BEIJING , Dec. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Towering like a pagoda, with scale-like leaves and roots gripping rocks, this tree stands upright on steep cliffs.

Thuja sutchuenensis is an endangered gymnosperm plant unique to China. Originating from the age of dinosaurs over 100 million years ago, it flourished during the Cretaceous period. Harboring irreplaceable genetic resources, it is known as the "plant giant panda."

Thuja sutchuenensis was first discovered in 1892. Today, the peaks in Chongqing's Kaizhou district, Chengkou county, Wuxi county and Sichuan Province's Xuanhan county are the remaining habitats for this relic plant.

This area is located on the southern foothills of the Daba Mountains, in the heart of the Three Gorges Reservoir area, a crucial water conservation zone in the upp

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