French Phoenix Trees by both sides of Nanjing Mausoleum Road being the first landscape in Dr.Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum

The investigation began from last year. There are totally 70 trees in application, which distribute on university campuses, in parks and around buildings constructed in the period of the Republic of China in Nanjing. According to relevant experts in Greening Department of Gardening Bureau, the trees, whether more than 100 years old, or less than 100 years old but having a long history and cultural background, can apply for selection. After identified, all the old and valuable trees must be listed and arranged to be under the conservation of some units or individuals.
It is learned that Nanjing started to plant French Phoenix Trees after the Revolution of 1911. Because the first batch of trees was rented from France, ever since, people in Nanjing have called the trees French Phoenix Trees. French Phoenix Trees were planted in a large scale when Dr.Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum was in construction.
 French Phoenix Trees by both sides of Nanjing Mausoleum Road are not in the list of the application while some citizens and experts believe that they should be of "green antiques". It is said that French Phoenix Trees were planted in 1929 and the number of the first batch was 1007. At that time, the average height of these trees was about three meters. Now they are estimated to be above 80 years old. With dense shade in the sunlight, French Phoenix Trees has become the first landscape in Dr.Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum.
Controversy in selection into "green antiques" because of the "embarrassing" age 
Professor Geng-Guo Tang from Nanjing Forestry University took part in the identification. He told the reporters that although French Phoenix Trees are "young", they are planted in specific areas; a lot of people think they represent the culture in the Republic of China. In his view, French Phoenix Trees by both sides of Nanjing Mausoleum Road might as well be selected into "green antiques".
Reporters learned that in Shanghai, trees more than 80 years old are regarded to be ancient trees for protection and in some other cities, the age of a tree to be called an ancient tree has descended from 100 to 80.
Relevant experts in Greening Department said that in the last investigation of old and famous trees, there had been controversy whether French Phoenix Trees by both sides of Nanjing Mausoleum Road should be selected into "green antiques". An official explained that in accordance with relevant state regulations, old and valuable trees should be of or above a hundred years old, but each city may alter a little according to their own situation. As an ancient city, Nanjing has many trees above the age of 80. However, "green antiques", representing history and culture, do not pursue quantity but excellent varieties. The official said that, in Nanjing French Phoenix Trees are the most common trees, and if all French Phoenix Trees should be classified as "green antiques", the number of old and valuable trees in Nanjing would be several times of 1234,which is the current number of old and valuable trees. Although French Phoenix Trees by both sides of Nanjing Mausoleum Road are not selected as old and valuable trees, they have got special care from the Gardening Bureau and Administration Bureau of Dr.Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum.

French Phoenix Trees enlisted in the list of subsequent old and valuable trees
It is known that there are only two French Phoenix Trees selected into "green antiques": one in ShiGu Road and the other in ZhongShan South Road. Geng-Guo Tang suggested that French Phoenix Trees by both sides of Nanjing Mausoleum Road as a species be selected into "Green antiques."
There is precedent that a tree of less than 100 years old is selected to be of "green antiques". For example, the selected two American Taxodium distichum and Japanese Torreya grandis are three trees on Nanjing Normal University campus whose ages are around 80. However, taking into account that the three trees were grown by foreign students and thus they represent a period of history, they were incorporated into "green antiques" unprecedentedly.Gardening Bureaus said that they would consider the suggestions of experts and build a data base of subsequent old and valuable trees, which would include the trees aged from 80 to 100 years old. Therefore, not only French Phoenix Trees by both sides of Nanjing Mausoleum Road, but also many prospective French Phoenix Trees can become "green antiques".