"Without a cold bone, how to get plum blossoms", that clear and moist golden yellow, that elegant fragrance, for the winter heaven and earth to bring infinite vitality. Recently, the wax plums in the Jinan Botanical Garden have quietly bloomed, dense turns, like stars dotted on the branches, swaying with the wind, the posture is very free, emitting a burst of rich fragrance, scattered in the air, full of fragrance.
Photography: Shao Kai
Plant encyclopedia
Wax plum (Latin scientific name: Chimonanthus praecox (Linn.) Link (Flora of China), English name: Winter Sweet, Chinese aliases: golden plum, wax flower, yellow plum blossom. Wax plum genus, deciduous shrub, often overgrown. The leaves are opposite, oval-ovate to ovate lanceolate, the flowers are born in the axils of the second-year branches and leaves, first flowering and then leaves, aromatic; the fruit tray is nearly lignified, the mouth is contracted, and has a diamond-shaped lanceolate coated epiphyte, the late winter leaves flower first, the flowering period is from November to March of the following year, and the fruit period is from April to November.
Photo: Li Feng
Growth characteristics of wax plum
Wax plum likes light, slightly tolerant of side shade, hardy, fertile and well-drained soil growth is the best, alkaline soil, heavy clay soil growth is poor; like fertilizer, drought tolerance, avoid water wet. The flower buds planted at the outlet are not easy to open, the petals are easy to scorch, the branch strength is strong, it is resistant to pruning, and most of the branches of the year can form flower buds. Anti-chlorine gas, sulfur dioxide pollution ability is strong, less pests and diseases, life can reach more than 100 years.
The meaning of the wax plum
The flower language of wax plum is independence, perseverance, strength, chastity, loyalty, loyalty, and purity. Its flower language comes from the tenacious growth of wax plums, and its flowering time is also in the cold winter, with a very beautiful character. It is precisely because its flower language and meaning are very righteous, and it is also deeply loved by many literati. It also has another flower language, that is, a loving heart, a noble heart, and it can be given to the elders they respect more, which has a very far-reaching and beautiful meaning.
Classification of wax plums
Wax plum can be divided into:
1, Su Xin Mei: the petals are long oval, backwards rolled back, the flower color is light yellow, the heart is white, the flower fragrance is fragrant, because of its large flowers, also known as "lotus plum".
2, tiger's hoof plum: the flower is large yellow, the petals are round, the center of the small petals with reddish purple; the flower is like a tiger's hoof, the aroma is strong and flowers early.
3, the mouth of the plum: the petals are round, dark yellow, purple heart, strong aroma, because of its purple flower heart, also known as "sandalwood plum".
4, Admiralty plum: the flowers are large yellow, shaped like golden bells, heavy petals, and the aroma is also strong.
5, dog tooth plum: petals are pointed and small, the outer wheel petals are yellowish, the inner wheel petals have purple stripes, the aroma is light, because of its nine flowers, also known as "nine Ying mei".
Among them, the vegetarian heart plum and the chime plum are more precious, the color and fragrance are excellent, and the most ornamental value.
Medicinal value of wax plum
The main effects of wax plum:
1. Relieve the heat and vitality: appetizing and depressed, moisturizing and drying, coughing.
2. Indications for asthma treatment: strain cough, stomach pain, abdominal pain, rheumatic itching pain, sores and swelling, bruises and trauma.
3. Indications for the treatment of summer fever dizziness: vomiting, depression and stomach stuffiness, measles, whooping cough, burns, burns, otitis media, etc.
4, roots and stems, temperament: dispel wind and qi, activate blood and detoxification.
5. It can also open depression and medium, cough and phlegm, detoxification: used for depressed upset, liver and stomach stagnation, plum nuclear qi, fistula poison and so on.
Is it "wax plum" or "wax plum"?
"Wax plum" is sometimes written as "wax plum", is it "wax" or "wax"? This question is often confusing and even debated. "Wax plum", known as "yellow plum" in ancient times, was only called "wax plum" in the Song Dynasty. The first to be named this way were the Great Wenhao Su Dongpo and The Yellow Valley, who called it "wax plum" according to the characteristics of the yellow plum "fragrant like plum" and the characteristics of the flowers "made of female worker twisting wax".
In the Ming Dynasty's "Flower Shu", it is written: "Wax plum is a cold flower, a gem, people bloom with wax moon, so they take the name of wax, non-also, for the color is like yellow wax ear." That is to say, "wax plum" is its formal name, because it has yellow flowers and waxy substance; and called "wax plum" because it blooms around the waxing moon, but in fact, although some areas in the south bloom in the waxing moon, other areas are not necessarily, so it is inappropriate to call the wax plum.
Wax plum blossoms,
Fragrant,
Rich and fresh,
Gorgeous and vulgar,
Pouring into people's hearts,
Delightful,
Revel in it...
Source: Jinan Botanical Garden