Xianning, Hubei: Incoming College Students Adopt Ancient Osmanthus Trees to Keep Ties with Home

Xianning, Hubei, Aug.15 (China News Service,Hu Chuanlin,Li Tingting,Shi Yanhong) –“In the future, I want to grow deep roots and reach for the sun, just like the ancient osmanthus tree.” Holding his admission letter from Peking University, Xianning student Pi Bonu shared his heartfelt words at the 2025“Embracing Osmanthus, Embracing Success” adoption ceremony for ancient osmanthus trees in Xianning on Aug.15.

Adopt ancient osmanthus trees. photo by Hu Chuanlin 

Xianning has long been renowned for its osmanthus. It is home not only to China's largest osmanthus (seedling) production base, but also to more than 2,000 century-old osmanthus trees—over 90 percent of China's total. Among them, the“Xianning Ancient Osmanthus Community”was recognized as part of the seventh batch of China's Important Agricultural Heritage Systems, while the core Xianning osmanthus groves were honored as the“Most Beautiful Ancient Tree Community in China,”making them a standout ecological and cultural emblem for the region.

Continuing the tradition of the past three years, this year's“Embracing Osmanthus,Embracing Success”event once again invited incoming college freshmen to adopt century-old osmanthus trees. The adoption program remains centered on the Osmanthus Valley Scenic Area in Xianning's Xian'an District. Each certificate of adoption bears a unique tree identification number, adoption period, and the adopter's name and university, giving their nostalgic bond with home a personal seal.

Li Yongjia, another Peking University admit from Chibi, tied a red ribbon on the adopted osmanthus tree and said:“As I study away from home in the years ahead,  this osmanthus tree will always be rooted in my heart, reminding me of my hometown.”

Incoming college students took a group photo under ancient osmanthus trees. photo by Hu Chuanlin 

As the heart of Xianning's osmanthus industry, Xian'an District in recent years has spearheaded the development of “Osmanthus City”by deeply integrating osmanthus resources with culture, industry, and tourism. On one hand, it has focused on cultivating distinctive ancient osmanthus clusters in areas such as Osmanthus Valley, Wanshou Bridge, and Gaosai Village, and advanced projects like the Osmanthus Development Zone and Jiangnan Osmanthus Valley. The newly opened Osmanthus Cultural Park has quickly become a popular spot for residents and tourists alike to enjoy the blossoms and fragrance. On the other hand, three national-level research platforms—the National Forestry and Grassland Osmanthus Engineering Technology Research Center, the National Flower Engineering Technology Research Center's Osmanthus Innovation Center, and a joint laboratory with Supercritical Bio—have been introduced to unlock the“fragrance secrets”of osmanthus. At the same time, leading enterprises have developed the“Osmanthus in Bloom Again”series of cultural and creative products, foods, teas, and cosmetics, which are now sold nationwide.

“What you are adopting is not just an ancient osmanthus tree, but also a‘seed’of Xianning's culture taking root in the wider world,”said a Xianning education official at the ceremony. Addressing the incoming students, he added warmly:“As Xianning strives to build itself into an‘Osmanthus City,’ we hope you will become‘osmanthus ambassadors,’sharing Xianning's fragrant stories and ecological beauty with the world.”