The tangled matrix that is Mekong Delta’s first heritage tree
A 150-year-old banyan tree in Can Tho City with scores of entangled aerial roots has a matrix-like appearance.
The 10-meter tree at the Gian Gua relic site in Nhon Nghia Ward, Phong Dien District, survived the wars. Its canopy spreads around 3,000 square meters.
The banyan is part of the mulberry family. The roots of the tree drop from its trunk and branches.
Ba Ho, 64, an employee at the relic, said: “The exact number of roots has not been determined but it is for sure more than 1,000. Because of its myriad roots, the tree absorbs enough water and nutrients to sustain itself.” Four groups of people take turns to tend the tree and clean the area.
Di Vy
