150-year-old kapok tree recognized as heritage tree in Quynh Luu
(Baonghean) - Having gone through more than 150 years of ups and downs in the nation's history and overcoming all natural disasters and storms, the kapok tree in hamlet 4, Quynh Luong commune, Quynh Luu district still stands tall, sprouting, spreading shade, and blooming brilliantly in the middle of the village road.
This special kapok tree, over 150 years old, has a trunk diameter of nearly 4m and a height of over 30m, spreading shade over a large area between hamlets 3 and 4, Quynh Luong commune. At the base of the kapok tree are many branches and lush foliage.
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| A 150-year-old kapok tree in Quynh Luong, Quynh Luu. Photo: Ho Chien |
These days, the kapok tree stretches out and blooms clusters of brilliant red flowers that fill the sky, making anyone passing by unable to help but look up with delight. No one here knows when the kapok tree grew up on this land, but they only know that over the years, the tree has stood there, witnessing the ups and downs of the village.
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| The kapok tree has gone through many historical ups and downs. Photo: Ho Chien |
History books also recorded that on February 3, 1930, on the basis of the strong development of the patriotic movement and the Vietnamese workers, the Communist Party of Vietnam was established. On April 20, 1930, the Quynh Luu Provisional District Party Committee was established and published the newspaper "Labor" as a mouthpiece, propagating Marxism-Leninism, guiding the masses to fight against imperialism and feudalism, and gain national independence. The movement grew stronger and stronger, the District Party Committee sent comrade Phan Huu Khiem to build a party base in the Bai Ngang area. The progressive youth class enthusiastically received leaflets, hid them in fish baskets and secretly spread leaflets in all communal houses and temples, and planted the Party flag on top of the village's cotton tree to encourage the revolutionary spirit.
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| The corner of the big tree is full of life. Photo: Ho Chien |
During the resistance war against the US to save the country, the kapok tree was a "shield" for many local political and administrative centers, contributing to protecting villages from enemy bombs and bullets. This was also the place where generations of young people gathered before leaving for the war against the US to save the country, the place to organize parties and farewell performances for new recruits; at the same time, it was also a place to shelter the commune health station during the war. Over time, the hundred-year-old kapok tree still grows strong, becoming an ideal resting place for farmers when they return from work in the fields and a familiar playground for the village children.
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| Certificate of Vietnam's Heritage Kapok Tree. Photo: Ho Chien |