chong

Corypha has a very large trunk that can be as much as 5-ft in diameter. Terminal height can get to as much as 70 feet. Natural wine is derived from the nectar that is collected from tips of unopened flower buds. Hollowed out 4-foot bamboo sections are hung from the tree, with the cut tip of the flower bud in the mouth of the bamboo container. This wine turns to vinegar if left in the container past 11 AM. Most people who collect them from Corypha actually do so for vinegar production. The sweetest wine comes from Cocos, followed by Arenga and then Nypa.

The material used as roofing and exterior wall in the years past is from Nypa leaves. It is the most resistant to weathering. Properly woven and installed, this material has withstood Category I hurricanes. It has many advantages, but the biggest disadvantage is that they are very susceptible to fire. My Grandmother's original house was made of Nypa roof, walls and windows (the closure or shutter), Rosewood for mainframe, and bamboo slat flooring (see through). In a hot and humid place like the Philippines, this type of construction was great because it allowed air circulation. Though privacy with floor slats can be an issue, particularly when the floor is elevated 5 or 6 feet from the ground to keep the house from floods. Man, I miss those simple days. Sadly, my Grandmother's original house burned down several years after I moved to the US.

Trachycarpus fortunei is my next quest!