A Guide to Preventing and Controlling Common Pests and Diseases of Spring Flowers
Common Pests and Diseases of Spring Flowers In spring, the temperature turns warm then cold again, and the air humidity is high, so the occurrence of crop pests and diseases is at a moderate to heavy level, and flowers also suffer from more pests and diseases. Generally, the following types cause more serious damage in April to May: Aphids Hibiscus, ornamental peach, Chinese hibiscus, Chinese rose, honeysuckle and others are all susceptible to aphid damage
Common Pests and Diseases of Spring Flowers
In spring, the temperature turns warm then cold again, and the air humidity is high, so the occurrence of crop pests and diseases is at a moderate to heavy level, and flowers also suffer from more pests and diseases. Generally, the following types cause more serious damage in April to May:
Aphids Hibiscus, ornamental peach, Chinese hibiscus, Chinese rose, honeysuckle and others are all susceptible to aphid damage. As the temperature rises, aphids also increase day by day. Control methods: 1. Spray with 40% omethoate or 50% phosmet diluted 1200-1500 times with water. 2. For a small number of potted flowers, you can also spray a 70-100 times neutral washing powder solution.
Red spider mites They begin damaging jasmine, Chinese hibiscus, asparagus fern, Chinese rose, dahlia and others from early April. Control methods: 1. Spray with a 1000 times solution of Supracide. 2. For a small number of potted flowers, frequently rinse the front and back of the leaves with tap water, or spray or dip with boiled and cooled 100-150 times flour paste water, then rinse once more with clean water after one or two days, which can produce obvious results.
Scale insects (flower lice) The scale insects on white magnolia, Chinese rose, boxwood and pittosporum mostly begin hatching from mid-April to mid-to-late May. Control methods: 1. Before they hatch, gently brush off the insects by hand. 2. During the larval hatching period, spray a 1000-1500 times solution of 40% omethoate.
Damping-off When the temperature reaches 20°C, newly sown flowers, saplings and some flowers prone to root rot are highly susceptible to damping-off when the soil moisture is high. Control methods: 1. Before sowing, evenly mix 1.5-4 kg of 70% quintozene per mu into the soil. 2. During the seedling stage, control watering and do not let the soil become too wet. 3. At the initial onset, irrigate with 1% ferrous sulfate or a 200-400 times 50% amobam solution, applying 2-4 kg of the solution per sq m.
Rust Rose rust attacks when rose buds are about to open. Control methods: 1. When roses sprout, promptly remove and burn the yellow diseased buds that sprout first, to eliminate the source of infection. 2. During the initial infection period, spray a 700-1000 times solution of 15% triadimefon.
Powdery mildew Chinese rose powdery mildew and garden balsam powdery mildew mostly occur in May to June, and in summer they easily cause symptoms such as yellow leaves, withered leaves and curled tender shoots. Control methods: 1. Pay attention to ventilation and light transmission for the flowers. 2. Apply less nitrogen fertilizer and more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. 3. Spraying once with a 700-1000 times solution of 15% triadimefon at the initial infection stage is sufficient.
How to Care for Rixiang Gui
Rixiang Gui is a horticultural variety of osmanthus, named for its characteristics of continuous blooming and rich fragrance. Rixiang Gui fills the air with fragrance and refreshes the heart. Its particularly notable advantage is that the flower stems extend beyond the green leaves, and it can bloom all year round, with flowers opening continuously. Below we introduce the cultivation and daily care techniques for Rixiang Gui.Cultivation of Rixiang Gui:
1. Choice of substrate: It is best to use loose sandy loam containing organic matter. Mushroom residue, sawdust, peat, mountain forest leaf mold and the like can also be used (the substrate should be chosen so that the potted flower's root system can grow and breathe). The pH of the substrate should be neutral and slightly acidic. After choosing the substrate, it is best to also carry out disinfection and sterilization treatment (such as using thiophanate-methyl, soil fungicide, carbofuran and other agents).
2. Watering: Newly planted specimens should be given one thorough watering, and afterward follow the principle of "water when dry, withhold when wet." Too much water will cause the root system of the plant to rot. But avoid watering with tea water, washing powder water and other alkaline water.
