Images of the towering tree, laden with ripe fruit and covered in dense foliage, recently gained widespread attention on social media after being shared by Loi, a resident of Phuc Hoa Commune in Bac Ninh Province.
The tree stands 15 metres tall and is laden with fruit (Photo: KM).
Speaking to Dantri/Dtinews, Loi said the tree stands in Thai Ha Village, Phuc Hoa Commune. Since childhood, he and many local residents have been familiar with the sight of the giant lychee tree rising above a household's garden.
The tree is about 15 metres tall, with a broad canopy spreading in all directions. Its trunk is so large that it takes three or four adults joining hands to encircle it. During harvest season, clusters of pink-red lychees hang heavily from branches stretching from the base to the crown.
"This year, after photos of the tree were widely shared on social media and in the media, many visitors have come to see it and take photographs," Loi said.
Many people have come to visit the century-old lychee tree (Photo: Provided by the family).
The tree is currently owned by the family of Duong Duc Chung, who lives in Thai Ha Village.
According to Chung, the lychee tree was already growing on the property before his grandparents purchased the land.
Maintaining the health of a tree that is more than a century old requires significant care each year. Pruning branches and applying pest control treatments can take several days. Family members must climb ladders to reach the upper canopy, removing old branches to improve airflow and encourage flowering and fruit production.
"To harvest fruit from the highest branches, we have to hire a crane that can reach heights of 15 to 20 metres. The lychees are fragrant, sweet and delicious, so they are usually sold out immediately after being picked," Chung said.
Bui Van Phong, head of Thai Ha Village, told Dantri/Dtinews that the tree is estimated to be more than 100 years old and belongs to the u hong lychee variety.
Despite passing through several generations, the tree has remained healthy and productive, never experiencing a failed harvest. This year alone, it yielded approximately 800kg of fruit.
Thai Ha Village is home to around 100 lychee-growing households. However, adverse weather conditions have reduced the village's overall lychee production by about 60 per cent compared with last year.