How can you grow a Buddha's hand bonsai so it thrives?
The Buddha's hand bonsai has a sturdy, ancient-looking trunk, lush branches and leaves, fragrant flowers, and large, unusually shaped fruit that resembles a Buddha's hand, giving it high ornamental value. The Buddha's hand is excellent in color, fragrance, and form; especially during the Spring Festival, its delicate fragrance fills the air, making it a rare and precious bonsai tree species valued for both its flowers and fruit.
The Buddha's hand bonsai has a sturdy, ancient-looking trunk, lush branches and leaves, fragrant flowers, and large, unusually shaped fruit that resembles a Buddha's hand, giving it high ornamental value. The Buddha's hand is excellent in color, fragrance, and form; especially during the Spring Festival, its delicate fragrance fills the air, making it a rare and precious bonsai tree species valued for both its flowers and fruit.
Buddha's hand is an evergreen small tree or shrub in the genus Citrus of the family Rutaceae. The leaves are alternate, oblong-elliptical, with tiny serrations along the edges, and thorns in the leaf axils. In early summer, flower buds differentiate in the leaf axils of the branch tips, forming flower buds; the inflorescence is paniculate, with 5 petals, white at the upper part and purplish-red at the lower part. It likes a sunny, warm, and humid environment and is not cold-tolerant; it requires fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil.
1. Cultivation methods
For Buddha's hand bonsai, select healthy 1-2 year old branches from fruiting plants as cuttings. Each segment should be about 10-15 cm long; soak the base in a 100-200 ppm aqueous solution of naphthalene acetic acid (placed indoors away from light) for 10-12 hours, and insert as you soak. Mid-to-late April is the suitable time. Insert the cuttings into the substrate to a depth of 6-8 cm, then water thoroughly after insertion. Roots form in about 1 month, transplant in June, apply liquid fertilizer in July, and in August-September when the seedlings reach 15-20 cm tall, pinch off the growing tips; when the new shoots grow 6-7 true leaves, pinch again, taking care to keep branches that are convenient for shaping. After October they can be potted.
Buddha's hand likes slightly acidic soil (pH between 5.5-6.5). It must not only be loose and fertile, but the acidity and alkalinity must also be suitable; only then can it grow well, flower, and fruit in a pot.
2. Water and fertilizer management
Buddha's hand has lush branches and leaves, stays evergreen all year, and bears large fruit, so it needs a lot of fertilizer. Apply decomposed cake-type fertilizer once in early spring, then apply decomposed liquid fertilizer once every 10 days to half a month. During the flowering period, mainly use phosphorus fertilizer to promote flower bud differentiation. Before winter, apply a heavy fertilizer once, water thoroughly once, then use barnyard manure. Pile compost around the soil to ensure it survives the winter safely.
Buddha's hand likes moisture, but it fears waterlogging most of all. Soil that is too wet or water accumulating at the bottom of the pot can both cause the root system to mold and rot. From flowering to fruit ripening, Buddha's hand is quite sensitive to water requirements; watering too much during this period can easily cause root rot and flower and fruit drop. If the potting soil is too dry, it can easily cause the pedicels and fruit stalks to form an abscission layer and drop off, so for potted Buddha's hand, the soil is best kept in a state that is neither dry nor wet.
3. Pruning and shaping
Managing a Buddha's hand bonsai well depends on pruning and shaping. Buddha's hand has strong sprouting ability; in spring, summer, and autumn, the newly sprouted buds and shoots should be pinched and pruned for shaping. The principle is to keep no spring shoots, few summer shoots, and many autumn shoots. Because in winter there is little fertilizer, low temperatures, and poor light, the stored nutrients are insufficient, so the spring shoots that sprout grow weakly; when pruning, prune heavily, generally keeping 3 to 5 basic branches to promote the sprouting of summer shoots, then pinch the summer shoots to promote the sprouting of autumn shoots. At this time, because of fertilizer and water management and light conditions, the branches that sprout are rich in nutrients within the branch, the plant is robust, the tissues are full, and the leaves are thick, so they can flower and set fruit.
4. Proper flower thinning
When Buddha's hand blooms, there are especially many flowers; many flowers have incomplete floral organs, do not set fruit, or form deformed fruit, causing poor nutrient supply to the plant. Therefore, excess flowers should be removed. When thinning flowers, keep only the 1-2 fully developed flowers at the top of the inflorescence.
What bonsai plants are there, and how do you grow bonsai plants?
[Common questions] What bonsai plants are there, and how do you grow bonsai plants?
[Expert answer]
Question 1: What bonsai plants are there?
Commonly used bonsai plants mainly have the characteristics of slow growth, small leaves, dense branches, and easy survival under harsh conditions. Traditional ones such as elm, pomelo, boxwood, five-needle pine, yew, wine bottle palm, pomegranate, plum blossom, euonymus, maple, and so on can all be used as bonsai plants.
Among indoor bonsai, the more cold-tolerant woody types are mainly bonsai based on deciduous plants.
Deciduous plants are generally all of the temperate climate type. Of course, there are also richly green and vigorous, ancient-looking conifer and cypress bonsai, which are more cold-tolerant and are in a dormant period in winter, so they are easy to manage. However, the appreciation characteristic of deciduous bonsai in winter is the tree shape, rather than lush green vitality, so during the Spring Festival it is not very satisfactory. Generally speaking, ginkgo, five-lobed maple, trident maple, firethorn, five-needle pine, black pine, Buddhist pine, small-leaf Buddhist pine, cork-bark black pine, golden larch, true cypress, Chinese juniper, peacock cypress, beaded pine, dawn redwood, southern Chinese yew, plum blossom, wintersweet, winter jasmine, redbud, Chaenomeles speciosa, Malus halliana, Malus micromalus, crape myrtle, goji berry, Chinese holly, nandina, pomegranate, serissa, papaya, orange jasmine, Ardisia crenata, Caragana sinica, magnolia, Elaeagnus pungens, hawthorn, apple, pear, peach, Buddha's hand, camellia, Euonymus bungeanus, Daphne odora, osmanthus, Pieris japonica, azalea, golden bullet tree, sago palm, banyan, Berberis, boxwood, white ash, Fukien tea, red maple, Mahonia, smoke tree, honeysuckle, ivy, grape, Millettia reticulata, Schisandra, star jasmine, Euonymus fortunei, Celastrus orbiculatus, Buddha belly bamboo, Phoenix bamboo, black bamboo, broadleaf lady palm, asparagus fern, umbrella bamboo, Cordyline fruticosa, spider plant, aloe, chrysanthemum, dwarf lilyturf, saxifrage, and so on.
Varieties that lazy people like include: conifer and cypress types, crabapple types, camellia, sago palm, banyan, Berberis, boxwood, white ash, Fukien tea, serissa, star jasmine, bamboo types, dwarf lilyturf, and so on. You can also choose combination potted plants mainly based on cacti and succulents, which not only save time and effort but also save water.
Many people like to place some plant bonsai in their homes, which not only beautifies the environment but is also good for indoor air. But how should indoor bonsai be maintained so that the bonsai looks better and survives longer?
Question 2: How do you grow bonsai plants?
