Breadfruit Tree

Breadfruit Tree

　　In Lacuzhi of Fugong County and Maku of Dulongjiang in the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, there is a tree known locally as “Siyehai,” meaning “the tree that yields flour.” The Siyehai typically grows in cool, deep valleys, reaching heights of over ten meters, with mature trunks up to one meter in diameter. Its leaves are about one meter wide and more than three meters long, closely resembling banana leaves. The Siyehai contains a high amount of starch. July and August are the best months for starch maturity. Locals are true experts at extracting this flour. They first cut down mature trees, then continuously strike the trunk with wooden sticks or axes, causing clumps of starch to shake loose. Once dried, it becomes a fine powder. This is tree flour, also called “Siyehai” flour. It can be used to make pancakes or pan-fried with fragrant oil. The texture is soft and moderate, and the taste is delicious. It can also be prepared by stirring with hot water and sugar, yielding a savory and well-balanced drink—truly a rare delicacy among mountain foods. Over a long historical process, local residents have come to fully understand the properties of the breadfruit tree. Not only is Siyehai flour edible and said to have once helped their ancestors survive famine, but it is also an excellent remedy for diarrhea. (Nujiang)