The 300-year-old ancient Bach Mai tree in Phu Tu communal house, Ben Tre city, blooms every year from mid-January, the fallen flowers are picked and dried by people, soaked in wine, and made tea.

Called apricot, but this ancient tree is different from the traditional apricot species in the South, which does not bloom during Tet. From the time the plant blooms to the time of death are about a month. The main trunk of the tree many years ago fell and died in a storm, leaving only 10 sub-branches more than 4m high, each branch as big as a hug, the whole canopy is about 40m2 wide.

The ancient Bach Mai tree has 10 sub-branches, 4 meters high, and the canopy is more than 40 square meters wide. Photo: Hoang Nam

Previously, the tree flowered on the right day, but in recent years, the tree started to flower earlier or later due to climate change. The flower bud is as big as a little finger, green, when it blooms, it has 4 white petals, yellow pistil, and leaves that look like a blind tree. In the early morning, the flowers bloom with a gentle fragrance, spreading about 500 m away, attracting many bees. On weekends, many tourists come to the communal house to visit the blooming apricot tree and take pictures.

Mr. Doan Van Muoi, Phu Tu Communal House Management Board, said that the elders in the area told that, about 300 years ago, when the ancestors came to the highlands to reclaim land, they saw the white Mai tree growing here.

Every time the flowers bloom, many tourists often visit and take “selfie” photos. Photo: Hoang Nam

People in the area then saw the location of the high hill area, with strange plants, and established a communal house to worship the god of the natural scene, praying for favorable weather and rain. Initially, the communal house was roofed with bamboo leaves, then gradually renovated, in 1918, it was ordained by King Khai Dinh. Due to its great age, people in the area often call this ancient tree “god Mai”.

“The house is close to the communal house, so every morning I go to use a net spread under the tree to catch fallen flowers, these flowers are then dried, made into lucky bags to give to visitors from all over the world to visit and worship on the occasion of the full moon. next March,” said Ho Thi Thu (50 years old).

The ancient Dinh Phu Tu and Bach Mai relic is a provincial historical and cultural relic from 2008 to 2014 and was recognized as a heritage tree. Trees often do not bear fruit, so for many years agricultural engineers have used the method of cuttings to propagate and preserve, but unsuccessfully, because the branches did not take root.