Bischofia javanica Blume (autumn maple tree)

Family euphorbiaceae

A large deciduous tree and a local tree species in plains of Taiwan, the Bischofia javanica Blume (autumn maple tree) loves sunny and humid environments. Being ternately trifoliate and having long petioles, its leaf margins have serrated edges. Being dioecious, it has little yellow green flowers with no petals. Its ripe fruit, a favorite of some birds, is edible. The folk like to pick its tender leaves and stuff them in the chicken abdomen for cooking, thus giving us the delicious “Jiadong Chicken” (“Jiadong” being the Chinese pronunciation of the autumn maple tree). In the folk tradition, when a teenager is maturing into an adult, preparing “Jiadong Chicken” for the teenager can help him or her build up his or her stature. The autumn maple tree grows fast and has a long life span, so trees of more than 100 years old are worshiped and respected as the “Great Tree Deities.”

　　Source of Pictures: Self-shot Pictures