The story of the Terminalia catappa tree in Con Dao.

With hundreds of years of age, more than 50 Terminalia catappa trees in Con Dao have been recognized as Heritage Trees.

Ancient Terminalia trees line Ton Duc Thang Street.

Heritage Tree

Around the Phu Hai prison camp area, along Le Duan and Ton Duc Thang streets, are centuries-old banyan trees providing shade. Over time, many of these banyan trees have trunks so large that three or four people can encircle them with their arms, reaching tens of meters in height, standing tall and proud amidst the sun and wind. Compared to banyan trees grown on the mainland, the banyan trees in Con Dao have darker, larger, and thicker leaves, and their bark is rougher and more gnarled.

According to Ms. Pham Thi Tam, Deputy Director of the Provincial Museum and Library, Con Dao district currently has 79 trees recognized as Vietnamese Heritage Trees by the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Nature and Environment, including 51 Terminalia catappa trees with ages ranging from 130 to 150 years, dating back to the period when the French colonialists began building the prison system in 1862.

According to tour guide Tran Thi Vinh, the Terminalia catappa tree has been associated with the island for generations, resiliently overcoming the harsh challenges of nature to survive as a historical witness. During the "hell on earth" period, the Terminalia catappa tree helped save the lives of many prisoners. Whenever the guards allowed them outside, prisoners would secretly pick young Terminalia catappa leaves and green fruits, hiding them on their person or holding them in their mouths to share with their comrades in the cell. Initially, the leaves and fruits were simply a supplementary source of green vegetables due to the harsh rations consisting only of stale rice and rotten fish. Later, prisoners discovered that Terminalia catappa leaves could help reduce pain from wounds, prevent pus formation, and treat diarrhea. The yellow leaves that fell on the courtyard were also gathered to use as bedding, hoping to retain some warmth on the cold stone floor of the prison camp.

“In addition, prisoners would burn dried Terminalia catappa leaves to use the ash as ink to write letters and communicate with each other. The gnarled, root-covered trunks of the Terminalia catappa were also chosen as hiding places for letters, serving as secret mailboxes. They also used intact Terminalia catappa leaves to transcribe revolutionary poems full of spirit, denouncing the enemy's crimes and encouraging each other to maintain their fighting spirit and overcome hardships,” Ms. Vinh shared.

Today, the war is long over, but the banyan trees on the island still silently provide shade during the hot summer days, continuing to protect the people during stormy seasons. These ancient banyan trees not only contribute to the landscape but also create a serene, ancient, and unique beauty for Con Dao.

Let's move on to the specialty dishes.

Beyond its historical significance, the Terminalia catappa tree in Con Dao continues to accompany the local people in peacetime through distinctive products such as Terminalia catappa jam and Terminalia catappa nut biscuits.

Producing Terminalia catappa nut jam in Con Dao.

The peak season for Terminalia catappa fruit is around June and July each year. When the fruits fall, many people in Con Dao gather them, crack them open, and extract the seeds to make jam. Terminalia catappa seed jam is a specialty of Con Dao that many tourists often buy as souvenirs. The seeds have a nutty, creamy taste and are seasoned with sugar, salt, ginger, or chili paste, creating a delicious flavor that is both sweet, salty, and slightly spicy.

Besides traditional jams, Con Dao also has almond nut cookies, a new specialty that is popular with many tourists. According to Mr. Nguyen Hoai Han, at the beginning of 2022, he opened a bakery called Hani Bakery on Nguyen Duy Trinh Street, residential area No. 5, Con Dao district, to produce and sell various types of cakes, including almond nut cookies.

According to Mr. Han, the Terminalia catappa nuts are ground into a fine powder, mixed with butter, eggs, flour, and other spices to make the cookies. Each cookie is decorated with a whole Terminalia catappa nut on top. Thanks to the special recipe, the subtle aroma of butter, the moderate sweetness, and the rich, nutty flavor of the Terminalia catappa nuts, Con Dao Terminalia catappa nut cookies quickly win over customers' taste buds.

To cater to a diverse range of customers, Hani Bakery currently offers packaging in boxes ranging from 100 to 260 grams, with prices fluctuating between 55,000 and 150,000 VND per box. "Currently, the bakery produces about 500 boxes of almond cookies daily, mainly selling to tourists and based on orders," Mr. Han shared.

Text and photos: QUANG VU

Source: https://baobariavungtau.com.vn/du-lich/202503/chuyen-ve-cay-bang-con-dao-1037542/