Millenary cypress thrives at Nanjing university

(ECNS) -- Plant experts were invited to collect fruit from a millenary cypress in the northwest corner on the Sipailou Campus of Southeast University in Jiangsu Province on Monday.

They also sprayed insect repellent to ensure its healthy growth.

Though featuring withered branches and skinny limbs, the tree, dubbed "liuchaosong" (meaning a cypress that has survived six dynasties), keeps sprouting vigorously green leaves, like an old man full of vitality.

Years ago, the municipal government made special ID cards for 1,263 ancient trees in the city and got their names, species, numbers and ages registered. Liuchaosong got the number 53.