A man harvests water caltrops (lingjiao in Chinese) in Taicang, Jiangsu province, on Oct 8. / Courtesy of Taicang Daily.

For residents of Yalu village in Huangjing town, it is customary to plant water caltrops (lingjiao in Chinese) in streams that crisscross throughout the village. After years of cultivation, the planting area has expanded to 66,700 square meters.

Lingjiao is grown in southern parts of China, including areas surrounding the Yangtze River Delta. It is a favorite fruit and snack food and is enjoyed for its subtly sweet, white flesh.