The
chrysanthemum is a type of beautiful flower with a mild and secretive
scent. Its petals do not fall like those of roses or other flowers,
which is why chrysanthemums are often placed on altars.
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The
peach flower plant grows only in North Vietnam. It is the special
flower of the Vietnamese New Year because of its red colour, which is
believed to bring many favourable opportunities throughout the year.
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Orchid
is sovereign flowers that are enchantingly beautiful. Orchids usually
grow on the trunks of very high, big trees, located on cliffs where it
is humid and where sunlight is abundant.
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If
the peach flower is the symbol of Tet in the north, then the yellow
apricot flower is its counterpart in the South. The yellow apricot
flower belongs to the family of hoang mai (meaning “yellow apricot” in Chinese), which is a forest plant.
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Lotus
is a soft plant living mainly in water. This pink or white flower
belongs to a species of plant called hollyhock. Another species of lotus
with a very small trunk, leaves, and flowers is named little lotus. It
can be planted in a vase of water or in an ornamental pond.
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Water
lilies, which often grow wild in ponds and lakes, are classified into
two species: lotus water lilies, planted in lakes around pagodas and
imperial palaces; and wild water lilies, found in ponds, with a white or
violet flower.
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In
Vietnam, there are many tasty varieties of pomelo. Ordinarily, the
pomelo is named for the locality where it is grown. For example, in the
North, there is the Doan Hung pomelo (Phu Tho Province), in the Central
there is the Phuc Trach pomelo (Ha Tinh Province), and in the South
there is the Tan Trieu pomelo (Bien Hoa Province).
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A
rambutan tree has broad foliage and many branches. In the southern
provinces, the tree yields fruit at the beginning of the rainy season.
The rambutan season lasts until the end of the rainy season (from May to
October).
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Bananas
offer various mineral substances and energy. Bananas are not only a
delicious fruit when ripe, but green bananas are also part of some
dishes.
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Pineapple
plants are widely grown in the country. The peak ripening time for this
tropical fruit coincides with summer when the hours of sunshine are
longer. People in southern Vietnam usually call this tropical fruit trai thom
(fragrant fruit), which is literally a precise quote for the fruit
since anyone who takes their first bite can surely notice the strong
sweet smell. Since the smell of the pineapples lingers longer than that
of some other fruits, connoisseurs find it difficult to forget.
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Papaya
is sold all year round, especially in the south, and is not very
expensive. It has a sweet smell and offers various minerals and
vitamins, such as vitamin A and C.
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The
longan grows in many provinces in the North. The longan is no bigger
than a ping-pong ball with brownish peel. The peel only has to be
slightly removed to reach the whitish pulp, enclosing the glistening
black kernel.
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In Vietnam,
there are two kinds of custard apple: firm and soft. Both varieties can
have various shapes, for example they can be round or oval. When a
custard apples is ripe, it is easy to peel. The peel is thick, green,
and covered with white or green pollen. The pulp is white or light
yellow and contains many black seeds.
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Vietnam has many kinds of persimmon such as my with yellow fruit and cado
with small fruit. Persimmon is famous for providing a lot of sugar and
vitamin A. Persimmon fruits contain as much vitamin C as oranges and
tangerines, and their pulp does not have a sour taste.
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Sapodilla was imported to Vietnam
a long time ago. In the last 20 years, sapodilla has been widely
planted in the north, where it grew for the first time in Xuan Dinh, Tu
Liem District, Hanoi.
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Hidden
among dense foliage, big as a fist and brownish-violet in colour, is
the mangosteen. When eating a mangosteen, use a knife to cut around the
fruit and to remove half of the shell.
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You
may wonder why this fruit has to bear such an austere name as "sau
rieng" (one's own sorrows). If you are curious enough, travel to the
orchard province in southern Vietnam where the locals are likely to recite the immortal love story.
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Star
apple is a fruit commonly grown in Southern orchards. Entering a star
apple orchard, you will see thousands of these fruit hanging loosely on
branches. They have smooth peel that is either green or violet.
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Green
dragon is the name of a newly cultivated fruit. It is rather big,
weighs from 200 to 500 grams, and has pink or dark-red colour. The ripe
fruit looks like the kohlrabi cabbage and has an oval shape.
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Mango
plants are widely grown in the Southern provinces. There are many
varieties of mangoes, including the Cat mango (Ben Cat mango), Hon
mango, Thanh Ca mango, Tuong mango (elephant mango), Xiem mango (Siamese
mango), Coc mango (toad mango)...
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