After countless failed attempts during two decades, a lieutenant colonel in the central province of Quang Ngai has finally bred one of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago’s iconic trees successfully and gifted them to military units and individuals nationwide. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Dao, 52, the head of an ordnance board on Ly Son Island 30km off the province’s coast, persevered in 20 years to realize his dream of germinating “bang vuong” tree fruits.

“Bang vuong,” scientifically termed Barringtonia asiatica or also known as “Box Fruit” due the distinct box-shaped fruit the tree produces, is native to mangrove habitats on the tropical coasts and islands of the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific Ocean.

The tree, listed in Vietnam’s Red Data Book of endangered species of fauna and flora, is of great historical significance to locals and soldiers in Hoang Sa. 

The archipelago is an island district of the Southeast Asian country and under the administration of Da Nang City in the central region.

The 20-year quest

During two decades, the military official repeatedly worked on his long-nurtured dream of breeding the tree, but his attempts were all in vain, as the fruits decayed and were eaten up by insects.

Prior to 2004, there were only three “bang vuong” trees all over Ly Son Island.

Despite residents’ repeated attempts, no one was able to grow the fourth tree, as the fruits invariably failed to sprout. Lt. Col. Dao was relentlessly concerned that if the three trees died, it would be a huge waste of his predecessors’ efforts in growing them in the first place.

In 2004, in his last attempt, Dao brought in a sack of “bang vuong” fruits and sowed them all to his comrades’ disbelief that the fruits would produce any offspring.

Despite his meticulous care for almost one year, the fruits still would not bud.

In early 2005, his perseverance finally paid off. Dao shouted out loud in elation at the new sprouts.

Later he found out that it takes at least 10 months for the fruits to sprout with special protection from insect attacks alongside.

Dao then bred more fruits across the island. 130 trees of the first batch grew fast.

“I’m elated that finally we could preserve and breed the tree, which is historically associated with Hoang Sa soldiers. I’m happy just like a child seeing the trees grow each day,” Dao said.

10,000 samplings have been produced

He grew another 1,000 saplings in his second batch, which he gifted to locals and tourists.

Several asked for the saplings up to seven times to present them to their relatives and friends.

More than 10,000 saplings have been produced so far.

The young trees have brought Dao scores of new friends across the country, including northernmost and southernmost provinces. Many of them are now his close buddies.

During his working trips, he often visits them and sees how the trees are doing.

Dao’s ordnance board has presented a clutch of “bang vuong” trees to army units nationwide.

One hundred trees have also been given to military units in the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago. They have become one of the archipelago’s signature flora species.

Truong Sa is an island district administered by the central Vietnamese province of Khanh Hoa.

Dao noted that “bang vuong” saplings need to be watered with a mixture of fresh and salt water for their leaves not to wither.

The trees will get used to the mainland’s climate and fresh water when they grow up.

‘A way of training soldiers’ patience’

The lieutenant colonel has passed on his skills in “bang vuong” seed germinating to young soldiers, so that the archipelago will get ever-green thanks to the trees’ shade.

“The young soldiers all know how to propagate the trees. Some are even more competent than me. They now know how to provoke the fruits to sprout with salty water, which I didn’t know,” Dao shared with a smile.

Dao’s favorite student in tree growing is Lieutenant Le Duc Thuyen. The duo can talk the entire day about “bang vuong” trees every time they meet.

“Lt. Col. Dao taught us that germinating ‘bang vuong’ fruits is also a way of training soldiers’ patience, as the fruits won’t sprout overnight. For us, a sapling is a mission complete,” he said.

“Bang vuong” trees are now an indispensable part of residents’ and soldiers’ lives on Ly Son Island.

The soldiers often use their leaves to wrap “banh chung” (square glutinous rice cake) and decorate their unit with the tree branches in place of cherry blossoms and apricots for Tet (Vietnam’s Lunar New Year).

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