Populus euphratica in xinjiang
5 min readThe name of Populus euphratica is always linked to the desert, and the tenacious vitality could give people the aesthetic feeling of stubbornness. The existence of Populus euphratica itself is the praise for life.
Populus euphratica, also known as Calophyllum inophyllum, hero tree, Populus diversifolia, different leaves poplar, populus simonii, andcottonwood tree, is a kind of plant of the turanga, salicaceae popnulus; it often grows in the desert, and has the strong vitality with cold tolerance, drought tolerance saline-alkaline tolerance, and sandstorm tolerance, so Populus euphratica is also praised as the “Patron Saint of the Desert”; they are a kind of magical plants, for thousands of years, they have been guarding the border desert and watching the sand.
A populus euphratica tree is generally 15-30m high, and it can produce seedlings from the roots; it can endure the drought of the desert and also has a strong endurance to salt and alkali. The roots can reach over 10m underground to absorb water, and the cells have a special feature of free from the harm of alkaline water Populus euphratica is the residual ancient species of the Tertiary Period, which existed on Earth as early as 60 million years ago. The fossils of populus euphratica have been found in the Paleocene Strata of the Tertiary Period in Kizil Caves and the Dunhuang Blacksmith Ditch, which have a history of at least 65 million years, Both Traditions in Western Regions in the Book of Later Han and Notes on Book of Waterways recorded that there were Calophyllum inophyllum(phoenix trees) in Tarim Basin, and actually they were the populus euphratica trees. Populus euphratica is called Tuokelake in the Uygur language, meaning “the most beautiful tree”. Because of the amazing ability of drought tolerance, sand wind resistance, and saline alkaline tolerance, it can survive and multiply in the desert stubbornly, so it is also praised as the “hero tree in desert”. The populus euphratica trees in Tarim Basin will take roots desperately in the state of seedling, and they can grow to over 30m high in the extremely hot and arid environment. When the tree begins to age, the branches and trunks on the treetop will be broke off by itself gradually. It is still flourishing or even reduces to three or four meters high and it will also stand upright after death. It is known as “Live for one thousand years stand for another one thousand years after death, and keep the state of not decayed for one thousand years even it falls down”.
Currently, most of the populus euphratica trees in the world grow in Southern Xinjiang, Western Qaidam Basin, and Hexi Corridor in China, about 80% of which grow in the Tarim River Basin in Xinjiang. There is a natural populus euphratica forest in Shaya County of Akesu Prefecture in Xinjiang with an area of 3,6622 million mu (244,100hm), accounting for three-quarters of the total area of the original populus euphratica forest in China, so Shaya County is also known as “Tarim Populus Euphratica Town in China”. In 2008, the concentrated and dense populus euphratica forest with an area of 1.9879 million mu(132 500hm2) in the south of Shaya County was titled as “the original populus euphratica forest having the largest area” by Shanghai Grand Guinness.
Populus euphratica is the medium-sized natural deciduous arbor with the tree-age of generally up to 200 years old, the trunk is straight, and leaves are unique: the leaves on the twigs of saplings are long and narrow like willow leaves, and the leaves on old branches of big trees are mellow and full like the poplar leaves, and there are lots of gaps at the edges of leaves just like maple leaves. So the tree is also known as the “variable leaves poplar” or “different leaves poplar”. Populus euphratica can grow in the soil of highly salinization, for the water permeability of the cells of populus euphratica is stronger than that of general plants. The cell can absorb lots of salt from main roots, lateral roots, trunk, bark,and leaves and it can excrete the salt from the secrete gland of the stems and leaves. When the salt is over accumulated in the body, it can automatically excrete the excess salt from the knurrs and gaps of the trunk, forming the white or light yellow crystalline lumps, which are called “populus euphratica tears”, and commonly known as “populus euphratica alkali”, which is usually used to leaven dough to make steamed bread by local residents, for its main ingredient is baking soda, and the purity of alkali can be up to 57%-71%. In addition to be used for being edible, populus euphratica alkali can also be used to make soap, and it can also be used as the raw material of apocynum venetum degumming and leather degreasing. An adult tree can discharge tens of kilograms of salt and alkali every year, so populus euphratica can be regarded as the “soil improvement hero” for”absorbing salt and improving the soil”. The entire populus euphratica tree is a treasure: the hard wood is water-tolerant and corrosion-tolerant, and it can keep the state of not decayed for one thousand years, so it is the material for the finest buildings and furnitures, and the populus euphratica building materials in the desert ancient cities such as Loulan and Niya and so on are well preserved even today; the leaves are rich in protein and salt, and they are fine forage for overwintering of the livestock; the fibre of populus euphratica wood is long, so it is also the good raw material for paper making, and the deadwood is fine firewood, It has a strong adaptive capacity for the changing temperature in a wide range. It’s growth mainly relys on the phreatic water or river flooding water, so it has the root system that stretches to the shallow aquifer. It also has a strong root pressure and its leaves contain sodium bicarbonate, so it has the strong drought resistance and salt tolerance. Populus euphratica forest is the unique and precious forest resources in the desert region, whose primary role is to be used for wind prevention and sand fixation, creating favorable oasis climate and forming the fertile soil. The populus euphratica forest and the twigs are the important forage in the desert region; the leaves and flowers can both be used as medicine; so populus euphratica can be regarded as the treasure tree in the desert.
The desert and populus euphratica form one of the most wonderful and beautiful landscapes in China.
