Some 38 wild plants, including wild hawthorn, Mongolian amygdala, red peony root and lily bulb, have become the first inhabitants of the largest wild plant ecological park in north China.

Located in Hexigten Banner in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the wild plant ecological park will cover an area of 5,000 mu (about 333.3 ha) after its completion, and have the most abundant wild plant species of any similar park in China.

Hexigten Banner is situated at the southern foot of the Greater Hinggan Mountains and the Yanshan Mountains, an area which boasts abundant floral and animal species. So far, wild plants in 347 genera, 32 families and three divisions have been discovered at 1,800 sites in the region.

The construction of the ecological park began in December 2003, and will be completed within three years.

(Xinhua News Agency February 16, 2004)