When does plum blossom generally bloom?
Plum blossom is also known as sour plum, huangzai, hanhanmei, white plum blossom, green calyx plum, etc. It has a cultivation history of more than three thousand years in China. Whether grown for ornamental purposes or as a fruit tree, it has many varieties. Many types can not only be cultivated in the open field for ornamental purposes, but can also be grown as potted flowers, and have important ornamental value and medicinal value. Let us take a look below at when plum blossom blooms!
When does plum blossom bloom?
Plum blossom mostly blooms first in early spring from January to February, then leafs out, but the blooming time also varies according to the climate in different regions. In Southwest China it blooms from December to January of the following year, in Central China from February to March, and in North China from March to April. From the first flowers to full bloom takes 4 to 7 days, and until the final flowers 15 to 20 days. The flowers are solitary or sometimes 2 born together in 1 bud, usually 2 to 2.5 cm in diameter, strongly fragrant, with a pedicel about 1 to 3 mm long, and petals white to pink, obovate.
Growth habits of plum blossom
Plum blossom prefers a warm climate and is not very cold-hardy. Except for apricot plum varieties, which can withstand a low temperature of -25°C, it generally withstands a low temperature of -10°C. It is relatively drought-tolerant, not waterlogging-tolerant, and long-lived, able to reach a thousand years. It is especially sensitive to climate changes during the flowering period, prefers relatively high air humidity, but avoids torrential rain. It is heat-tolerant and can also grow at 40°C, and grows and develops best in areas with an annual average temperature of 16 to 23°C. It is very sensitive to temperature, blooming when the average temperature in early spring reaches -5 to 7°C. If low temperatures occur, the flowering period is delayed; if low temperatures occur during flowering, the flowering period can be prolonged. During the growing period, it should be placed in a place with ample sunlight and good ventilation. If it is in a shaded environment with insufficient light, it will grow weakly and bloom sparsely.
The flower language and legend of plum blossom
The flower language of plum blossom is strength, proud spirit, and elegance; the flower language of red plum is unyielding fidelity, defiance of frost and snow, and enchanting beauty; the flower language of white plum is purity and unyielding fidelity; the flower language of wintersweet is purity, strength, working quietly without seeking fame, and selfless dedication. There is also a desolate and beautiful legend about the flower language of plum blossom.
Legend says that many years ago, in a peaceful village, there was a pair of martial arts senior brother and junior sister who loved each other deeply. One day, a monster suddenly appeared and committed every kind of evil, disrupting people's quiet lives. In order to save the people in the village, this pair of senior brother and junior sister carried swords on their backs and went to find the monster. After several days of fierce fighting, victory was almost in sight, and the senior brother also felt his strength gradually failing. Just then, the monster thrust a sword at the senior brother. Seeing that the senior brother was in danger, the junior sister leaped forward and blocked him. The sharp sword plunged deeply into the junior sister's chest. The senior brother was greatly shocked and, rousing himself, thrust several swords in succession at the monster.
Finally, the monster was killed. The senior brother picked up the junior sister, whose face had already turned pale, and shouted loudly, but due to excessive blood loss, the junior sister was soon dying. She gave the senior brother a faint smile and said: "You are very brave, I love you, I will love you forever!" With that, she closed her beautiful eyes. The senior brother was overcome with grief, when suddenly a miracle happened: a vast snow fell from the sky, the junior sister in his arms slowly disappeared, and a young seedling sprouted in front of the senior brother.
The senior brother knew that it was the junior sister transformed, and could not help but stroke the seedling in deep sorrow. His tears fell onto the seedling, and it quickly grew into a large tree. This tree had no leaves but was covered with white flowers, and a faint delicate fragrance filled the air for a thousand li. This was plum blossom. The senior brother could not bear to part with the junior sister, and from then on built a house beside the plum blossom, reciting poetry and practicing swordplay in front of it every day. Until the day he was about to die, he leaned against that white plum blossom and spoke the endless words of love of his whole life. After death he also turned into plum blossom, and the flowers it produced were bright red, which was his passionate love.