This fruit tree is not for eating and not for touching, yet every part of it is a treasure; its leaves treat fish diseases, and one tree sells for 1300 yuan, making it a money tree.

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During the Song Dynasty, the famous Qiantang scholar and poet "Lin Heqing" wrote in a poem: "The Chinese tallow trees atop Jinzi Peak turn red before the light frost falls." What this line of poetry describes is a fruit tree in our country, the Chinese tallow tree (Triadica sebifera). It is said that it got the name "wūjiù" because crows (wū) like to eat the fruit of this tree.

The Chinese tallow tree is a common tree in our country, mainly distributed in rural areas of provinces and cities south of the Yellow River, and mainly growing in open fields, beside ponds, or in sparse forests. However, today it has also become a money tree for farmers in many regions of our country.

Speaking of this Chinese tallow tree, in fact many friends are not very familiar with it. It is a tree that cannot be eaten and cannot be touched. The reason it cannot be eaten is that the fruit borne by the Chinese tallow tree looks like a green plum, and after it matures, its fruit "bursts" open, and the flesh inside looks like "milk candy." Many people who do not know better think it is a tasty wild fruit and pick it to eat, but the fruit of the Chinese tallow tree is toxic. If eaten by mistake, symptoms such as abdominal pain, dizziness, and tinnitus will appear, so it cannot be eaten.

And the reason it is said to be untouchable is that the wood, leaves, and sap that flows out of the Chinese tallow tree are also toxic, especially the sap. After touching it, it causes irritation and symptoms such as erosion, leading to "rotten hands," so it cannot be touched.

However, although the Chinese tallow tree is toxic, many farmers are very fond of it because every part of it is a treasure. The root bark, tree bark, and leaves of the Chinese tallow tree can all be used as medicine, having the effects of killing insects, detoxifying, promoting urination, and relieving constipation. They can be used to treat schistosomiasis, cirrhotic ascites, difficulty in urination and defecation, venomous snake bites, boils, corns, mastitis, bruises and injuries, eczema, dermatitis, and other symptoms.

And the leaves of the Chinese tallow tree, when ground into dry powder and combined with quicklime and put into fish ponds, can also prevent and treat fish diseases such as gill rot and white head and white mouth disease.

In addition, the waxy coating on the outer seed coat of the Chinese tallow tree is called "tallow wax," from which "skin oil" can be extracted for making high-grade toilet soap, wax paper, candles, etc. The oil pressed from the seed kernel is called "tallow oil" or "green oil," used for paints, printing ink, and so on.

It is precisely because the Chinese tallow tree has such great value that although it is toxic, farmers are very fond of it. Quite a few farmers even specially cultivate it and treat it as a money tree.

According to what the author has learned, in Dawu County, Hubei, the Chinese tallow tree is one of the main tree species for local rural economic development, and the Chinese tallow tree has also become a native tree species there. The whole county has more than 3 million Chinese tallow trees, of which 1.8 million are profit-generating, with normal annual output of about 5000 tons, ranking first in the country. It has driven local farmers to become wealthy, and calling it a money tree for farmers is not an exaggeration. Moreover, according to a local farmer who told the author, a Chinese tallow tree with a diameter of 18 cm and a height of about 5 m can sell for 1300 yuan per tree, which shows its value.

Finally, the author reminds everyone to be sure to recognize this Chinese tallow tree clearly. Do not think its fruit looks like it might be delicious and eat it by mistake. Also, if you see sap on this tree, do not touch it casually, to avoid problems.

Dear friends, do you know about the "Chinese tallow tree"? You are welcome to leave a message and exchange ideas!

Text/Hemu Report, Images/Internet

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