Watering: Watering is one of the most important and most frequent measures in the management of tree-stump bonsai. Tree stumps are planted in pots, and whether the pots are deep or shallow, the soil is always limited, and the water it contains is also limited. If water is not supplied for a long time, the tree stump will wither due to lack of water. Therefore, observe promptly and water according to the dryness or wetness of the soil to maintain soil moisture. Of course, watering must not be excessive either; if watering is excessive and the potting soil remains wet for a long time, it can easily cause root oxygen deficiency and rot. At the same time, the amount of watering also depends on the specific tree species, seasonal changes, and whether the weather is cold or warm.
Fertilizing: The soil in the pot of a tree-stump bonsai is limited, so nutrients are also limited, and fertilizer supplementation should be noted. Because of its artistic characteristic of seeing the large within the small, tree-stump bonsai must not be fertilized too much or too frequently; you must master the fertilizer content and types and grasp the fertilizing season. The three essential elements of plant growth nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers. Nitrogen fertilizer can promote the growth of branches and leaves of the tree stump; phosphorus fertilizer can promote the formation of its flowers and fruit; potassium fertilizer can promote the growth of the trunk and roots. Therefore, the choice of fertilizer should be determined according to the type of tree stump and its growth condition.
Pests and diseases: Whether it is branches, leaves, or roots, bonsai may be affected by pests and diseases, and prevention and control should be noted.
Repotting: Indoor potted flowers, because of insufficient sunlight, insufficient humidity, little air circulation, and too much dust, affect plant growth. Especially for some precious and famous flower varieties, if leaf yellowing, branch wilting, or root rot occurs, they are not easy to grow well. Therefore, indoors they should be moved frequently, preferably once every 5-7 days. When changing the position of potted flowers in winter, pay attention to cold protection, generally preferably at noon on sunny days, and do not let the potted flowers that are moved away suffer freezing damage.
Precautions:Indoor potted flowers that like dryness should be placed in a well-ventilated place. At noon in winter when sunlight is abundant, windows should be opened appropriately to let air circulate. On snowy days, open them little or not at all. While cleaning indoors, also spray water on the leaf surfaces frequently to remove accumulated dust on the leaves, so as to facilitate the plant's respiration. Residual flowers and dead branches should also be cut off promptly.
[Editor's comments] There are very many kinds of bonsai plants, and the points that need attention in the maintenance of different varieties are actually different. What the editor of Diyi Nongjing introduces here is a general version, just to let everyone have a slight understanding. The specifics still depend on the varieties each flower lover grows. Different varieties need to be treated with different maintenance methods. That is all for this article. Thank you for your attention to our website!
Buddha's hand Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis Buddha's hand illustrated guide: how to grow Buddha's hand / how to propagate Buddha's hand
Buddha's hand profileBuddha's hand Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis
Buddha's hand cultivation methods and precautions Introduction to Buddha's hand
Buddha's hand is also known as nine-claw wood, five-finger orange, and Buddha's hand citron. It is an evergreen small tree of the family Rutaceae. Buddha's hand is mainly produced in Fujian, Guangdong, Sichuan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and other provinces, among which Jinhua Buddha's hand in Zhejiang is the most famous, known as "the immortal fruit among fruits, the strange flower of the world," elegantly called "golden Buddha's hand." The leaves of Buddha's hand are verdant in color and evergreen all year round. The fruit of Buddha's hand is golden yellow in color, rich in fragrance, and strangely shaped like a hand, with a thousand postures and appearances, making people feel full of wonder and delight. Buddha's hand not only has high ornamental value but also has precious medicinal value and economic value.
Morphological characteristics of Buddha's hand
Evergreen small tree or shrub. Old branches grayish-green, young branches slightly purplish-red, Buddha's hand - original plant has short and hard thorns. Simple leaves alternate; petiole short, 3-6 mm long, no winged leaf, no joint; leaf blade leathery, oblong-elliptical or obovate-oblong, 5-16 cm long, 2.5-7 cm wide, apex blunt, sometimes slightly concave, base nearly rounded or wedge-shaped, margin with shallow wavy blunt serrations. Flowers solitary, clustered, or in racemes; calyx cup-shaped, 5 shallowly lobed, lobes triangular; petals 5, white inside, purple outside; stamens numerous; ovary elliptical, upper part narrowly pointed. Hesperidium ovoid or oblong, apex split like a fist, or opened like fingertips, the number of splits representing the number of carpels, surface orange-yellow, rough, flesh pale yellow. Seeds several, ovoid, apex pointed, sometimes incompletely developed. Flowering period April-May, fruit ripening period October-December.
In Hejiang County, the main production area of Buddha's hand in Luzhou City, Sichuan Province, the annual average temperature is 18.2°C, the relative humidity is 82%, the annual precipitation is 1020 mm, and the annual sunshine hours are about 1200 hours. Buddha's hand grows well and yields relatively high.
Ecological habits of Buddha's hand
Buddha's hand is a tropical and subtropical plant. It likes a warm, humid, and sunny environment. Buddha's hand - original plant is not tolerant of severe cold, fears ice and frost and drought, is shade-tolerant, barren-tolerant, and waterlogging-tolerant. It is suitable for cultivation in areas with sufficient rainfall and no freezing in winter. The most suitable growth temperature is 22-24°C, the overwintering temperature is above 5°C, the most suitable annual precipitation is 1000-1200 mm, and the suitable annual sunshine hours are 1200-1800 hours. It is suitable for growing in acidic loam, sandy loam, or clay loam with deep soil layers, loose and fertile, rich in humus, and well-drained.
In Gaoyao City and Deqing County, the main production areas in Guangdong Province, the annual average temperature is 22°C, the average temperature in the coldest month, January, is 13.2°C, the extreme minimum temperature is -1°C, the average temperature in the hottest month, July, is 28.6°C, the annual average precipitation is about 1600 mm, and the annual sunshine hours are 1815 hours. In well-drained, fertile rice fields with slightly acidic soil, it grows well, and the yield is relatively high and relatively stable.
It likes warmth and humidity, sufficient sunlight, gentle slopes, soil about 30 cm thick, slightly acidic, sandy loam, well-drained, and relatively fertile places.
Cultivation techniques of Buddha's hand
Fertilizing Buddha's hand should be determined according to the age of the tree and whether its growth is good or poor. Generally, in the first 3 years, from March to August, a quick-acting organic fertilizer should be applied once a month; after entering the full fruiting period, topdressing can be applied 3 times a year, respectively before flowering, during the young fruit stage, and after fruit harvest, applying bran cake, compost, human and animal manure and urine in time, and adding phosphorus and potassium fertilizer or compound fertilizer, with special attention to applying winter fertilizer well.
Before Buddha's hand enters the fruiting period, shoot-promoting fertilizer should be applied well: that is, 10 days before the spring shoots, summer shoots, and autumn shoots of Buddha's hand sprout, apply a quick-acting chemical fertilizer and farmyard manure once. Generally, apply about 30 g of urea per plant, mix 100 g of phosphate fertilizer with 5 kg of chicken and cow manure, and after combining with intertillage and weeding, dig a ring-shaped trench 30 cm wide and 25 cm deep, apply it, and cover with soil tightly. After September, fertilizer cannot be applied, to prevent the late autumn shoots from growing excessively. After planting, Buddha's hand can enter the fruiting period in the second year and can continuously bear fruit for about 30 years. Fertilizer should be applied four times a year. The first is pre-flowering fertilizer, preferably applied in mid-March, applying 5 kg of decomposed human manure and urine per plant; the second is at the full flowering stage, when the fertilizer requirement is relatively large, applying 5 kg of decomposed chicken and cow manure and 150 g of urea per plant; the third is fruit-strengthening fertilizer applied around "Minor Heat," with heavy application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to promote fruit enlargement and increase yield, applying 1 kg of compound fertilizer mixed with 5 kg of decomposed chicken and cow manure per plant, and at the same time spraying a foliar fertilizer once with 100 g of potassium dihydrogen phosphate diluted in 50 kg of water, which is very beneficial for promoting vigorous tree growth and fruit enlargement. The fourth is fruit-harvest fertilizer: after harvesting fruit in September-October, dig symmetrical trenches 40 cm wide and 40 cm deep on both sides of the plant along the canopy drip line, apply 10 kg of decomposed chicken and cow manure per plant, mix with 1 kg of compound fertilizer, and backfill the pit.
