When does wintersweet bloom? A detailed guide to its flowering period
The scientific name of golden plum is wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), which is actually not the same as the plum blossom we usually talk about, but it can still represent the qualities of nobility, strength and humility. Here we will briefly introduce golden plum. The real name of golden plum is wintersweet, which belongs to the genus Chimonanthus in the family Calycanthaceae,
The scientific name of golden plum is wintersweet, which is actually not the same as the plum blossom we usually talk about, but it can still represent the qualities of nobility, strength and humility. Here we will briefly introduce golden plum.
The real name of golden plum is wintersweet, which belongs to the genus Chimonanthus in the family Calycanthaceae, while the plum blossom we usually talk about belongs to the genus Armeniaca in the family Rosaceae. The two are not the same variety, but both can represent the noble spirit in traditional Chinese culture. Li Shizhen recorded in “Compendium of Materia Medica” that, “wintersweet, also named yellow plum blossom, is not a type of plum; because it blooms at the same time as plum and its fragrance is similar, and its color resembles beeswax, it got this name”.
Wintersweet is a traditional rare ornamental flowering tree native to China, and there is a famous line “knowing to visit the cold plum past the wild pond”. “Yao Shi Can Yu” also calls wintersweet the cold guest. Wintersweet is very suitable for courtyard planting, and is also suitable for old stump bonsai and flower arrangement and modeling art. It is an ideal rare flowering tree for flower viewing in winter.
Wintersweet buds in the deep winter when all flowers have withered, braving the cold and defying frost. It generally flowers before leafing out. Its flowering period is from November to March of the following year, and it matures in July-August. It is native to central China and is very easy to grow. It likes sunlight and is also slightly shade-tolerant, relatively cold-tolerant and drought-tolerant, hence the saying “wintersweet that does not die of drought”. It is not strict about soil quality, but light loam with good drainage is preferable.
Golden plum not only dares to be the first in the world, but also has high medicinal value. Its flowers contain a variety of aromatic substances such as linalool, borneol, eucalyptol, pinene and sesquiterpene alcohols, and it is one of the fragrant flowers used to make high-grade scented tea. The high-grade spice refined from it costs the equivalent of 5000 grams of gold per 1000 grams on the international market, so its value is considerable.
Golden plum on the market is generally potted. It is very beautiful when it blooms in winter, with small pale yellow flowers dancing in the wind on the branches, bringing a breath of revival in the cold winter. Friends who love flowers can consider growing a golden plum, so that there will be floral fragrance even in winter.