A Chinese proverb goes,'To see a blooming Cycas pectinata is as rare as seeing a talking dummy.' However, after three-years of cultivation, a female Cycas pectinata has not only bloomed but has also bore fruit in Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden.

Cycas pectinata are found in northeastern India, Nepal, Bhutan, northern Burma, South China, northern Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. It grows up to 12 meters tall and has very large pinecones. It's a vulnerable species and has been named a third-class protected plant in China.

Chenshan Botanical Garden has 10 giant 100-year-old Cycas pectinatas that were imported from abroad in August 2010.

By Huang Pei

Edited by Michael Thai