Pot cultivation
Buddha's hand is a variety of citron and belongs to the citrus-type ornamental fruit flowers. The phenomenon that Buddha's hand does not bloom or only blooms without setting fruit, and after setting fruit cannot hold it, is quite common. The author now introduces 5 key measures from maintenance and management practice as follows.
Promote the vegetative growth of seedlings so they become mature plants as early as possible. In the second and third years, when changing pots in spring, apply cake fertilizer, hoof pieces, and bone meal as base fertilizer, and at the same time carry out one shaping and pruning, cutting the trunk to leave 15 cm, leaving 3-5 axillary buds below to promote the sprouting of strong branches and expand the crown. When new shoots grow to 5-8 cm, pinch off the growing tips, remove the terminal buds and lateral buds, to cultivate a certain tree shape and promote their early entry into the fruiting period.
Buddha's hand likes acidic soil, and the pH value should be kept at about 5.3; the potting soil ratio is 60% humus soil, 30% river sand, and 10% peat soil or furnace ash residue. A thin fertilizer solution can be applied once every ten days to half a month. Too much water easily causes root rot, so the method of watering by testing the soil moisture should be adopted; do not water when the surface layer of the potting soil is not dry, and water thoroughly each time, all year round.
The most suitable humidity for Buddha's hand is 70%-90%. For this reason, in dry seasons, spray water on the leaf surfaces 1-2 times a day, and you can also sprinkle water on the ground to increase air humidity. The suitable growth temperature for Buddha's hand is 15-30°C. In high-temperature seasons, move it to a cool, ventilated, and shaded place. When the temperature is below 5°C, cold protection is required.
Buddha's hand does not easily set fruit, so various methods must be used to promote fruit setting. During the bud stage, before flowering, and after flowering, organic fertilizer must be applied as topdressing, and a thin organic liquid fertilizer should also be applied once a week. Then carry out bud thinning; deformed buds and diseased and weak buds should all be removed. Do not keep too many buds; only keep the two or three buds near the top of the branch with the best growth. Do not require too many fruits to set.
Buddha's hand is prone to yellow leaf disease and leaf drop. When yellow leaf disease occurs, 1% ferrous sulfate solution can be poured on it. If root rot occurs, immediately repot, take the plant out of the pot, rinse the roots, remove the rotten roots, disinfect them, and plant them in sterilized plain sandy soil for maintenance, so that they gradually recover their vitality.
Pruning and shaping
To ensure high and stable yield of Buddha's hand, Buddha's hand tea must properly adjust the tree shape and tree vigor and reasonably prune flower and fruit branches. Plants planted in the same year that bloom and bear fruit in the same year should not be allowed to bloom; remove the flower buds early to promote thick growth of the tree shape and crown expansion. Trees that have entered the full flowering and fruiting period are generally pruned after sprouting in March and after harvesting fruit in autumn and winter. When regulating flowers and fruit, attention should be paid to removing early flowers (that is, flowers that bloom in late spring and early summer, because most of the flowers blooming at this time are male flowers and cannot bear fruit). Excess axillary buds sprouting on branches during the female flowering period must also be removed to reduce nutrient consumption, improve growth conditions, and achieve the high-yield goal of reducing flower drop and bearing more fruit. Buddha's hand grows coarsely and quickly and has many branches, so reasonable pruning and shaping must be carried out every year to make the tree vigorous and promote even distribution of fruiting branches. Prune and shape after fruit harvest and before sprouting in March, cutting off crossing branches, weak branches, diseased and pest branches, dead branches, and water sprouts. Most of the short branches of Buddha's hand are fruit-bearing mother branches and should be retained as much as possible. All summer shoots grown in summer should be cut off entirely except for individual ones needed to expand the crown.
Fruit protection and weeding
Flowering begins around Awakening of Insects (March 6). For each inflorescence, select and keep 2-3 robust female flowers and remove the rest. In fruit protection techniques, it is generally required to keep 1-2 fruits per branch as best; excess should be removed. After entering the fruiting period, pull out weeds around the plant by hand; do not use a hoe, to avoid damaging the roots. After Buddha's hand is planted for 5 years, soil should be banked once a year, carried out after pruning and clearing the garden, and after banking soil, cover the tree base with a thin layer of grass.
Buddha's hand cultivation methods and pot cultivation techniques
1. Select excellent varieties that are cold-tolerant, drought-resistant, and suitable for pot cultivation. For domestic sales, focus on developing "Nanjing variety"; for export, "Small variety" can be selected.
2. Pot at the right time
(1) Choice of pot
Grayish-brown clay pots are best. The diameter of the most commonly used pot should not be less than 24 cm, the pot height should not be less than 18 cm, and the diameter of the hole at the bottom of the pot should be about 4 cm. Later, as the tree expands, repot in time. The pot size should be 2/5 of the crown diameter of the golden Buddha's hand, and the bottom of the pot should have 3 drainage holes.
(2) Preparation of potting soil
The potting soil should use loose, fertile sandy loam. It is best to use 80% red sandy soil mixed with 20% burnt mud ash, or 70% clear water sand, 25% fertile garden soil, and 5% decomposed dry chicken manure mixed together.
(3) Planting of golden Buddha's hand
It is more suitable to plant in mid-to-late March before the buds sprout. After planting, do not expose it to the sun all day; first place it in a half-shade, half-sun place, and after 2-3 weeks let it gradually see sunlight.
3. Reasonable shaping and pruning
The tree body of golden Buddha's hand mainly adopts natural open-center shaping. The pruning of fruiting trees mainly includes two kinds: spring pruning and summer pruning. Spring pruning is generally carried out before sprouting in spring. Summer pruning broadly refers to pruning during the growing season, mainly cutting off dead branches, crossing branches, water sprouts, and diseased and pest branches, and promptly doing well in pinching and sprout removal. For old tree pruning, according to different cultivation conditions, measures such as heading back, thinning, and branch bending are adopted to achieve the purpose of renewal.
4. Strengthen fertilizer and water management.
(1) Scientific use of fertilizer
In the young age stage or vegetative growth stage, mainly apply N fertilizer; in the flower bud and fruiting stage, mainly apply P and K fertilizers. Generally divided into base fertilizer, pre-flowering fertilizer, fruit enlargement fertilizer, and so on. No matter what kind of fertilizer, avoid concentrated fertilizer, undecomposed fertilizer, and heavy fertilizer, and should abide by the principle of "thin fertilizer applied frequently." Mainly apply organic fertilizer, with an appropriate increase in trace element fertilizer.
(2) Reasonable water use
Watering should be done so that you do not water when not dry, and water thoroughly when watering, with alternation of dry and wet. In the high-temperature seasons of summer and autumn, watering should preferably be done in the morning and evening; in winter and spring, it can be done after 9 a.m. In rainy seasons, tilt the pot so that water does not accumulate in the pot.
