Why is the peach blossom called the captive of love?
The peach blossom is the flower that blooms on the peach tree, a plant of the rose family (Rosaceae). The leaves are elliptic-lanceolate, and the drupe is nearly spherical. It is mainly divided into two major categories: fruit peaches and flowering peaches. The peach blossom originated in central and northern China and is now widely grown in temperate countries and regions around the world, and it is mainly propagated by grafting. Peach blossoms can be made into foods such as peach blossom pills and peach blossom tea. They have high ornamental value and are a common material in literary creation. In addition, the elements in peach blossoms have medicinal value for dredging meridians and nourishing the skin. Their flower language and symbolic meaning is: the captive of love. Every year from March to June, various places use peach blossoms as a medium to hold different peach blossom festival events.
Peach blossom
The peach blossom is a deciduous tree, with elliptic-lanceolate leaves that have coarse serrations along the margin and are hairless, and a petiole 1-2 cm long. It can reach 3-10 m in height. It usually has 1 to several glands; the leaf blades are elliptic-lanceolate to obovate-lanceolate, with fine serrations along the margin and hairless on both surfaces. The flowers are usually solitary, opening before the leaves, about 2.5-3.5 cm in diameter, with short stalks; there are 5 sepals, fused at the base into a short calyx tube, hairless. The petiole is 7-12 mm long, with glandular dots. The trunk is grayish brown, rough and pitted. The young branches are reddish brown or brownish green and smooth. The flowers are solitary and come in colors such as white, pink and red, double or semi-double, with a flowering period from March to April. The drupe is nearly round, yellow-green, with its surface densely covered in short downy hairs; depending on the variety, the fruit ripens from June to September. It is mainly divided into two major categories: fruit peaches and flowering peaches. Varieties include color variations such as deep red, scarlet, pure white and mixed red-and-white, as well as double-petaled and double-flowered types.
Peach tree
The more important varieties include: nectarine, flat peach, Shouxing peach and ornamental peach. Among them, nectarine and flat peach are both cultivated as fruit trees, while Shouxing peach and ornamental peach are mainly for ornamental use; Shouxing peach can also be used as a dwarfing rootstock for peaches. The tree is 4-5 m tall. The one-year-old branches are reddish brown. The leaves are mostly lanceolate, with serrations along the margin, and nectaries often grow at the base of the petiole. There are two flower types: rose type and bell type. Except for the flat peach, the drupes are mostly round or oblong, and except for the nectarine, the fruit surface is covered with fuzz. The flesh is white, yellow or tinged with red, and a few are red; the texture is soft, crisp and hard, or dense and tough; the pit surface has different groove and dot patterns, all of which are important classification bases for species and variety groups.
The peach blossom is a traditional Chinese garden flower and tree. Its tree form is graceful, its branches are spread out, its flowers are plump, and its colors are brilliant, making it one of the important flowering tree species of early spring. The peach fruit is a famous fruit; the peach pit can be pressed for oil; its branches, leaves, fruit and roots can all be used as medicine; peach wood is fine, dense and hard, and can be used for carving.
Peach blossom
Ornamental value:
Going to Wenzeng Road to admire peach blossoms in the warm spring season when flowers are blooming is a romantic and simple mini-trip. Embellished by plum and cherry blossoms, with swarms of bees flying and the fragrance of flowers intoxicating, the spring scenery of the whole garden cannot be contained, just waiting for visitors' praise. It attracts many newlyweds to come here to take wedding photos; set off by the red flowers and green leaves, the bride looks especially beautiful.
Medicinal value:
Nature, flavor and meridian entry: bitter, neutral. Functions and indications: purgation to relieve constipation, and promoting diuresis to reduce swelling. Used for edema, ascites, constipation and dryness.
Edible uses:
Peach blossom pig trotter porridge, peach blossom wine, peach blossom tea, etc.