A cambodian ancestral tradition

The Kampong Speu Palm Sugar (Scientific name: Borassus Flabellifer) is not to be confused with palm oil, his distant cousin that grows on an industrial scale in Indonesia and Brazil. The palm sugar tree matures and produces fruit after 15 years and can live up to 70 years. More than 3 million wild palm trees grow naturally throughout Cambodia. It is also the national symbol of the Kingdom. It plays a very important role in providing a source of income for many Khmers. This is a multi-purpose tree, with each portion of the shaft providing many uses. Cambodians use the wood for construction, for cooking and making utensils, whereas the branches are used for fencing. Also the leaves are used for a multitude of purposes, alongside fruit juice which is harvested and consumed.