3. Fertilizing: Because Rixiang Gui consumes more nutrients from continuous blooming, more phosphorus fertilizer should be applied to promote its continuous flowering. Based on this, the fertilizing standard for Rixiang Gui should follow the principle of "apply thin fertilizer frequently." Normally, a moderate amount of organic fertilizer can also be added, but be sure not to fertilize excessively or too frequently. Fertilizing should be combined with watering, generally once per flowering period.
4. Pruning and shaping: According to the desired cultivated tree form, cut off some leggy branches, overly dense branches, dead branches, diseased branches and so on. For newly planted potted flowers, part of the tender branches should be pruned. Pruning is generally carried out after the tender shoots sprout but before they have become woody.
5. Pest and disease control: Common diseases of Rixiang Gui include leaf blight, anthracnose and so on, which can be controlled with an 800 times solution of "Duojunqing" or "thiophanate-methyl"; common pests include red spider mites and scale insects, which can be controlled with 1000 times solutions of "chlorobenzilate" and "Supracide" respectively.
Daily Care of Rixiang Gui:
1. Light management: Newly planted Rixiang Gui should be shaded, and shading is also needed in summer, with a shading level of about 80%. In order to promote continuous blooming in Rixiang Gui, light should be appropriately increased in winter.
2. Temperature control: The normal flowering temperature for Rixiang Gui is 2°C to 22°C. If the summer temperature is too high, the temperature can be lowered and humidity increased by spraying water on the leaves; if the winter temperature is too low, insulation should be provided.
3. Humidity control: Normal humidity can be controlled at 70% to 85%.
4. Repotting and soil changing: Rixiang Gui that has been potted too long or whose plant has grown too large should be repotted and have its soil changed in a timely manner. This can both increase soil fertility and loosen and aerate the root soil, ensuring the robust growth of Rixiang Gui. Repotting and soil changing can be determined according to its growth, generally once every one to two years.
5. Promoting flowering: The optimal temperature for flower bud differentiation of Rixiang Gui is 6°C to 8°C, the temperature for the greatest flowering amount is 16°C to 18°C, and the air humidity is 75% to 85%. At the same time, a certain amount of short-day light is needed, so we can promote its flowering by improving the micro-environment (such as removing buds to control its vegetative growth, shading to control light, spraying water on the leaves to lower temperature and increase air humidity, and so on).
Potted Production and Care Methods for Rixiang Gui
Rixiang Gui is a treasured osmanthus variety and a new osmanthus cultivar selected and bred in recent years. It is deeply loved by people for its advantages of beautiful tree form, deep green color in all four seasons, and pleasant floral fragrance, as well as for its symbol of wealth (gui) and peace. A two-leaf seedling of the current year can bloom, which ordinary osmanthus finds hard to match. Even in the cold winter months it can bloom all over the tree with fragrance assailing the nose, which can be called extraordinary. It is an excellent gift treasure - place two pots in the courtyard and it fully displays nobility. So, for this precious tree species, how should household potting be cared for so that it grows well?
Rixiang Gui is a treasure among osmanthus, named for its characteristics of continuous blooming and rich fragrance. It has many branches and short internodes, a full and compact tree shape, smooth leaves, and jade-green foliage in all four seasons. It forms flowers extremely early, and the most extraordinary thing is that a two-leaf seedling from the same year's cuttings can bloom. Its flowering period is very long, and its fragrance resembles that of the strong-fragrance Jinguì. When potted in the north, Rixiang Gui has a rich fragrance that fills the air with a delicate scent, and can make your living environment fresh and beautiful and keep you in good spirits.
I. Planting. The best planting time for potted Rixiang Gui: spring is March-April, and autumn is August-September. For the potting soil, it is best to choose loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam, and at the same time add 0.2% ferrous sulfate. Some breathable material should be placed at the bottom of the pot, then fill the pot with the growing medium and water thoroughly. After planting, cover with plastic film to maintain the humidity of the space in the pot, and place it in a shaded place for care. After new leaves emerge, remove the outer cover and move it to a sunny place.