5. Do well in flower and fruit thinning
In flower thinning, keep the large flowers and leafy flowers at the tip of the fruit-bearing mother branches, and remove unisexual flowers and thin, weak flowers. The degree of flower thinning depends on the strength of the tree vigor and the number of flowers. Generally, for medium-flower trees and many-flower trees, it is suitable to thin 50%-60% of the total flowers. Fruit thinning should be carried out in stages, with the fruit retention amount being 1 fruit for about 40 leaves. For adult trees, fruit thinning should ensure more fruit is kept in the middle and upper part of the crown and less fruit in the lower part of the crown.
6. Pay attention to preventing and controlling pests and diseases. Diseases that have been found include Buddha's hand anthracnose, canker, and scab, which can generally be controlled with 50% carbendazim 800-fold solution or 70% thiophanate-methyl 800-****-fold solution. Bordeaux mixture can also be used for control; before sprouting, use 0.8% lime equivalent formula, and during the growing period use 0.3%-0.5% lime double-equivalent concentration for control. The main pests are leafminer and red spider, which can be controlled correspondingly with omethoate, methamidophos, and propargite pesticides.
In addition, there are also pests such as swallowtail butterflies, scale insects, and scarab beetles, which can be killed by spraying pesticides such as 40% isocarbophos 1000-fold solution or 80% dichlorvos 1000-fold solution.
7. Pay attention to safe overwintering
Whether it can overwinter safely will directly affect the growth and development of young trees and the flowering and fruiting of mature trees. At present, Jinhua and other places generally use plastic greenhouses for overwintering, and it is best to move the Buddha's hand pots into the greenhouse before mid-to-late November.
Field planting techniques
Golden Buddha's hand in field planting can generally bear fruit 1 year earlier than pot cultivation, and the yield is significantly increased. The field planting density is generally controlled at 2 m x 2-2.5 m. Other cultivation management is basically similar to pot cultivation. The key measure for field-planted golden Buddha's hand is to do well in overwintering management.
1. Select high-quality seedlings grafted onto rootstock that is cold-tolerant, strongly drought-resistant, and suitable for field planting.
2. Choose south-facing or southwest-facing low hills and gentle slopes at an altitude of 20-100 m for planting.
3. Build shelterbelt belts to improve the environment of the Buddha's hand orchard. The shelterbelt should use a wind-permeable forest with a closed degree of 70%-80% made by mixed planting of trees and shrubs, which is most effective. Tree species should be selected as evergreen, fast-growing, and with good windproof effect and harmless to Buddha's hand, such as French holly, poplar, and so on.
4. Advocate covering with bamboo and plastic greenhouses to increase the temperature and humidity inside the shed.
5. Irrigate the Buddha's hand orchard about 10 days before freezing, using the tree body for overwintering.
6. Spraying an anti-transpiration and heat-preservation agent on the crown in winter has an obvious antifreeze effect.
7. After entering winter, bank dry loose soil 30 cm around the base of the Buddha's hand trunk, and when the temperature rises in spring, rake the soil away in time.
8. Wrap the trunk and main branches with straw or waste film.
Propagation methods of Buddha's hand
Buddha's hand can be propagated by cuttings, grafting, or air layering. The cutting time is from late June to early-to-mid July. Cut branches from healthy mother plants as cuttings. Roots can develop in about 1 month, and they sprout in two months; after sprouting, they can be planted. Long-branch cuttings can also be used: take 3-4 year old healthy branches and cut them into 50 cm lengths as cuttings.
1．Cutting propagation
Preparation of cuttings: Before cutting, select healthy 7-8 year old mother trees, cut off old healthy branches that grow vigorously and are free of pests and diseases, remove the leaves and tender tips, and cut them into cuttings 17-20 cm long. The survival rate of cuttings is over 90%, and the seedlings grow very robustly. Do not use branches from young trees or water sprouts. Because such branches are often not easy to bear fruit after planting.
Land preparation and cutting: The seedbed should preferably choose sandy soil with relatively thick soil, so that seedlings can be taken in the future. After the land is selected, plow deeply and harrow finely, apply human and animal manure water, and make high beds 1.3 m wide, with the bed ditch about 30 cm wide and about 20 cm deep.
Cutting can be done in spring from February to March and in autumn from August to September, with autumn cutting being the best. Autumn cuttings can grow roots in the same year, and after sprouting in the following spring they grow rapidly. When cutting, open horizontal trenches on the bed, with a trench spacing of 23-27 cm; insert the cuttings into the trenches at a plant spacing of 15-17 cm, and never insert them upside down. Usually about 12000-15000 cuttings are needed per mu. After inserting, cover with soil and press firmly, so that one bud at the tip is exposed above the soil surface; if the soil is dry, water it.
Seedling stage management: After cutting, water and irrigate at any time; also build a shed for shading, and do well in drainage when there is a lot of rain. When the seedlings are 7-10 cm tall, remove the clustered weak seedlings, keeping only one strong seedling per plant. Weed in time, and apply light human and animal manure water or ammonium sulfate 3-4 times as topdressing. After one year of cultivation, they can be transplanted.
2．Grafting propagation
Carried out in spring and autumn. It is better to use citron or lemon as rootstock. Rootstock is generally propagated by cuttings or sowing. Grafting methods include:
Approach grafting: Carried out in early-to-mid August to September. Select a 4-5 year old plant as rootstock with a stem diameter of 2-3 cm, a well-developed root system, and healthy growth. Cut off the branches below the branching part at the base of the stem, leaving only one branch, then cut away some cortex on one side of the cut branch part downward, then select a branch that emerged in spring or autumn of the previous year as the scion, similar in thickness to the rootstock, 5-7 cm long, and also cut away part of the cortex on the lower side of the scion. Then place the cut surface of the rootstock against the cut surface of the scion so that the two surfaces fit closely, bind tightly in the middle with plastic film, and it can heal in about a week. After healing, cut off the rootstock part above the joint.
Cleft grafting: In early-to-mid March, cut the rootstock flat at 5-7 cm above the ground, smooth it with a grafting knife, and choose a smooth part slightly with wood for an oblique cut, 1-1.5 cm deep. The scion should retain 2-3 buds, and cut the lower end into a wedge shape 1-1.5 cm long. Then align one side of the rootstock cut with the scion bark and insert it tightly into the rootstock cut, bind with plastic film, and generally after half a month it heals and sprouts and grows. At this time, loosen the soil and weed. After 45-60 days, shoots begin to sprout; at this time the binding material must be removed, otherwise the new shoots are easy to bend.
Land preparation and planting
After cutting seedlings or grafted seedlings are cultivated for one year, when the seedlings reach 50 cm tall, they can be planted in both spring and autumn. It is better in February when the temperature begins to warm and new buds are about to sprout. For general cultivated land, first arrange drainage ditches around it, and dig holes at a plant and row spacing of about 3 m each. If planting using field edges and corners, it can be slightly denser. The hole diameter is about 50 cm and the depth is 30 cm. The soil in the hole should be fine, preferably arranged in a triangle. Plant one seedling per hole, and it must be planted upright, with the fibrous roots spreading in all directions. Bank the roots with fine soil, lift upward gently several times so that the roots and soil are in close contact, then cover with fine soil and tread firmly, and finally cover with soil slightly higher than the ground.
