China with many uses. Its trunk can be used as timber while its branches are good for cultivating mushrooms. And the seeds contain sufficient starch, so they can be used to make flour and even wine.

(Video filmed by Yang Yang, edited by Xing Fangyu.)

China's Flora Tour

From the wetlands along the coast to the dense rainforests hidden in the southwest, China boasts an array of plant species. In this series, we will go on a tour to learn about some of the most representative flora in different provinces and see how they live in harmony with the local geography and climate.

Read More:

China's Flora Tour: Yunnan-China's Flora Tour: Flora of China is facing a challenge

China's Flora Tour: Yunnan-An 'early spring' hidden in the summer of Shangri-La

China's Flora Tour: Yunnan-Hidden treasures of tertiary relict plant

China's Flora Tour: Yunnan-Don't judge a flower by its look

China's Flora Tour: Yunnan-A purple medusa living on the rocky mountain slopes

China's Flora Tour: Yunnan-Touch the sky, the colorful poppy in the Himalayas

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com)