World’s deepest canyon is home to Asia’s tallest tree – and Chinese scientists only just found it

The species the cypress belongs to is unclear

A cypress tree in China is the tallest tree ever discovered in Asia. It is also believed to be the second-tallest tree in the world, standing at an astonishing 335 feet (102 meters) tall. At this height, the tree would tower over the Statue of Liberty, which stands at 305 feet (93 m).

The gigantic cypress was discovered in May by a Peking University research team at the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon nature reserve in Bome County, Nyingchi City, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, according to a statement released by the university.

The species the cypress belongs to is unclear, although Chinese state media publications suggested it is either a Himalayan cypress (Cupressus torulosa) or a Tibetan cypress (Cupressus gigantea).

The tree is 9.6 feet (2.9 m) in diameter, according to the state-run Chinese publication the People’s Daily Online.

more at livescience.com

image credit Peking University