Picea schrenkiana forest of Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang

The picea schrenkiana, a kind of coniferous evergreen, is a unique species on Tianshan Mountains. Its needles, or leaves, are slightly bent and its pine cones are shaped like an eclipse. It is said to have been transferred from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau 40 million years ago and have evolved into a unique tree species in the northwest of China.

These trees cover 90 percent of Tianshan Mountains and are most luxuriant on Nalati Mountain along Yili Lake, where they grow up to 60 meters and are commonly more than 300-400 years old. Their roots grow deep into the soil to absorb water, and each mature tree can store 2.5 tons of water.