An ancient gingko tree, believed to be 2,800 years old, has been discovered in a village in Qinhuangdao of north China's Hebei Province.

The trunk of the tree has a perimeter of over four meters, and its crown covers about 0.07 hectare.

Zhang Yuntao, an expert on ancient trees, said that it was the suitable geological position, weather and soil that enabled the tree to survive so many years.

He also attributed the tree's survival to the strong protection consciousness of local people.

The gingko is a dioecious plant species -- comes in both sexes -- which survived the glacial period over 2 million years ago in China.

The tree is also known as the "longevity tree" because it can live up to 1,000 years. Gingkoes are highly valued for their medicinal properties.

(From China Daily)