Thousand-Year Old Couple Tree Introduction
The couple tree is a banyan tree, standing on a hillside, one in front of the other. The "wife tree" is positioned lower, has softer branches, and its leaves are plump and oval-shaped, producing fruit; the "husband tree" is situated higher, has harder branches, and its leaves are thinner and longer, not bearing fruit. The wife tree is approximately 500 years old, while the local people claim the husband tree is about 1500 years old. Originally, the couple tree embraced each other, but during a typhoon, the husband tree's arm was struck by lightning and shattered, forcibly separating them. The husband tree originally extended this branch to embrace the wife tree, but now, with the arm broken, the view of the two trees affectionately entwined is lost. After hundreds of years, the couple tree's invaluable worth has been listed as a precious tree under the jurisdiction of Taitung County, and it was even selected as one of the top ten beautiful spots in the Huadong area in a competition held by the Taitung County Cultural and Educational Center. After enjoying a baked sago dessert, you can take a leisurely walk along the tree path around the couple tree, and if you have time, you can also experience the joy of pottery making at a nearby Dongjiu kiln.