II. Fertilizing. Newly planted Rixiang Gui seedlings must never be given additional fertilizer. After the seedlings have grown branches and leaves, spray a 0.1% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution once every 7-10 days. The principle of fertilizing is to apply thin fertilizer frequently. In spring and autumn, apply a thin, fully rotted soybean cake fertilizer once every 10-15 days; in summer and winter, apply no fertilizer or little fertilizer. During the growing period, a suitable plant nutrient solution can be sprayed as conditions require.
III. Watering. Rixiang Gui likes moisture, fears waterlogging, and is not drought-tolerant. During the plant's growth process, watering should follow the principle of "water when dry, withhold when wet." Water as soon as the surface of the potting soil dries, and always pay attention to keeping the potting soil moist. Especially in summer and autumn, when the temperature is high and the air is dry, in addition to watering more, water should also be sprayed on the plant surface frequently to prevent the leaf edges from scorching dry. Water accumulation in the pot will cause root injury and root rot, and attention should be paid to this.
IV. Pruning. Letting it grow freely is a major taboo for potted Rixiang Gui. Rixiang Gui has strong branching ability and tolerates pruning. Removing the top of the upright main trunk branch can cause more new branches to grow from the base, expand the crown, and strengthen the main branches. For clustered upright main branches, the tree shape can be opened up by bending the branches.
In addition, potted Rixiang Gui should also be protected from the cold in winter and from high temperature and strong sun in midsummer, which can scorch tender leaves and young buds. Pay attention to removing buds from seedlings, promptly control pests such as red spider mites and scale insects, and repot and change soil at the proper time.
First, Rixiang Gui likes light. If you want its flowers to be richly fragrant in winter, place it in a warm, sunny spot {the best is to place it on a balcony if the home has one}. When placed indoors, it should also be placed in a position where sunlight can reach it. This is because the heat from sunlight is enough to release the fragrance; otherwise, in a dark, damp and cold place, even if Rixiang Gui is full of flowers, the fragrance will not be strong enough.
Second, Rixiang Gui likes moisture, but because the weather is cold in winter, water dissipates slowly, so potted Rixiang Gui in winter needs less watering. Generally, watering once every 5-10 days is suitable {depending on the dryness and wetness of the surface soil}. Watering too many times easily causes waterlogging damage. In summer, because the temperature is high and hot, large pots of osmanthus should be watered once every 2-3 days (water thoroughly when watering). Management in spring and autumn is much easier, because these are the peak growing seasons and also the peak flowering seasons, so it can be done according to conditions, and pruning and shaping can be carried out according to your own preferences.
Third, Rixiang Gui prefers fertilizer and can be given compound fertilizer regularly. Apply thin fertilizer frequently, not strong fertilizer. And according to its growth condition, it should be repotted once every 1-2 years, with loose soil with good water permeability as the best soil. With proper care, it will certainly have luxuriant branches and leaves and gratifying growth.
In short, Rixiang Gui has good adaptability, is easy to plant and easy to keep alive, requires extensive management, has very few pests and diseases, and combines green, beauty, fragrance and rarity in one. It is an ideal tree species for household greening and beautification. Place two pots in the courtyard and it fully displays nobility!
A Guide to Greenhouse Pot Cultivation of Rixiang Gui
Osmanthus originated in our country and is one of our country's traditional famous flowers. Its uniquely representative fragrance has long been known and loved by people. Rixiang Gui is a new variety of Sijigui, belonging to the Oleaceae family, with flat, broad leaves without serrations. It begins blooming from a young tree, with young trees blooming for more than 260 days a year, and mature trees blooming continuously all year round. Its flowers are large and its fragrance is rich, and it has the reputation of "rare flower, extraordinary fragrance." It is currently the only recognized osmanthus treasure that is fragrant and blooms constantly.