Field management
After planting, carry out intertillage, weeding, and topdressing 3 times each year. The first spring fertilizer is before bud appearance, and the second spring fertilizer is around the Summer Solstice. The fertilizer is generally mainly human and animal manure water and rapeseed cake. At the time of the second topdressing, some areas use 250 g of urea plus 500 g of superphosphate mixed with 100 times water and use a sprayer to carry out one foliar topdressing to promote vigorous tree growth and fruit enlargement. The third winter fertilizer is after Buddha's hand harvest in October-November, applying heavier concentrated fertilizer; applying rapeseed cake, cow and horse manure, and superphosphate after composting is best. According to the experience of the people in the main production areas, winter fertilizer for Buddha's hand is the most critical; winter dormancy can keep Buddha's hand from dropping leaves during the overwintering period, and it begins to bloom in the following spring. If winter fertilizer is insufficient, the leaves drop during the overwintering period, and it begins to bloom only in the following spring, with few fruits in summer, affecting yield. Because Buddha's hand has many roots growing horizontally, and its lateral roots and main roots enter the soil shallowly, intertillage should not be deep digging, to avoid damaging the roots. In winter, soil should be banked around the base once.
During the flowering period of Buddha's hand, excess flowers and male flowers can be removed, keeping only 1-2 flowers per short branch. Or wait until young fruit is set, then remove them, which is even safer.
Disease control of Buddha's hand: diagnose by looking at leaves
If potted flowers are not managed well, Buddha's hand leaves will turn yellow, scorch, and curl. The changes in the leaves can serve as a basis for analyzing problems in maintenance work, and corresponding measures can be taken accordingly.
Young leaves turning yellow, or lower leaves curling and withering and continuously dropping leaves, is generally caused by too much watering. Potted flowers should be watered "when dry, then wet." If there is accumulated water in the flowerpot, it must not exceed half an hour, otherwise root health will be affected. Sometimes young leaves of potted flowers turn yellow because of a lack of some nutrient. If the leaves turn yellow but the veins remain green, it is caused by iron deficiency. At this time, apply some ferrous sulfate. Using 3 parts silt soil plus 1 part commercially available decomposed nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer is also effective.
Old leaves turning yellow and new leaves growing very small: this is a lack of nitrogen or phosphorus and potassium nutrition in the potting soil. Apply some decomposed organic fertilizer or commercially available flower fertilizer tablets to supplement nutrients. If young leaf tips scorch, check whether the potting soil is too dry, or whether the light is too strong and the temperature too high, scorching the plant.
New shoot growing tips shrinking, tender leaves pale yellow, old leaves dark yellow: this is mostly caused by water accumulation and oxygen deficiency in the potting soil and root rot. Immediately loosen the soil, stop fertilizing, and control water. If the color of the new leaves at the growing tip is normal, and the lower leaves gradually dry, yellow, and fall off or scorch upward, then it is lack of water.
Leaf edges scorching is often caused by too much fertilizer or improper watering. Rinse the potting soil multiple times with clear water so that the fertilizer dissolved in the water flows out through the drainage holes.
Leaf edges curling, wrinkling, and turning brown: this is mostly caused by indoor air being too dry. Spray the leaf surfaces frequently with water close to room temperature; or use the double-pot method, placing the flowerpot in another larger pot, with wet grass ash or wet old cloth strips stuffed between the two pots, so that there is a relatively humid microclimate around the potted flowers.
Pest and disease control
The main pests and diseases of Buddha's hand include leafminer, red spider, rust mite, scale insect, and anthracnose. Pest and disease damage is closely related to the surrounding environment and physiological conditions. The preventive technique of "prevention first, integrated management" can greatly improve the preventive effect and achieve twice the result with half the effort. The integrated control techniques for Buddha's hand pests and diseases are as follows:
Clearing the orchard: In winter, remove fallen leaves and residual branches. During the growing period, remove severely diseased leaves and bury them deeply or burn them to avoid re-infection by pathogens.
Opening ditches for drainage: Dig deep ditches around field-planted Buddha's hand orchards to lower the groundwater level, maintain suitable soil moisture, and enhance soil permeability.
Fertilizing: Fertilizer is the foundation for cultivating robust trees. After autumn, apply sufficient base fertilizer, applying 2500-3000 kg of organic fertilizer per mu. For topdressing, appropriately control nitrogen fertilizer and increase the application of potassium, phosphorus, and trace element fertilizers.
Protecting leaves and fruit: Spray nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium fertilizers, trace element fertilizers, and Greenfenwei on the leaf surfaces, and spray borax at the initial flowering stage and full flowering stage, to improve leaf lifespan and photosynthetic capacity, promote branch maturity and nutrient accumulation, enhance plant resistance, and increase yield.
Chemical control: For anthracnose, use 25% Junwei emulsifiable concentrate 1000-1500-fold solution, or anthracnose Fumei 800-fold solution. For leafminer, use 0.6% miechongling 2000-fold, or 20% Kangfuduo (imidacloprid) 2000-4000-fold solution. For red spider and rust mite, use pyridaben (saomanjing) 3000-4000-fold solution, azocyclotin or fenbutatin oxide 1000-1500-fold solution, or propargite 2500-fold solution. For scale insects, use high-penetration imidacloprid 2000-fold solution, or Supesha 1000-fold solution. When using pesticides, pay attention to mastering the concentration used to prevent phytotoxicity.
Diseases: Sooty mold. After the plant is diseased, after the plant is diseased, small soot-gray spots first appear on the leaf surface, then gradually expand and turn black, covering all the leaves and hindering photosynthesis. Control: Pay attention to drainage and pruning to make ventilation and light transmission good; control scale insects in time.
Pests and diseases:
1. The larvae of the citrus leafminer, the citrus swallowtail (Papilio xuthus), and the Chinese peacock swallowtail (Papilio bianor) feed on the leaves. Control method: spray with a 1000-fold dilution of 90% trichlorfon crystal.
2. The cottony cushion scale (Icerya purchasi) damages branches and leaves. Control methods: protect its natural enemy, the ladybird beetle; when only a few occur, prune off and burn the infested branches; spray with a 1000-fold dilution of 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate or a 1000-fold dilution of 25% parathion emulsifiable concentrate; use resin wash, diluted 8-10 times with water in spring and 16-20 times in summer and autumn, spraying once every 15 days for 2-3 consecutive treatments.
3. Aphids and red spider mites damage young shoots and leaves. Control: spray with a 1000-fold dilution of 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate or with a 1:1:10 tobacco-lime water solution.
Cultivar classification of finger citron
Finger citron is a cultivated variety with a long history of cultivation in China. It is mainly produced in Zhaoqing, Gaoyao, Deqing, Yunfu, Sihui, Yunan and other places in Guangdong, where it is called "Guang fing citron" and is regarded as an authentic regional medicinal. That produced in Sichuan is called "Chuan finger citron." That produced in Zhejiang is called "Jin finger citron." In addition, Guangxi, Anhui, Yunnan, Fujian and other provinces and autonomous regions also cultivate and produce it. The processed product made from Guangdong finger citron, "golden-edged white flesh," enjoys a high reputation on domestic and international markets. It is one of the "Ten Great Cantonese Medicines," the authentic medicinal materials of Guangdong.
Finger citron production bases should be established in areas suitable for its growth, while also paying attention to the geography of "authentic regional medicinal materials" and the concept of "place of origin." For example, Guang fing citron is mainly distributed in Zhaoqing City, Yunfu City and other places.
