Abstract: Ostrya rehderiana is a rare and endangered species endemic to China and is listed as a National First-class Protected Plant. The germplasm resources of O. rehderiana are extremely scarce with only five wild individuals remaining. In the late 1980s, a batch of seedlings was obtained through artificial propagation, and ex situ experiments were carried out in several provinces. Currently, approximately 150 artificially cultivated plants survive. In this paper, a systematic review of the current status of resources, endangerment mechanisms, population genetics, seedling propagation and other aspects of O. rehderiana is provided, and future research directions are also proposed. In light of the current scarcity and poor health of wild resources of O. rehderiana, efforts should be focused on achieving breakthroughs in asexual propagation techniques to ensure the backup and preservation of wild individuals. Meanwhile, the number of seedlings produced through artificial propagation should be increased to provide sufficient planting stock for the ex situ conservation, development, and utilization of O. rehderiana. In addition, the endangering factors of O. rehderiana should be further explored to provide a theoretical basis for its scientific conservation.