Waxberries native to Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province have been growing well in the harsh environment of the Gobi Desert.

Zhejiang University transplanted over 120 waxberry seedlings of three different varieties from Xianju county to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, a distance of over 3,000 kilometers, in October 2022.

Despite challenging natural obstacles, including arid conditions, extreme temperatures that range from minus 30 to 50 degrees C and an annual rainfall of less than 50 millimeters, the waxberries have thrived.

New leaves have sprouted, which indicates that the seedlings in the desert have survived and are expected to bear fruit within the year, if everything goes according to plan.

Since 2008, Zhejiang University has been working on various initiatives to improve agricultural production in Jiuquan, including planting fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, dragon fruit, loquat, citrus, cucumber, and tomato. The efforts are essential to ensuring food supply for astronauts and soldiers stationed in the desert.