Cycad Garden

Cycad Garden

The Cycad Garden is located on the western slope of Phoenix Ridge in Qingxiu Mountain, at an altitude of 175–210 meters. It was preliminarily completed and opened to the public in November 1998, covering an area of over 50 acres. Cycads, commonly known as "iron trees," are rare and endangered gymnosperms — an ancient group of plants that played an important role in plant evolution. Only a small number of species have miraculously survived to this day, earning them the title of "living fossils." Cycads are dioecious, and from May to July each year, they produce unique male and female flowers that deeply attract many visitors. In addition, cycads grow slowly but have very long lifespans, with some living over 1,000 years. Within the Qingxiu Mountain Cycad Garden, there is a massive iron tree that is currently the oldest cycad in the garden, with an age of over 1,300 years. It is hailed by both domestic and international tourists as the "Thousand-Year Iron Tree" and is considered a rare treasure. Currently, the Qingxiu Mountain Cycad Garden has collected 28 species of cycads, forming the largest ex-situ conservation population of toothed cycads, limestone cycads, Debao cycads, and fork-leaved cycads in China. It achieves a perfect combination of cycad conservation and garden landscaping, making it a renowned specialized cycad garden both in China and abroad.