Rixiang Gui has many branches and dense leaves, is evergreen in all four seasons, and has a well-proportioned and full tree shape. It is not only a new star among greening trees, but also a new favorite among potted flowers for the New Year, and is increasingly favored by consumers. In order to introduce and promote this variety and meet market demand, some enterprises have already begun to try large-scale production. However, compared with field planting, potted Rixiang Gui has its root system activity range more easily affected. To ensure the plant has abundant branches and many richly fragrant flowers, cultivation management needs to be strengthened. Combining production practice, the author conducted preliminary research on the large-scale production technology of potted Rixiang Gui, and now summarizes its breeding and potting technology key points as follows.
Breeding
Because osmanthus has few seeds and they are difficult to obtain, and grafting is also not ideal, cutting propagation is mostly used. Among these, raising seedlings by softwood cuttings has the advantages of convenient material collection, simple operation, and a high survival rate.
The author introduced 1000 mother plants of Rixiang Gui from Sichuan. After several years of carefully cultivating the mother trees, in May-June, strong semi-lignified current-year softwood branches were cut as cuttings, and then in August-October, semi-mature branches were cut again. The cut branches should be kept moist, placed in sealed plastic bags or buckets as much as possible, and protected from strong light. The cuttings are generally cut into short cuttings with two leaves and one short stem. Cutting and pruning should preferably be done in the morning. The cutting bed needs to have the land plowed and prepared in advance, and shade should be set up well. When cutting, pay attention to neatness. The cutting depth should be enough to cover the leaf petiole. The cutting density should be appropriately sparse, with a plant spacing of 3-5 cm, and about 300,000 plants can be cut per 667 sq m. After cutting, spray and irrigate the seedlings with an aqueous solution of fungicide and rooting agent in appropriate proportions. After the medicinal solution spray irrigation is completed, cover with plastic film in a timely manner.
In the days after cutting, water should be applied at the proper time according to soil moisture conditions to prevent water shortage. When it is found that there are no water droplets on the inner wall of the film or not many water droplets, water should be applied in a timely manner. Generally, rooting begins about 1 month after cutting, and after about 3 months they can leave the nursery for transplanting. For Rixiang Gui cuttings made in autumn in September-October, because the soil temperature is not high, some cuttings do not develop roots, so lifting and planting should be arranged in April-June of the following year according to the actual condition of the plant root system.
Potting and Planting
Choosing Pots
Rixiang Gui grows relatively fast and has relatively large leaves, so the pot used should not be too small or too shallow, to ensure normal growth and flowering of the plant. Plastic pots or container gallon pots can be chosen. When cultivating, attention should be paid to the coordinated ratio between pot diameter and plant crown diameter. Generally, one-year-old seedlings use pots with a diameter of 15-20 cm; two-year-old seedlings use pots of 20-25 cm; three-year-old seedlings use pots of 30 cm. Never use a large pot for a small plant, otherwise the potting soil will be damp and easily lead to root rot.
Preparing Nutrient Soil
Rixiang Gui prefers loose, fertile, micro-acidic substrate rich in organic matter. For northern alkaline soil, more humic acid should be mixed in or 0.2% ferrous sulfate should be used to improve the soil; for acidic soil, plant ash, lime and the like can be used to neutralize it. General nutrient soil is prepared in proportions using leaf mold, river sand, garden soil and so on. Soilless cultivation can also be carried out using mushroom cultivation residue, sawdust, peat and so on.
Potting at the Proper Time
The root system of two-leaf seedlings after cutting is more developed after planting, and it is also easier for the seedlings to survive, so Rixiang Gui can be potted and planted throughout the year. However, spring and autumn are the most suitable periods for potting. When transplanting seedlings, be careful not to damage the root system. When potting, first place a piece of plastic window screen over the hole at the bottom of the pot to prevent earthworms and other pests from burrowing into the pot. Cover the plastic window screen with 2-3 pieces of broken tile, with the convex side facing up, to facilitate ventilation and drainage. When the seedling is moved in, the root crown should be level with the soil surface, with the roots spread in the growing medium. After straightening, fill with nutrient soil to about 3 cm from the pot rim, press firmly, water thoroughly, and place in a cool place to recover.
