Is winter stock the birth flower of Scorpio?
Winter stock is a species in the genus Matthiola in the family Brassicaceae. It is native to southern Europe. It is often introduced in major cities in China, planted in garden flower beds or greenhouses for ornamental purposes. The type specimen was collected from southern Europe.
Winter stock
Biennial or perennial herb, up to 60 cm tall, the whole plant densely covered with grayish-white stalked branched soft hairs. Stem erect, much branched, slightly woody at the base. Leaves oblong to oblanceolate or spatulate, 6-14 cm long including the petiole, 1.2-2.5 cm wide, entire or slightly wavy, apex obtuse or rarely with a short mucro, base gradually narrowed into a petiole. Racemes terminal and axillary, flowers numerous, relatively large, the rachis elongating in fruit; pedicels stout, spreading obliquely upward, up to 1.5 mm long; sepals erect, long elliptic, about 15 mm long, the inner sepals saccate at the base, margin membranous, white and transparent; petals purplish red, pale red or white, nearly ovate, about 12 mm long, apex shallowly 2-lobed or slightly emarginate, margin wavy, lower part with a long claw; filaments gradually enlarged toward the base; ovary cylindrical, stigma slightly 2-lobed. Silique cylindrical, 7-8 cm long, about 3 mm in diameter, the midvein of the valves prominent, apex shallowly lobed; pedicel of the fruit stout, 10-15 mm long. Seeds nearly round, about 2 mm in diameter, flat, dark brown, margin with a white membranous wing. Flowering period April-May.
Winter stock
It prefers cool conditions and grows poorly under hot, dry conditions. It is cold-tolerant and can withstand low temperatures of around -4°C in winter. In South China it can overwinter in the open ground. It prefers full sunlight and tolerates slight semi-shade. It likes a well-ventilated environment and requires fertile, moist, deep neutral or slightly acidic soil. Except for annual varieties, all require low-temperature treatment to pass through the vernalization stage in order to flower, so they are often cultivated as biennials in the open ground. The optimum growth temperature is 15°C-18°C during the day and around 10°C at night, but a low-temperature period of 5°C-8°C is needed at flower bud differentiation. Seedlings with more than 8 true leaves will differentiate flower buds when exposed to low temperatures of 5°C-15°C for 3 weeks. Therefore, under natural conditions, most differentiate flower buds in mid to late October. To bring them into production earlier, seedlings with more than 8 true leaves must be raised by mid-October. After flower bud differentiation, under long-day conditions, if kept above 5°C, flower buds form quickly and flowering can be advanced by 2 weeks. The flowering period of stock is usually regulated by using varieties, sowing dates, and greenhouses, cold frames, electric lighting, etc. For annual varieties, in cool summer regions, they can be sown all year round. Sown in January, they flower in May; sown in February-March, they flower in June; sown in April, they flower in July; sown in mid-May, they flower in August. Usually a growth period of 100 days-150 days is required. Winter stock is an ornamental flowering plant with a flowering period from winter to summer. It prefers full sunlight and tolerates slight semi-shade.
Winter stock
The potting soil can be a mix of 2 parts humus soil, 2 parts garden soil, and 1 part river sand. For fertilization, apply fertilizer once every 10 days during the growing season. Nitrogen fertilizer should not be excessive; phosphorus fertilizer and potassium fertilizer should be applied. Stop fertilizing during the flowering period and in winter. For watering, generally when the soil surface dries and turns white, water immediately, alternating wet and dry. For temperature and light, it prefers a warm climate in winter and should be moved indoors; it tolerates a brief low temperature of -5°C. After flowering, the spent flowers should be cut off, so that it can send out new shoots and bloom again.