In early 2017, a ship carrying variety of plants and flowers from the mainland called on Sand Cay, Truong Sa District...
In early 2017, a ship carrying variety of plants and flowers from the mainland called on Sand Cay, Truong Sa District.
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| Plants by the national sovereignty landmark of Spratly Archipelago. |
Khanh Hoa Department of Science & Technology in association with Central Vietnam Veterinary Institute and Khanh Hoa High Technology Agriculture Center selected and brought plants and flowers on board. The species of plants and flowers have been put under trial cultivation on some islands and found to tolerate drought and sea winds. They include Cassia fistula, Quisqualisindica, Bougainvillea, Plumeria, Casuarina equisetifolia, Be Tre Coconut, Areca catechu, Ficus elastica, Ficus elastica, Elaeis guineensis, etc. and Citrus japonica.
The garden owner also offered 2 pots of Ochna integerrima to officials and soldiers on the island. Commander Pham Xuan Trung, Sand Cay says, “This is the first time the island has received Ochna integerrima and many types of beautiful flowers suitable for the weather and soil conditions on the Spratly Islands. Officials and soldiers are so excited to receive the gifts and cultivate the plants in the park.”
Sand Cay is a beautiful and romantic island on the Spratly Islands with a lighthouse, a pagoda and shady ever-green trees namely Casuarina equisetifolia, Calophyllum inophyllum and Barringtonia asiatica. Officials and soldiers have just constricted a park named after General Vo Nguyen Giap, a prominent military Vietnamese commander. Vegetables are planted regularly on the Spratly Islands to improve meals as well as add more shade and beautiful scenery to the island. To keep the vegetables and flowers evergreen, it is important to follow techniques to keep the soil moist and protect the trees from rocking in wind which might prevent roots from developing on coral reefs.
In 2016, the Southwest Cay and Pearson Reef also received a variety of plants and flowers sent from the mainland. Most of the islands have been covered with lush trees and blossoms. The trial cultivation of many kinds of trees and flowers namely Bougainvillea, Plumeria, Sunflower, Asteraceae, Cassia fistula, orchid, etc has proved successful on some islands. The trees and flowers have kept the environment clean, beautiful, lively and vibrating for residents and soldiers on the Spratly Islands.
Hoang Le Ha
Translated by N.T