Cultivation Management
Growing Environment
Container-potted Rixiang Gui should be placed in a greenhouse site with ventilation, sufficient sunlight and good drainage.
Placement Method
The placement method should facilitate management and viewing. During large-scale production, attention should be paid to placement density. Too sparse placement wastes space, while too dense placement easily causes pests and diseases. Generally, placement density is determined according to the size of the plants, with branches not crossing each other and facilitating ventilation and light transmission as suitable.
Temperature and Humidity
The micro-environment for the growth of Rixiang Gui requires a warm, humid, well-ventilated and fresh-air environment.
Temperature It can survive within the range of -15 to 40°C. Its normal growth temperature range is 5-32°C, and the optimal temperature for flower bud differentiation is 5-12°C at night and 16-18°C during the day.
Humidity Potted Rixiang Gui requires the relative air humidity in the greenhouse to be around 80%.
Water and Fertilizer Management
Watering Watering is a very important task in the management of potted Rixiang Gui. Osmanthus likes high temperature and dryness, and the substrate should not be too wet, let alone waterlogged. Watering should grasp the principle of "two less, one more," namely water less before new shoots sprout, water less on rainy days, and normally water so as to maintain a potting soil water content of about 50%. Under high-temperature and dry conditions in summer, watering should be sufficient, once every morning, and in the evening depending on the dryness and wetness of the potting soil, if dry, another small watering can be given. At noon, use shade netting to shade, reduce the impact of high temperature, and at the same time frequently spray water on the leaves and around the flower pot to lower the temperature, so as to create a good environment suitable for the growth and development of potted Rixiang Gui. On rainy days in summer, drain promptly to prevent water accumulation in the pot from rotting the roots, otherwise it is easy for it to "drown."
Fertilizing Rixiang Gui likes fertilizer. After half a year of potting, fertilizer can be applied at any time, preferring less rather than more, and preferring thin rather than strong. Osmanthus is extremely sensitive to strong fertilizer, especially nitrogen fertilizer, and is even more afraid of "raw fertilizer" that has not been fully fermented. Applying diluted organic cake fertilizer liquid gives comprehensive nutrients and stable and safe properties, and can be used for various potted flowers. For chemical fertilizer, compound fertilizer is better, but attention should be paid to choosing sulfur-based compound fertilizer, and "chlorine-based" fertilizer cannot be used. For fertilizing, generally during the growing period, solid compound fertilizer can be scattered on the pot surface. If once every 10 days or so it is irrigated once with a mixed liquid fertilizer of rotted liquid fertilizer water and 0.1% potassium dihydrogen phosphate, it is very effective for filling out the newly sprouted shoots and is beneficial to the success of later flower bud differentiation. During the flowering period and the cold winter period, fertilizing can be paused. In addition, every half month spray a foliar fertilizer of 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate and silicon-boron-manganese fertilizer, to increase the thickness of new shoot growth, improve leaf function, and make the branches and leaves of the Rixiang Gui plant have a beautiful growth appearance.
Light and Shading
Rixiang Gui is a shade-tolerant tree species that likes light, but newly planted seedlings, when exposed to direct high-temperature sun for too long, are most easily scorched on the leaves. In mild cases, some leaves turn white or yellow; in severe cases, the tissue necroses and becomes dark brown and scorched, and in serious cases the leaves wither and fall off. Once the seedling leaves have all fallen, it is difficult for new buds and new shoots to grow. Therefore, from May to September, when planting Rixiang Gui seedlings, there must be an environment with shading conditions. When the average annual temperature rises to 22°C, begin shading until the end of September. Generally, the shading level of the cultivation site is 50%-60%, and using black shade netting has the best effect and is convenient. Rixiang Gui has a certain cold resistance, but during the seedling stage it cannot tolerate a low temperature of -10°C. Therefore, in northern regions, when the temperature drops to severe cold, plastic film greenhouses should be built promptly at the cultivation site, and measures for cold and frost protection should be taken well to avoid frost damage to branches and shoots.