In Guangdong, finger citron is mostly planted in open hilly and plain areas at an altitude of 300-500 m, while in Sichuan it is mostly distributed in hilly areas at an altitude of 400-700 m, especially on hilltops.
Distribution areas of finger citron
In Guangdong, finger citron is mostly planted in open hilly and plain areas at an altitude of 300-500 m, while in Sichuan it is mostly distributed in hilly areas at an altitude of 400-700 m, especially on hilltops.
In the southern provinces and autonomous regions of China, it is mostly cultivated in courtyards or orchards. The peel and leaves contain aromatic oil with a strong fresh-fruit fragrance and serve as a raw material for flavoring; both the fruit and the flowers are used medicinally. Finger citron is a cultivated variety with a long history of cultivation in China. It is mainly produced in Zhaoqing, Gaoyao, Deqing, Yunfu, Sihui, Yunan and other places in Guangdong, where it is called "Guang fing citron" and is regarded as an authentic regional medicinal. That produced in Sichuan is called "Chuan finger citron." That produced in Zhejiang is called "Jin finger citron." In addition, Guangxi, Anhui, Yunnan, Fujian and other provinces and autonomous regions also cultivate and produce it. Guangdong products are considered the best finger citron, with large fruit, good quality and the finest grade; the processed product "golden-edged white flesh" enjoys a high reputation on domestic and international markets. It is one of the "Ten Great Cantonese Medicines," the authentic medicinal materials of Guangdong.
Finger citron production bases should be established in areas suitable for its growth, while also paying attention to the geography of "authentic regional medicinal materials" and the concept of "place of origin." For example, Guang fing citron is mainly distributed in Zhaoqing City, Yunfu City and other places.
The role and uses of finger citron: ornamental value
The ornamental value of Chisong Jin finger citron differs from that of ordinary potted flowers. The finger citron is pure white with a delightful fragrance, and it blooms in clusters, making it very endearing. When the fruit ripens, its shape resembles extended fingers, a clenched fist, a fist with fingers, or a hand within a hand... it looks like a human hand, remarkably true to life. The ripe Jin finger citron is golden yellow in color and constantly gives off fragrance. The fruit remains on the plant for a long time, as long as 3-4 months or even longer, allowing for long-term appreciation of the finger citron flowers.
Economic value
Because Chisong Jin finger citron has high ornamental and medicinal value, its economic value is also relatively high. Various medicinal liquors made from Jin finger citron are fragrant and mellow, and have repeatedly won the approval of experts; the health tea made from Jin finger citron has obtained a national patent, and according to testing by the Tea Quality Supervision and Inspection Test Center of the Ministry of Agriculture, Jin finger citron health tea contains amino acids, vitamins and various trace elements needed by the human body, making it a new discovery from the treasure trove of China's traditional Chinese herbal medicine heritage; the aromatic oil extracted from the fruit, peel and leaves of Jin finger citron has been used internationally as an important raw material for high-grade tobacco flavoring. Experts believe that using finger citron to process foods and beverages and to brew finger citron liquor has very broad prospects.
Finger citron is also known as nine-claw wood, five-finger orange, and bergamot. It is an evergreen small tree of the Rutaceae family. Finger citron is mainly produced in Fujian, Guangdong, Sichuan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other provinces, among which Zhejiang Jinhua finger citron is the most famous, known as "the immortal fruit among fruits, the rare flower of the world," and elegantly called "Jin finger citron."
Finger citron is a fine tree beautiful in form, color and fragrance. Its flowers come in three colors: white, red and purple. White flowers are pure and clean, red flowers are steady, and purple flowers are elegantly simple. The leaves of finger citron are verdant and evergreen throughout the four seasons. Its fruit is golden yellow in color, rich in fragrance, and strangely shaped like a hand, with a thousand postures and appearances that make it delightful. A poem praises it: "The fruit is golden yellow and its flowers richly fragrant, bringing both fortune and longevity; among fruit-viewing flowers it alone stands first, delighting all people." The name finger citron comes from this.
Finger citron not only has high ornamental value but also precious medicinal and economic value. Every part of the finger citron is a treasure; its roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits can all be used as medicine. It is pungent, bitter, sweet, warm and non-toxic, entering the liver, spleen and stomach meridians, and has various medicinal functions such as regulating qi and resolving phlegm, relieving cough and reducing distension, soothing the liver, strengthening the spleen and harmonizing the stomach. According to historical records, the root of finger citron can treat male consumptive urogenital disorders and aching and weak limbs; the flowers and fruits can be brewed as tea and have a qi-dispersing effect; the fruit can treat stomach disease, vomiting, dysphagia, high blood pressure, bronchitis, asthma and other conditions. According to works such as Guijing (Meridian Attribution), finger citron also has the effects of treating tympanites and swelling, leukorrhea in women, and sobering up after drinking, and is the main raw material for preparing Chinese patent medicines containing finger citron.
Medicinal value
Every part of Chisong Jin finger citron is a treasure. The roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits can all be used as medicine; it is pungent, bitter, sweet, warm and non-toxic; it enters the liver, spleen and stomach meridians and has various medicinal functions such as regulating qi and resolving phlegm, stopping vomiting and reducing distension, soothing the liver, strengthening the spleen and harmonizing the stomach. It has a clear relieving effect on bronchitis and asthma in the elderly; for ordinary people with indigestion and chest and abdominal distension, it has an even more marked therapeutic effect. Chisong Jin finger citron can be made into various Chinese medicinal materials, and long-term use has health-preserving and life-prolonging effects.
Finger citron not only has high ornamental value but also precious medicinal value. Li Shizhen recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica: "Finger citron is pungent in odor, warm and non-toxic; it mainly directs qi downward, removes phlegm and water from the heart; boiled with wine and drunk, it treats profuse phlegm and coughing; boiled as a decoction, it treats pain from qi below the heart." Every part of the finger citron is a treasure; the roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits can all be used as medicine. Its nature and flavor are pungent, sweet, bitter, warm and non-toxic, and it enters the liver, spleen, stomach and lung meridians. It has the effects of soothing the liver and relieving depression, drying dampness and resolving phlegm, and regulating qi and harmonizing the middle. It is often used for patterns such as liver depression and qi stagnation, spleen and stomach qi stagnation, and phlegm-dampness congesting the lungs. Pharmacological studies show that finger citron mainly contains coumarins such as limettin, and also contains flavonoid glycosides, hesperidin, organic acids, volatile oil and so on. It has a clear inhibitory effect on intestinal smooth muscle, a clear antispasmodic effect on acetylcholine-induced duodenal spasm, can dilate coronary vessels, increase coronary blood flow, slow heart rate and lower blood pressure.
Below are several commonly used dietary therapy recipes with finger citron, for reference.
1. Finger citron 10 g, rice 50 g, rock sugar to taste. Wash the finger citron, decoct in water and take the juice, then add the rice and rock sugar and cook together into porridge. It has the effects of strengthening the spleen and nourishing the stomach, and regulating qi and relieving pain. It is suitable for weak stomach in the elderly, chest tightness and qi stagnation, indigestion, poor appetite, belching and vomiting, etc.
2. Fresh finger citron 10 g, add ginger 6 g, decoct in water and remove the residue, add white sugar and take warm, once daily, to treat phlegm-dampness cough.
