Putuo Goose Ear Linden is located 30 meters west of the entrance to Hui Ji Temple on Mount Putuo. The tree was first discovered by Mr. Zhong Guangguan, a pioneer of modern botany in China, on the summit of Mount Putuo in 1930. In 1932, it was identified as a newly discovered tree species by Professor Zheng Wanjun, a renowned Chinese forest scientist. The tree is named Putuo Goose Ear Linden (scientific name: Carpinus putoensis Cheng) because of its distinct feature: a seed the size of a green pea in the middle of the seed-bearing area, with tightly rolled small leaves on either side, resembling the ear of a white goose. It belongs to the sub-tropical plants, is part of the Betulaceae family, and is a deciduous tree with an age of over 200 years. The tree stands 124 meters tall, with a main trunk diameter of 63.7 centimeters at breast height, and a side diameter of 35.2 centimeters. The crown spread is 12.9 by 11.5 meters. The leaves are broad and oval-shaped, with soft hairs, and the tree is monoecious, with different colors for male and female flowers, and has a moderate growth rate. The tree branches out from the base, with upper branches growing in a regular pattern of double branches forming a ‘V’ shape, which is why it is also called the ‘Husband and Wife Tree’.
