Which flower will you choose for Qixi Valentine's Day? A fresh flower shopping guide

Qixi Festival, China's ancient Valentine's Day. The story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl has been passed down since ancient times, and every Chinese son and daughter knows it well.

On that night, mortal girls would pray to the Weaver Girl in the heavens for wisdom and delicate craftsmanship among the flowers in the courtyard, and would also eavesdrop beneath the grape trellis on the whispers of love the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl exchanged after their reunion.

On the streets of our modern times, we see couples holding roses and chatting and laughing, and lively flower girls weaving through the lanes.

We all love receiving a bouquet of roses on Valentine's Day, yet few people know what flowers the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, who meet once a year, would give each other to express their love.

Which of the ideas below do you prefer?

1. Amaryllis (Hippeastrum)

Why would the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl give each other amaryllis? Because amaryllis flowers bloom in facing pairs, and in many places it is called the "Cowherd and Weaver Girl flower."

The flower language of amaryllis is: longing to be loved.

Amaryllis likes a warm, humid environment and soft light, and generally blooms in spring and summer. If cared for properly in summer, with spent flowers pruned promptly and fertilizer replenished, attention paid to cooling and ventilation, and moisture maintained, there will be a second and third bloom at the end of July and the following spring.

2. Morning glory

Morning glory does not seem to have any connection with Qixi Festival, but in factits flower language is: love forever firm。

Some say the name of the morning glory is also related to the Cowherd. The editor once saw a set of beautiful morning glory pictures with this caption: the devoted Cowherd morning glory, when will it reach the Weaver Girl's home.

Morning glory blooms in summer and autumn, is highly adaptable, and likes to grow in a spot with ample light and good ventilation. Apply a light fertilizer once every half month, and water after the potting soil dries out. When the vines grow to six or seven leaves, pinch off the growing tips, and it will keep producing vines and blooming.

3. Osmanthus

Osmanthus blooms around Qixi, and its fragrance is peerless. The Weaver Girl goddess living in the heavens must also be drawn to the osmanthus of the Guanghan Palace, and would pick a sprig to give to her beloved.

The flower language of osmanthus: beauty and good fortune, loyalty and unyielding spirit.

When growing osmanthus at home, the worst things are insufficient light and poor ventilation, so it is best placed on a south-facing balcony with daily ventilation. During the growing period, keep the potting soil moist and fertilize once a month; reduce watering during the flowering period to avoid affecting blooming.

4. Begonia

The flower language of begoniaincludesthe sorrow of parting and bitter longing.

It also has another name, "immortal flower," which indeed suits the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, this ill-fated couple.

Begonia does not like too much water; water when the potting soil is on the dry side. During the growing period, apply a dilute organic fertilizer once every ten days. The temperature needs to stay above 10°C, with good ventilation and appropriate light. Add phosphorus fertilizer during the bud stage, and the flowers will be abundant and vivid.

5. Chinese peony

The Chinese peony was recognized in ancient China as the flower of love,and its flower language is: reluctant farewell, hard to part.

Surely when the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl were in love, they must have given each other Chinese peonies? And after being forced apart, was any reunion ever anything but hard to part from?

Chinese peony fears waterlogging, is relatively cold-tolerant, and likes an acidic, loose, well-draining environment. Each spring when it sprouts, when it buds for the flowering period, and when branches and leaves differentiate, it needs fertilizer to replenish enough energy. To make the flowers more beautiful, prune promptly: bud rubbing, bud thinning, branch pruning, and removal of spent flowers, none of which can be skipped.

6. Twin lotus

The flower language of the twin lotus is: entwined love, hearts forever united.

This flower, often used in ancient times to describe a blissful love, also has the alternate names "conjugal lotus" and "twin-hearted lotus." One stem, two flowers, blooming side by side, truly the most standard annotation of lovers' yearning for a beautiful love!

The twin lotus likes mild sunlight, clear water, and a ventilated environment. When caring for it, it is best to use rainwater, expose it to plenty of sun, and keep the temperature between 15 and 24°C. Apply organic fertilizer water before flowering, and the flowering period will be relatively long.

Compared with the roses we have seen so many times, wouldn't these classical, beautiful flowers with their deep meaning be better suited to our traditional Qixi Festival?

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