The dove tree, often dubbed the "giant panda of the plant world," is a rare and endangered species endemic to China and listed under its first-class state protection. It is a relic species dating back 60 million years.
The dove tree. /Yang Yongqing
Every April, the dove tree enters full bloom at the Qinling National Botanical Garden in Xi'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The flowers resemble white doves spreading their wings, delicate and graceful.
The dove tree. /Yang Yongqing
Studies show that wild dove trees typically take about 25 years to flower, while cultivated ones bloom in seven to 10 years.
The dove tree. /Yang Yongqing
The Qinling National Botanical Garden has obtained a patent for significantly reducing its germination period from two years to just six months.
The dove tree. /Yang Yongqing
Regional domestication trials have already been conducted in Shaanxi as well as Henan Province in central China. Since 2024, to broaden the species' genetic pool, the botanical garden has initiated cultivation observation projects in cities such as Xi'an, Baoji, and Zhengzhou. The goal is to promote the dove tree as a viable option for street and landscape planting in Shaanxi.
(Cover: The dove tree. /Yang Yongqing)