In China, Villagers Feed Rice to Trees To Help Them Flourish

Trees are all familiar to us but the unique way of how it grows and functions is not quite common knowledge. The growth involves complicated science but basically, but it starts out just like any plant. You’ll start with a seedling and in a month or two, a true stem will start to grow; the leaves start to spring forth and soon the bark and wood form.

Trees need food to grow but you can’t really give it food since it makes its own from sunlight, carbon dioxide, water and nutrients found in soil. However, in a certain province in China, an actual tree feeding happens.

Locals from Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture located in Hubei Province in central China perform the tradition of feeding trees with rice every year, particularly in Lichun, the start of spring in the Chinese lunar calendar. This tradition dates back to centuries and there are even experts saying that the trees would thrive and would even bear more fruits if they are fed with rice.

Villagers in a province in central China practice feeding rice to plants.

This tradition goes back to many centuries.

It is being performed each year in Lichun, or the start of spring in Chinese calendar.

The locals start by wounding the tree with a sickle and then stuff the slits with cooked rice.

Some experts even say that feeding rice to trees can help the trees thrive better and produce more fruits.

Netizens have reacted to the unusual practice with some labeling it as a foolish act.

Why would anyone feed meal to trees?

When they usually make their own food through photosynthesis?

One would ask the question and dismiss the practice as stupid since there are also fertilizers that can be used to boost growth. In addition, some people don’t see how the practice helps the trees as slitting the trunk will only hurt the plant.

Meanwhile, others argue that the practice isn’t actually feeding the trees but the “tree spirits” that folks believe exist.

However people may see it, one thing is certain: the tradition is so fascinating that it got people talking.