Beijing, Dec 31 (IANS) An over 4,000 years old cypress tree that was transplanted nine months ago in northwest China's Shaanxi province has shown signs of growth, said local gardening experts.

New branches of the tree have emerged after nine months of preservation and maintenance, Xinhua reported.

Trees with a long history are considered a symbol of eternity and witnesses to Chinese history, and locals generally revere the ancient trees, as they believe the trees possess souls.

According to local villagers of Huangling county, the ancient tree had to be removed for constructing a water-control project, or else it would have been submerged.

According to Wang Chunmei, head of the county's publicity department, the preliminary process of the transplantation began in November 2009.

About nine months later, the experts considered it an appropriate time to transplant when the newly-grown capillary roots, which are vital to the root system and determine how much water and minerals a plant can absorb, had formed.

On March 28, with the help of giant cranes, trucks, and a soil ball to protect its roots, the ancient tree, weighing 450 tonnes, was moved 2.5 km away from its original location.

The entire process took about four hours.

According to provincial regulations, trees over 100 years old are protected and ancient trees, over 1,000 years old, receive the highest level of protection.

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