Bud Thinning of Seedlings
For two-leaf seedlings from cuttings, after planting and surviving, several axillary buds growing from the two leaf axils should have the excess axillary buds removed early; otherwise, a large amount of nutrients will be consumed and the growth of the main branches will be affected. For newly planted two-leaf seedlings, after survival, if every axillary bud contains a flower bud, it is not a problem. However, in order to save nutrients, when thinning flowers, do not remove all flower buds from the base, because although the buds grown from seedlings planted in the low-temperature season are flower branches, small and weak leaf buds can still grow again from the leaf axils where the flower branches have degenerated. Therefore, when thinning flower buds, the leaf nodes should be retained; after thinning, the buds that emerge are somewhat stronger. In addition, during the seedling period, leaf buds often produce flower buds, but in order to promote early formation, all hidden flower buds should be removed, which is beneficial to the rapid growth of new shoots.
Care of Potted Rixiang Gui in the North
Rixiang Gui is a new variety in the osmanthus family with the longest flowering period, the most fragrant flowers, and a growth rate five times that of ordinary osmanthus. It is cold-resistant and drought-resistant, and can be potted in northern regions.
I. Seedling raising: Outdoor cutting is generally suitable from May to September each year, and the optimal temperature for cutting rooting is 25-28°C. Cuttings generally root in 20-30 days. The potting soil is best as loose, fertile, well-drained, micro-acidic sandy loam, avoiding heavy, alkaline soil, with pH 5.5-6 as suitable. Generally, mix 4 parts rotted leaves, 2 parts rotted barnyard manure and crushed bone, and 4 parts garden soil, and appropriately mix in a small amount of superphosphate, diammonium phosphate and so on to increase soil fertility. The best planting time is February-April in spring and September-November in autumn. Place in a shaded place to recover.
II. Watering and fertilizing: Rixiang Gui likes warmth and moisture. In summer and autumn, the temperature is high and the air is dry, so water more to keep the potting soil moist. In winter and spring, watering should be appropriately reduced. In a place with sufficient sunlight, its leaves are jade-green, its branches are thick and strong, and its flowers are abundant and fragrant. In summer, it fears high temperature and strong sun scorching tender leaves and young buds. In midsummer, potted seedlings should be placed in a well-ventilated, cool place, with a shading level of about 80%.
After the new branches and shoots of Rixiang Gui tend to become woody, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be the main fertilizer. The fertilizer applied should be little, and never scatter fertilizer within the roots, so as to avoid burning the roots. In late autumn, fertilizing should be controlled to prevent the autumn shoots from growing too vigorously and suffering frost damage. In winter, apply once fully rotted compost or cake fertilizer and bone meal, to meet the nutrient needs for new shoot growth and flowering in the coming spring. In addition, during the growing period, spray foliar fertilizer once every 20 days or so, using a mixed solution of potassium dihydrogen phosphate and urea, with a concentration of 0.2%-0.3%. Rixiang Gui cannot tolerate strong fertilizer or raw fertilizer. Generally, apply a thin, fully rotted soybean cake fertilizer once every 10-15 days. Newly planted Rixiang Gui seedlings must never be given additional fertilizer; fertilizing too early will cause the plant to die.
III. Careful pruning: Rixiang Gui has strong branching ability and tolerates pruning. The optimal temperature for flower bud differentiation is 6-8°C, the temperature for the greatest flowering amount is 16-18°C, and the air humidity is 75%-85%.
Care of Osmanthus
[Other names] Also called rock osmanthus, muxi
[Family and genus] Belongs to the Oleaceae family, Osmanthus genus
[Common varieties] Jinguì, with golden-yellow flowers, strong fragrance, and abundant flowering, blooming in autumn each year; Yinguì, with flowers from white to light yellow, blooming later than Jinguì, and its fragrance and flowering amount cannot match Jinguì; Danguì, with orange-red flowers, and a fragrance lighter than Yinguì; Sijigui, with creamy-yellow flowers, light fragrance, but a very long flowering period. Apart from not opening under high temperature or severe cold, it can bloom at other times, and it is the variety sold the most on the market.
