March 14, 2013

Money, Money, Money

"Money, money, money
  Must be funny
  In the rich man's world"
Not for long, if you have have the Money Tree at your backyard. The Malabar Tree ( 馬拉巴栗) a.k.a the Money Tree (發財樹) is grown around  Toucheng Leisure Farm. The scientific name is Pachira aquatica but the local usually called it the Malabar chestnut tree. 

The Taiwanese believe the Malabar Tree brings fortune and prosperity therefore during the Lunar New Year, many Chinese will bring back these trees to place in their entrance way symbolically luring more wealth into their bank account.

Though the nuts are often eaten raw, their taste is more like a chestnut when they are roasted or fried in oil.

Legend has it, a poor Taiwanese farmer first started to plant the Money Tree after he come across this strange tree in his field and believe is a gift from God to help him. The tree grew and the farmer started  the nuts and seeds. From the seed, the farmer grew more of the Money Tree and soon he prosper in his sales. The farmer became a wealthy man. Thus, the tree was name the Money Tree.

Today, we when to picked the fallen seeds of the Money Tree and germinated them for an upcoming event whereby the farm will teach a group of children coming in next month how to grow these trees.







More on the Money Tree can be found by clicking the links below
http://www.ehow.com/about_6763878_history-pachira-money-tree.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachira_aquatica

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