3. Finger citron 15 g, ageratum 9 g, ginger skin 3 g, decoct in water and take, to treat asthma.
4. Finger citron 10 g, green tangerine peel 9 g, Sichuan chinaberry 6 g, decoct in water and take, once in the morning and once in the evening. Used for liver qi stagnation, stomach and abdominal pain, etc.
5. Stew finger citron 20 g together with an appropriate amount of pig small intestine, eat the meat and drink the soup, used to treat excessive leukorrhea.
6. Wash finger citron 30 g, soften thoroughly with clean water, slice or dice, place in a bottle, add 500 mL of low-proof high-quality baijiu, seal tightly, soak for 10 days and then drink, 15 mL each time, can treat chronic gastritis and cold pain in the stomach and abdomen.
7. Finger citron 30 g, Salvia miltiorrhiza 15 g, ephedra 0.5 g, apricot kernel 15 g, Schisandra chinensis 3 g, Asarum 3 g, Liu Shen Qu 15 g, honey-fried licorice 3 g. First bring the medicines to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 10 minutes; each dose is about 200 mL. Take warm. One dose daily, decocted twice a day. It has the effects of regulating qi and easing the chest, and resolving phlegm and calming cough, suitable for acute and chronic bronchitis, asthma, etc.
8. An appropriate amount of finger citron slices, brewed with boiling water and drunk as tea, has the effects of soothing the liver and regulating the spleen, and harmonizing the stomach and relieving pain. Suitable for chronic gastritis, liver enlargement, chronic enteritis, low digestive function, etc.
9. Finger citron slices 10 g, Phellodendron chinense 6 g, Liu Shen Qu 10 g, safflower 6 g, red Poria 10 g, Yinchen (Artemisia capillaris) 20 g, one dose daily. Mainly treats jaundice, etc.
10. Hypochondriac and rib pain, irritability, indigestion, etc.: use finger citron 120 g, Acanthopanax gracilistylus 30 g, papaya and green tangerine peel 12 g each, gardenia and tangerine peel 15 g each, Amomum villosum, galangal and cinnamon 9 g each, costus root and clove 6 g each, angelica 18 g, baijiu 20 jin, rock sugar 5 jin. Grind the above medicines into coarse powder, put into a silk bag, place in the liquor to soak, boil over low heat, filter clear and add rock sugar to complete. Take about 30 g each time, 3 times a day. Pregnant women should not take it.
11. Liver and stomach pain (including chronic gastritis, gastric neuralgia, etc.): fresh finger citron 12-15 g (dried 6 g), brew with boiling water and drink as tea. Or decoct finger citron and Corydalis yanhusuo 6 g each in water and take.
Dietary or medicinal value of finger citron
The medical information and health dietary therapy information on Huahua.com is for reference only and cannot be used as a basis for diagnosis or medical treatment. Any health problem should be consulted with professional medical personnel, and the treatment of any disease should follow a doctor's advice.
Ultimate flower-protecting mission: love yourself, start from reality, and strictly follow a doctor's advice. Toward illness, do not be careless, do not delay, do not give up hope; face it bravely, warm the silent world with love, and care for the flower field within your heart with care.
Medicinal value
This product is the fruit of the Rutaceae plant finger citron, Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis Swingle. Harvest in autumn when the fruit has not yet turned yellow or has just turned yellow, and cut into thin slices. Finger citron is a variety of the Rutaceae citron, similar in properties to the original species, but differing in form in that the fruit is cracked like a fist, or opens like fingers. The pulp is almost completely degenerated. Used medicinally as an aromatic stomachic.
Finger citron is a variety of citron, differing from the species in that the leaf tip is blunt, sometimes with a notch; the fruit is elongated, splitting like a fist or opening like fingers. In the southern provinces and autonomous regions of China, it is mostly cultivated in courtyards or orchards. The peel and leaves contain aromatic oil with a strong fresh-fruit fragrance and serve as a raw material for flavoring; both the fruit and the flowers are used medicinally.
"Jin finger citron" is a traditional famous specialty of Jinhua, Zhejiang, whose reputation can rival that of Jinhua ham. It is called "the immortal fruit among fruits, the rare flower of the world." Its cultivation began in the Southern Song dynasty, more than 700 years ago, with Chisong Township as the main producing area. Because of its unique ecological environment and cultivation techniques, its fruit is beautiful in shape, golden in color, rich in fragrance, high in medicinal value and long in storage life, making it a unique wonder of Jinhua,
deeply favored by Chinese and foreign people. Also, because Chisong Township is the true source place where Huang Daxian attained the Dao and became an immortal, the people of Chisong call it the "immortal fruit" and offer it to Huang Daxian. Today, friends and merchants from Hong Kong, China, Macao, China, Taiwan, China, Singapore and other places who come here for tourism and pilgrimage to the immortal all regard it as a precious item, bringing the immortal fruit back as a gift for relatives and friends to signify good fortune and luck.
The ornamental value of Chisong Jin finger citron differs from that of ordinary potted flowers.
Edible value
Finger citron porridge
Ingredients: finger citron 15 g, japonica rice 100 g, rock sugar 50 g.
Preparation: first wash the finger citron, chop it, add 1200 mL of clean water, decoct to obtain 1000 mL of juice, and set aside in a clay pot; wash the japonica rice clean, put it together with the rock sugar into the finger citron juice, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes until it becomes porridge.
Effects: strengthens the spleen and nourishes the stomach, regulates qi and relieves pain. Treats weak stomach with qi stagnation, poor appetite, indigestion, hypochondriac distension, phlegm cough, vomiting and other conditions.
Landscape uses of finger citron
In the southern provinces and autonomous regions of China, finger citron is mostly cultivated in courtyards or orchards. The peel and leaves contain aromatic oil with a strong fresh-fruit fragrance and serve as a raw material for flavoring; both the fruit and the flowers are used medicinally. The fruit of finger citron is golden yellow in color, rich in fragrance, and strangely shaped like a hand, with a thousand postures and appearances that make it delightful.
Cultural background and historical origins of finger citron
Finger citron, also known as citron and snow pear. Finger citron was already cultivated in China during the Song dynasty. Yan Shu's poem "Finger Citron Flower" says: "Red petals like lamb fat, fine fragrance floating; pale leaves lightly arranged, tender as fingers. The incense table and pure bottle are set in order; can it still touch the head and save people?" It is suitable for appreciation on a desk in a room. It is said that in the 29th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty (0690), an old monk at Qihu Rock in Jinbang, Anxi, obtained it by grafting tea branches onto citron (see Zhuang Canzhang, Anxi Tea Industry Survey). In the 43rd year of the Kangxi reign (1705), it was introduced to Shifeng Village, Dabu, Yongchun. Made into oolong tea, the tea strips are tightly rolled, fat and strong, curled in a fine dry form, with a sandy-green, dark glossy color, high fragrance and strong taste, an orange-yellow clear liquor, and a yellow-green bright infused leaf, with a unique style; made into black tea, the liquor is red and strong, the infused leaf red and bright, and the quality very good. In 1996, finger citron was designated as a fine tea tree variety in Fujian Province. At present, it is cultivated less in Anxi County, with Yongchun County as the main producing area, and small amounts introduced in central, eastern and northern Fujian.
Folk legend
King Miaozhuang regarded his third princess Miaoshan as the apple of his eye, but the third princess was determined to leave home and cultivate, and went to Baique Temple on Peach Blossom Island. King Miaozhuang was so angry that he could not eat for several days, and later fell ill with a strange disease. He took all manner of miracle medicines but saw no improvement, which made the imperial physicians so anxious that they were at a loss. The queen was even more frantic with worry, frowning all day and washing her face with tears.
