Retusa Fringe Tree of Sincheon-ri, Gimhae

The name ipatnamu is said to come from ibap, or steamed rice, because the tree is covered entirely in white blossom when it flowers, resembling a bowl of rice; alternatively, it is said to have first been called ipha-mok (立夏木, "tree of early summer") because it blooms around ipha, the traditional onset of summer, and this name later became ipatnamu. The Retusa Fringe Tree of Sincheon-ri, Gimhae is estimated to be about 600 years old and stands 11.8 m tall. It grows on the bank of a small stream that runs through the village. Its branches and leaves are lush, and knob-like growths appear here and there on the trunk. One branch reaches across the road to cover a well, and villagers believe that the tree protects the well. For this reason the village holds a solemn rite at the end of the twelfth lunar month, known locally as "feeding the Dragon King." Almost all of Korea's large, old retusa fringe trees carry the same tradition: that the abundance of blossom in a given year foretells whether that year's harvest will be good or poor. As the tree thrives where water is plentiful, it blooms fully when rainfall is adequate and poorly when it is scarce. Since rainfall also affects rice cultivation, this belief is thought to have arisen from long experience and careful observation of nature. The Retusa Fringe Tree of Sincheon-ri, Gimhae is an old tree of great value as biological data, and it also holds high value for preservation as part of the spiritual culture of our ancestors; for these reasons it is designated and protected as a natural monument.

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Where it is

Region

Gimhae, Gyeongnam

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물