When you visit Lugu Lake, have you noticed the trees at the lakeside?
From low shrubs at the water's edge, to Yunnan pine halfway up the slopes, to fir at the summits – the vegetation of Lugu Lake is arranged in layers. This is what geographers call a "vertical vegetation belt".
This article explains Lugu Lake's vegetation and what you can see in different seasons.
What is a vertical vegetation belt
Simply put: at the foot of a mountain one kind of plant grows; as you climb and the temperature drops, the plants change; at the summit there is yet another kind.
This layered distribution of plants with elevation is called a vertical vegetation belt.
The Hengduan Mountains show China's most obvious vertical belts, and Lugu Lake sits right in them – so the lake's vegetation layering is very typical.
The vegetation belts of Lugu Lake
From the lakeside (2,690 m) to the surrounding summits (3,500–4,000 m), the vegetation falls roughly into three belts:
Belt one: lakeshore belt (2,690–2,800 m)
This is the waterside zone – where people live.
Main plants:
- Yunnan pine: the commonest tree, tall and straight
- Armand pine: shorter than Yunnan pine, softer needles
- Poplar and willow: village trees
- Various shrubs: azalea, camellia, wild rose
The villages around Lugu Lake stand in this belt. The hotel or guesthouse you stay in is in this zone.
Belt two: middle mountain belt (2,800–3,200 m)
Climbing from the shore to mid-slope brings you to the middle mountain belt.
Main plants:
- Yunnan pine and Armand pine: growing in stands
- High-mountain oak: stiff evergreen leaves
- Azalea: many species, flowering in spring
- Arrow bamboo: extensive bamboo groves
This belt is the main body of the forest and the dominant vegetation view at Lugu Lake. The large forests you see while looping the lake are here.
Belt three: subalpine belt (3,200–4,000 m)
Higher still, near the summits, is the subalpine belt.
Main plants:
- Fir: tall conifers shaped like pagodas
- Spruce: similar to fir, with shorter needles
- Alpine meadows: grassland at the tops
- Moss and lichen: found in cold, damp places
You usually cannot see this belt, because it requires climbing high. But if you take the cable car up Goddess Gemu Mountain, you can see the fir forest.
Special plants of Lugu Lake
1. Wavy-leaf Haicaihua (Ottelia)
This aquatic plant demands extremely clean water and grows only in Class I water.
In summer, Haicaihua opens small white flowers over the lake – very pretty. The plant has become rare elsewhere; Lugu Lake still has plenty because of its good water.
2. Azalea
Many azalea species grow around Lugu Lake, from low to high elevation.
In spring (April–May) the azaleas bloom – pink, red and white flowers across the mountains. Behind Goddess Gemu Mountain and Lige Peninsula there are azalea seas.
3. Yunnan pine
Yunnan pine is the main tree around Lugu Lake – drought-tolerant and hardy, suited to the Hengduan climate.
The big pine forests you see while looping the lake are Yunnan pine. In autumn the fallen needles carpet the ground, soft underfoot.
4. Arrow bamboo
Arrow bamboo is panda food. Large groves grow around Lugu Lake – though there are no pandas here.
Arrow bamboo stands in the middle mountain belt, so dense that people cannot walk through. Much wildlife hides in the bamboo groves.
What to see in each season
Spring (March–May): flowers
- Azaleas bloom: April–May, across the mountains
- Wild roses bloom: March–April, along the roads
- Camellias bloom: February–March, winter into spring
Spring is the best flower season at Lugu Lake.
Summer (June–August): green
- Forests are emerald
- Haicaihua blooms in the lake
- Caohai reeds reach their tallest
Summer is lush green everywhere.
Autumn (September–November): colour change
- Caohai reeds turn yellow
- Leaves change colour: yellow, red
- Pine needles carpet the ground
Autumn is Lugu Lake's most beautiful season, with the richest colours.
Winter (December–February): snow
- Summits get snow, white everywhere
- Lakeside trees stay green (evergreen)
- Caohai reeds wither
When winter snow falls, Lugu Lake looks like an ink painting.
Vegetation and Mosuo life
Lugu Lake's vegetation is not just scenery – it is woven into Mosuo life.
1. Building houses
Mosuo log houses are built with mountain timber. Yunnan pine and Armand pine are excellent building wood.
2. Fire
The hearth is the centre of a Mosuo home. In the past, firewood came from the mountains. Now regulations forbid indiscriminate cutting.
3. Herding
Mosuo cattle and sheep graze in the mountains; the grasslands of the middle belt are pastures.
4. Gathering
The Mosuo gather mushrooms, wild fungi and herbs in the mountains. In the summer rains, fungi cover the hillsides.
Vegetation protection and the environment
Lugu Lake's vegetation has changed over the years.
In the past:
- Lakeside trees were cut for guesthouses
- Mountain trees were cut for firewood and building
- Vegetation was damaged heavily
Now:
- All guesthouses within 80 m of the shore were demolished, restoring vegetation
- Mountain closures for forest regeneration ban indiscriminate cutting
- A nature reserve protects the forest
The forests around Lugu Lake are much healthier now. The mountains are green again, and wildlife has returned.
Summary
From lakeside to summit, Lugu Lake's vegetation falls into three belts: lakeshore, middle mountain and subalpine.
From Yunnan pine to fir, from azalea to Haicaihua, the plant life of Lugu Lake is rich – a microcosm of the Hengduan Mountains, a "biodiversity hotspot".
Next time you visit, do not look only at the water. Look up at the mountains and the trees – the lake has much more worth seeing.
Related reading: What Are the Hengduan Mountains? Lugu Lake on the Tibetan–Yi Corridor · Caohai and the Walking Marriage Bridge: Lugu Lake's Wetland Guide · Lugu Lake Climate: Why All Four Seasons Work