[Place of origin and growth habits] Native to China, with the main producing areas being the southwest region and the central-south region. It is a temperate flower, likes a warm, humid climate, and cannot endure a cold environment below 0°C. When the temperature is above 38°C, flowering is poor. It likes strong light. When the light is not strong (such as indoors), it only grows leaves and is difficult to bloom, but a little shading at noon in summer is beneficial to its growth. The root system fears long-term water accumulation, and too much water rots the roots.
[Purchasing points] When choosing potted osmanthus, in appearance choose products with well-proportioned branches and a low branching point. At flower farms, osmanthus is mostly planted in the ground, and is only dug up and put into pots when it is about to be sold. For osmanthus potted temporarily in this way, no matter how carefully we cultivate it after buying it back, it will drop leaves. Therefore, pay attention to choosing products with small roots extending out from the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. For newly potted osmanthus, the potting soil is very fresh and very soft, and can be distinguished with a little attention. The same principle applies when purchasing other woody potted flowers.
Osmanthus likes light and is slightly shade-tolerant. It likes a warm and well-ventilated environment, is not cold-tolerant, likes moist, well-drained sandy loam, and avoids waterlogged land, alkaline land and heavy soil; it has moderate resistance to sulfur dioxide, chlorine gas and so on. Osmanthus has the habit of sprouting twice and blooming twice, and consumes a large amount of fertilizer. It is suitable to apply base fertilizer in winter in November-December, so that branches and leaves are luxuriant in the following spring, which is beneficial to flower bud differentiation; in July in summer, before the second branches emerge, topdressing is beneficial to the sprouting of second branches, making the autumn flowers large and dense.
Osmanthus trees are rather delicate. First of all, control the water quantity well, and never let it become waterlogged. If it is potted, pour out the water in the tray after each watering, and do not let it soak. And it should be watered every day; in the north, indoors with heating, it must be watered every day. You can buy some organic fertilizer; giving it a boost should work. Also check whether the soil is very sticky and heavy and drains very slowly, as this also easily causes leaf drop.
Four-o'clock is suitable for growing in warm, humid places with sufficient sunlight. The soil used should be fertile, loose, slightly acidic and well-drained. Four-o'clock is relatively drought-tolerant and cold-tolerant, and its suitable growth temperature is 20-30°C. In winter, if there is no particularly severe cold wave, it can generally overwinter in the open ground. It can usually be propagated by cuttings, layering or sowing. If used in flower beds or garden landscaping, its plant height can reach 2-3 m. If used for household potting, it can be dwarfed to below 1 m. Its trunk has many branches and its leaves are relatively fine. Its seedlings can bloom one after another after growing for one year, and after growing for 3 years the flowering amount is even greater, with considerable ornamental value. In cultivation management, attention should be paid to appropriately increasing the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers such as plant ash and bone meal, so as to increase the flowering amount and fragrance. And attention should be paid to preventing and controlling diseases and pests such as leaf spot disease, anthracnose, stinging nettle caterpillars and wax scale insects, ensuring normal growth and development of the plant and flowering at the proper time.
[Suitable placement location] According to the growth characteristics of osmanthus, it is better to place it on a southeast-facing balcony. If it must be placed indoors, also choose a southeast-facing door or window so that it can receive light to the greatest extent.
[How to water] For potted osmanthus, from late autumn to early spring, water only after the potting soil is slightly dry or the leaves are somewhat wilted, and water thoroughly in one go when watering. From late spring to early autumn, during the vigorous growing season, watering should be more frequent. If you are inexperienced, you can water thoroughly in one go when the leaves wilt, or water thoroughly when the surface of the potting soil turns white and has slight cracks. Generally, in high summer temperatures, water twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Note that if the water supply is too much, it will cause flower drop. For home flower growing, controlling watering is very difficult. The most mechanical method is still not to water until it is dry (wilted), and water thoroughly when watering. When there is too much water, the leaves will turn yellow.
