The iconic Yingkesong, also known as Guest-Welcoming Pine or Guest-Greeting Pine – located on Huangshan Mountain in Anhui province – is currently in full bloom, with its branches producing flower-like cones.
A recent photo shows the blooming Guest-Welcoming Pine. [Photo by Li Bo/WeChat ID: xawbxawb]
Standing tall at 10 meters and rooted onto the rocks of the UNESCO world heritage site at an altitude of more than 1,600 meters, its most recognizable feature is a long branch extending outward as if in a welcoming gesture.
Senior Engineer Wu Yijun, at the Huangshan Mountain Scenic Area management committee's forestry and garden bureau, said that the flowering presently observed is a regular developmental phase for the species and the blooming of Yingkesong serves as evidence of its vitality.
Since the 1980s, special care has been arranged for the tree with a full-time guardian to ensure its health.
A close look at the Guest-Welcoming Pine in the Huangshan Mountain Scenic Area. [Photo by Xie Chuan'guang/WeChat ID: xawbxawb]