The news reached the ears of the third princess Miaoshan at Baique Temple. Miaoshan felt very distressed; her father's illness this time had all been caused by her. What should she do? She did not understand medicine, so how could she cure her father's illness? As she thought, she could not help but shed tears secretly. The abbot, Master Zhuxin, saw all this and asked Miaoshan what difficult matter she had. When Miaoshan saw the master asking, she immediately knelt and said: "I am uneasy at having disturbed you, Master, and hope for your instruction."
"Not at all, not at all. I have always been considerate of everyone. If you have any difficult matter, you may speak it out and let me hear it."
Seeing that the temple master was very kindly, Miaoshan's earlier tension eased greatly, and she boldly reported what she had heard about her father's illness. After hearing it, the master slightly closed his eyes, pressed his palms together, and recited: "Amitabha! Those who leave home take the temple as their home and the Buddha as their creed; otherwise, it is difficult to cultivate the true body!"
Miaoshan had thought the master would sympathize with her, but unexpectedly the master still objected that her six senses were not pure. Could leaving home to cultivate mean being only a body of flesh and blood, without emotional desires? A country without a ruler is restless even for a day! Before Miaoshan could think carefully, the master gently said again: "Those who leave home should value compassion. Your father is ill; you can pray before the Bodhisattva every day to bless your father with early recovery, so as to cure the illness in your heart. Go quickly!" After saying this, the master went straight away.
Miaoshan followed the master's instructions and prayed before the Bodhisattva for her father every day. One night, Miaoshan had a dream in which two immortals came angrily before her and loudly reprimanded: "Miaoshan, as a royal daughter, you actually disregarded the royal family's dignity and left without permission; today King Miaozhuang has fallen ill because of you, yet you are unmoved. Do you still have any filial feeling at all?"
Miaoshan was startled and said: "I already know that my father is ill, and I am here every day reciting sutras and praying for my father's early recovery and for the people's peace and prosperity!"
"You talk better than you sing. We do not listen to what you say; we want to see what you do. Let me tell you, your father's illness can only be cured by taking the flesh from your arm and decocting it into soup! We have come specially to take your arm!"
Miaoshan said anxiously: "This, how can this be..." Before Miaoshan could argue, the two immortals rushed up and raised their knives to cut at Miaoshan's arm, frightening Miaoshan into crying out, and only when she woke did she realize it was a dream. She touched her arm and found it fine, but vaguely felt a little pain, and her heart gradually calmed. Unexpectedly, she had this same dream for 3 nights in a row, exactly the same, leaving Miaoshan dazed and not knowing what to do! Could all this be true? Miaoshan could no longer control the surging collision in her heart. She asked the master for leave and returned to the palace to visit her father.
Miaoshan's arrival made her father very happy, and her mother was even more overjoyed, urging her daughter to stay for more days. Miaoshan told her mother about having the same dream for 3 consecutive nights. After hearing it, her mother said in surprise: "My child, I also had the same dream for 3 nights, exactly the same as what you said. This must absolutely not be done!"
Miaoshan said very calmly: "Mother, a country without a ruler is not peaceful even for a day! Your daughter has made up her mind; to cure father's illness, she will spare nothing!" She immediately cut off her own arm, hurriedly left the royal palace, and returned to Baique Temple.
After King Miaozhuang took the soup made from his daughter's arm flesh, his illness was cured at once. When he learned the truth of the matter, he felt very uneasy. He thought that at first he had only wanted his daughter to return, and had even asked the abbot of Baique Temple on Peach Blossom Island to force Miaoshan with hard labor, thinking that his daughter could not endure hardship and would run back to the palace herself; unexpectedly, his daughter's resolve was so firm! Now she had again come to the palace and cut off her arm to cure her father, truly the greatest filial piety under heaven! Since things had come to this, he could only pray to heaven for his daughter's speedy recovery. Every day, besides burning incense and worshiping the Buddha himself, he also ordered all the people of the city to worship and pray together. Later, more than 10 hands suddenly grew from Miaoshan's severed arm overnight, and everyone was greatly astonished, all crying: "Amitabha! Amitabha!" This is the legendary "Thousand-Hand Guanyin."
At that time, the arm flesh was used to treat King Miaozhuang, and the imperial physician threw the remaining palm outside the city. Before long, many palm-like objects actually grew among the reefs by the seaside. People dug them up, steamed them and ate them, and they tasted very delicious. Some said they were transformed from the palm of Guanyin Bodhisattva, so they were called "finger citron."
In the three towns of Hetai, Lecheng and Shuinan in Gaoyao City, Zhaoqing, Guangdong, at an altitude of 300-500 m in open hilly and plain areas, it is warm and humid year-round with abundant sunshine, and the annual average temperature is 22°C. Finger citron is mostly planted in well-drained, fertile rice fields, where it grows well and yields high-quality, high-output fruit. This is the main producing area of Guang fing citron.
The "He-Le-Shui" area (generally referring to the three towns of Hetai, Lecheng and Shuinan and the surrounding areas) has a history of finger citron cultivation of several hundred years, traceable as far back as the Song dynasty. Due to medicinal demand, the demand for finger citron has grown larger and larger, and the "He-Le-Shui" area has gradually developed into the main trading market for Guang fing citron. The finger citron trade has become the main local economic industry, attracting merchants from all over the country to come and buy finger citron and finger citron slices. Every year, large quantities of high-quality finger citron are supplied to Yulin, Guangxi and other major medicinal markets across the country.
Classical literature
The Qing dynasty classic novel The Three Heroes and Five Gallants once described Bai Yutang and Yan Chasan eating finger citron:
The waiter set down the small dishes and brought them up one by one. Jinsheng did not even move his chopsticks, but only slowly drank while eating finger citron pieces, waiting all the while to eat live fish. The two drank and chatted, and the more they talked, the more congenial they became. Yan was extremely delighted.
The Three Heroes and Five Gallants, Chapter 33: A True Scholar Meets Bai Yutang for the First Time; A Handsome Hero Tests Yan Chasan Three Times
The flower language of finger citron
The flower language of finger citron flowers is: abundant fortune and longevity.
Finger citron is called "the immortal fruit among fruits, the rare flower of the world," and is elegantly known as "Jin finger citron."
Symbolic meaning
Finger citron is a citrus fruit with a peculiar shape; the fruit is cracked like a fist, or opens like fingers, so it is commonly called "finger citron." Finger citron can give off a special fragrance that lingers, so people often place it in a room.
Finger citron is one of the symbols of the Buddha. In the past, some people labeled a pattern with narcissus and finger citron as "learning to be an immortal, learning to be a Buddha," which is an auspicious pattern. The Buddha can bring infinite happiness to the world, and finger citron can also make people auspicious and wish-fulfilling.
The "fo" (Buddha) of finger citron is homophonous with "fu" (fortune), so one auspicious meaning of finger citron is blessing. A painting with an especially large peach, pomegranate and finger citron has the auspicious meaning of praying for the "three abundances," which refer to abundant fortune, longevity and children. Among them, the peach symbolizes longevity, finger citron symbolizes happiness, and the pomegranate, because of its many seeds, symbolizes many children. When finger citron is painted together with a butterfly, its auspicious meaning is to pray for longevity and to live to eighty years old, because "die" (butterfly) is homophonous with "die" (eighty years of age).
Finger citron pictures