The flowers look like lanterns and also like bells - revealing the true identity of this plant

Image from Duotang

A long time ago, a colleague sent me a photo and asked what flower this was. Emmm, Siyue looked at it for a long time and could not recognize it, so I uploaded it to the Xingse plant identifier, and even Xingse Jun said it was stumped.

This flower always keeps its head down, shy and bashful, so you cannot see the stamens or petals clearly - no wonder it could not be identified. But how could such a beautiful flower go without knowing its name! Siyue immediately searched and looked it up, and finally dug up almost everything about its "family background."

Today I will introduce this niche cut flower to everyone. Not many people know it yet, but once you have seen it or heard of it, it is hard to forget.

I do not know from which direction the wind blows

 Joys of the World in April TV drama original soundtrack

Huang Lei 

00:00/04:06

{Peony Girl Vol.778 }

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Light a flower lantern

Today's featured cut flower comes from theLiliaceaefamily. When people mention lilies, what comes to mind is that large white funnel-shaped flower. It is so common that many people have grown tired of its beauty.

But the "lily" Siyue is talking about is one of a kind, and can count as the "oddball" of the Liliaceae family. It is the only species in its genus, and it looks different from every lily you have ever seen.

This is a wallpaper Siyue collected from @Huatian Xiaoqi. The flower with the distinctive temperament in the picture is it

Its name isChinese lantern lily, an orange-yellow flower that closely resembles our ancient palace lanterns, so it is also called the "Chinese palace lantern."

Its flowering period is extremely long, lasting from midsummer all the way into autumn and winter. When the Southern Hemisphere celebrates Christmas, it is in full bloom, and its shape also resembles a Christmas bell, so it is also calledChristmas wind chime。

The upside-down flowers, one after another, look like wind chimes

When the wind comes, it seems you can hear a pleasant jingling sound

The flower stalks are soft and drooping, and the flowers always hang their heads like a shy young girl, making people want to lift her head and peek at what the flower really looks like.

The inside of the flower looks like this

The stamens are very similar to those of a lily

The Chinese lantern lily originated in the Mediterranean and West Asia, and once spread across entire grasslands and forest edges. It is also a very common plant in South Africa. Clustered together, they form a yellow ribbon of light, composing the most beautiful scenery in nature.

But later, due to excessive local agricultural expansion and the picking of fresh flowers, wild Chinese lantern lilies became increasingly rare, and they are now almost impossible to find in nature.

How could people bear to let such a beautiful flower gradually disappear? Today, the cultivation of Chinese lantern lilies is becoming more and more widespread.

In horticulture, flower lovers treat it as a key plant for courtyard flower beds; in floral design, it is a trendy cut flower popular worldwide. Although not very common, it is a favorite of many florists.

There is a rule that the more beautiful something is, the more delicate and the more toxic it is, and that describes the Chinese lantern lily.

As a perennial bulbous herb, its rhizome contains toxic colchicine. Be careful when picking it, and do not fail to control your mouth and pick it to eat.

Its delicacy is shown inits long growing period and high environmental requirements. The most suitable situation for Chinese lantern lilies is open-field planting in temperate and subtropical regions, and they can also be cultivated in well-ventilated greenhouses.

Therefore, whether as a potted plant or a cut flower, the Chinese lantern lily'sunit price is relatively high. Even so, that cannot stop it from becoming the new darling of more and more florists.

Looking at the flowers, the Chinese lantern lily resembles the little red Physalis of the Physalis family - one has opened, the other has not; both are interesting and useful cut flowers.

Looking at the form, the Chinese lantern lily is similar to lily of the valley. Both look like strings of wind chimes, and in flower arrangement and use there is a lot of room for styling.

A slightly curved arc, drooping flowers

Made into a bouquet on its own, it is also elegant and refined

For a clean and simple home style

it brings a bundle of dazzling sunlight

With its slender and lively posture, paired with any cut flower, it is fresh and refined, with a high-end texture.

Although it is generally used as an accent in bouquets

it can always become the most alluring presence

One bottle with one flower, then standing them in rows, and even hanging fresh flowers in the air - these are all things we have introduced before. There are many ways to arrange flowers. Switch between them,and a small change can often bring freshness to the home。

The color and posture of the Chinese lantern lily

stand out among a crowd of fresh flowers

Especially when hung in the air

Swaying in the wind, so carefree

The Chinese lantern lily is alsoan excellent holiday cut flower, especially suitable for Lunar New Year, the Lantern Festival, and Christmas and the like. The reason can be seen from its name.

Its appearance and color are as pleasing as palace lanterns,and its flower meaning also suggests joy and celebration. For this year's New Year flowers, it must be reserved a place first.

The bright orange flower color paired with bright red and bright blue

has a strong Chinese flavor and festive atmosphere

Another layer of meaning of the Chinese lantern lily istrue love and longing for home, and it is also an excellent bridal bouquet flower.

In a conventional spherical bouquet, those few Chinese lantern lilies rising above the bouquet with their heads bowed really add a lot. That tenderness of lowering its head, shy and delicate, full of joy, is just like a bride at a wedding.

The yellow flowers are also sunny and joyful, matching the happy atmosphere of a wedding. Such a bouquet carries the bride's true love and will then be passed to the next girl waiting for love.

In addition, I found that dried Chinese lantern lilies also look very beautiful, with a paper-flower texture.

Now that I have explained how to use them, Siyue also wants to teach everyonehow to choose flowers when buying. After all, it is not cabbage-priced, so when you buy it once, you hope to enjoy it for a longer time.

Choose stems with a full flower shape and bright, undamaged flower color. Generally, one Chinese lantern lily stem has more than 10 flowers, and the best ones have only 3 or 4 open. Its vase life in water is about 7-10 days. Take it home and slowly wait for the remaining buds to quietly bloom, opening into one lantern after another.

The Chinese lantern lily isa cut flower suitable for all four seasons.

Its appearance is clear and refined, and its yellow flower bells paired with green branches and leaves are like bright sunlight in spring and summer, fresh and dazzling; its symbolism is joyful and auspicious, like a warm sun in autumn and winter, a flower lantern during festivals, passionate and warm.

On every festive occasion, we miss our loved ones even more. Arrange a bunch of Chinese lantern lilies, light a lantern, look forward to returning home, and wish for peace and health.

Today I finally handed in the assignment,

Here @E, come quickly and see the flower you wanted to know!

How many other people are also waiting to get to know the Chinese lantern lily?

And which people already knew its name long ago?

Raise a hand in the comments so I can see you excellent people~

END

Some images in the article are from the internet, and the copyright belongs to the respective owners.