Finally saw the "iron tree" bloom! There are only 5 wild plants left in the world. The "Tianmu Iron Tree" looks like this...

Hey, look up, I'm here!

Hello everyone, I am Tianmu Ironwood, nicknamed Western Zhejiang Ironwood, Small-leaved Spike Elm, and Twisted Tree. It is a deciduous tree of the genus Ironwood in the Betulaceae family. There are only 5 wild plants left in the world , and the oldest one is more than 300 years old. It is one of the "Four Wonders of Tianmu" and has always been as famous as the "Only Son of the Earth" Putuo Hornbeam (Carpinus putoensis).

Distribution

"Tianmu produces a rare tree, its texture is like the tendons and bones of an ox. It is the only one in the forest, and there is no other tree in the world. There are only five of them in total, and all of them are in Tianmu." This poem is the most appropriate description of us.

The genus O. japonica is only distributed in eastern Asia, Europe, and America. There are four species in China: O. japonica, O. yunnanensis, O. multinervis, and O. rehderiana. O. rehderiana is the only O. genus plant in southeastern China .

Morphological characteristics

Tianmu ironwood can reach a height of 21 meters. Its bark is rough and dark gray. The male flowers are light yellow catkins, and the female inflorescences are green with membranous bracts. The flowers are unisexual and monoecious. The samara with short wings are sparsely clustered.

(Photo source: Kunming World Expo Park)

The flowering period is from February to April, and the fruiting period is from June to October. Due to its special constitution, potential pests and diseases, competition with other plants, and worsening human interference and climate change, the situation of Tianmu Ironwood is very difficult. In 1999, it was approved by the state as a national first-class key protected wild plant . Under the scientific management of scientific researchers, it has recently bloomed for the first time in 34 years .

(Photo source: Kunming Botanical Garden)

Use value

Its wood is as hard as iron and has high splitting resistance, so it is called "iron wood". Its wood color is light, the texture is clear, and it is resistant to water and moisture . It has a wide range of uses and can be used as furniture, interior decoration and carving materials. It is a very promising timber species.

(Photo source: Handan Science and Technology Museum)