Dong Thap: yellow apricot tree collection sets world record

Dong Thap (VNA) – A collection of ten yellow apricot trees, including one aged over 100 years, by a resident in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap has made a world record for its unique values, a rare one for Vietnam in the field of ornamental trees.

With a great passion for the plant, the owner Vu Duc Dong, born in 1972 in Sa Dec city, has spent decades and about 20 billion VND (876,616 USD) on forming and caring for his ten special trees.

Freshly accredited by the World Records Union (WorldKings), the collection has a 2m-high ancient tree of more than 100 years old, whose trunk is gold-inlaid with two words “Tue Sam” – the names of Dong’s parents. Its nine roots rising above the ground represent the images of nine dragons.

As his parents have nine children, the nine other trees of Dong’s collection, each having its own value, demonstrate many shapes featuring family affection.

All of the ten valuable trees are now on display at the Sa Dec Apricot Blossom Tree Club. Dong himself currently owns 14 record-making ornamental plants, with 19 related Vietnamese, regional, and world records already established.

Yellow apricot usually blooms only on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) every year, making it one of the symbolic trees of the occasion in Vietnam. Vietnamese display them on first days of a lunar new year with a hope for joy, happiness, wealth, and prosperity./.