[How to fertilize] After spring begins, start fertilizing when the nighttime temperature rises back above 15°C. At this time the branches begin to grow and need fertilizer. If using compound fertilizer, apply 4 grams each time (about one capful of a small mineral water bottle). Make four small holes around the potting soil, place the compound fertilizer evenly into them, then cover with soil (change the position next time you make holes), and fertilize once every 10-15 days, until fertilization stops after the nighttime temperature in autumn drops below 8°C. If applying organic fertilizer such as cake fertilizer, use 1/3 of a rice bowl each time (no need to dilute with water). If it is packaged flower fertilizer bought from a flower shop, just follow the package instructions; if there are no package instructions, ask clearly. When you see flower buds growing out, stop fertilizing, as excess nutrients will cause bud drop (except for Sijigui).
[Adjusting temperature] Osmanthus is somewhat afraid of cold but not of heat. It only grows when the nighttime temperature is above 15°C. For northern regions, if you want it to still bloom during National Day, move it indoors before autumn begins in August, keep the temperature above 15°C, stop fertilizing, and water less (water after wilting). Then move it out again in mid-September for care, and only then can it bloom fully during National Day.
[Preparing flower soil] Nowadays it is very difficult to find some flower soil in the city, so you can prepare it yourself. Use 5 bowls of garden soil (obtained at a construction site), 1 bowl of yellow sand, and if you can get some sawdust, all the better, add 1 bowl; if there is no sawdust, use another half bowl of yellow sand instead. This only provides a ratio. Mix these things thoroughly and evenly, and the flower soil is ready.
[How to ventilate] The principle of ventilation is that through the natural circulation of air, it can increase the air humidity around potted flowers, increase the carbon dioxide content around the leaves, and circulate away the air carrying pathogens around the leaves (we will notice that moldy air is mostly in small enclosed spaces where air does not circulate, which is very favorable to the reproduction of various pathogens. This is the same principle as "flowing water does not rot"), making potted flowers less likely to be infected by disease. Today's residential rooms mostly have doors and windows tightly closed, with no air circulation, especially rooms with air conditioning. To save energy, air conditioning only circulates indoor air and does not exchange it with outdoor air, so its air becomes less and less fresh and the air humidity is also very low. Therefore, it is necessary to open doors and windows in the morning and evening for ventilation, which is good for both flowers and people.
[How to prune] Before the spring temperature rises back above 15°C, use household scissors or a sharp blade to cut or trim off dead branches, thin and weak branches, and branches with pests or disease, to make way for new branches and at the same time not give pests and diseases a chance to reproduce. Combined with the tree shape, during the growing period, remove a small part of the unwanted newly sprouted branches, so as to concentrate the limited nutrients and make flowering more luxuriant. This is like people: "many children make the mother suffer." But note that you cannot cut off all the new branches, because only new branches can grow flower buds. After the autumn flowering period, also combined with the tree shape, thin out part of the overly dense branches and shorten some of the particularly tall branches.
[Propagation method] In early spring, just after the temperature rises back above 15°C, cut branches without side branches into sections about 10-12 cm long, with at least three leaf nodes or bud eyes, and insert them into a flower pot filled with more than half a pot of nutrient soil, inserting 1/3 deep (about 3-5 cm), and press slightly firm. After watering, tightly cover the pot mouth with a transparent plastic bag, place in a shaded place, and rooting occurs after about 25-40 days. During this period, open the film every 5-7 days to let in air (for one hour); generally no need to supplement water, and if it is too dry, you can spray some water with your mouth.
[Pest and disease control] If insect pests are found, spray with household aerosol insecticide; if disease is found, directly cut off the diseased leaves or branches.
[Post-flowering treatment]
[Repotting] With care according to the above methods, osmanthus can grow well. After spring begins the next year, change the osmanthus into a slightly larger flower pot. First place 3 cm of nutrient soil at the bottom of the large pot, add two capfuls of compound fertilizer and scatter it evenly; then lay the osmanthus on its side, cut off the roots outside the hole at the bottom of the pot, shake it gently a few times, and pull out the osmanthus together with the soil ball, being careful not to let it break apart. Place it into the large pot, adding soil while pressing slightly firm, and water.
Osmanthus, Oleaceae. Evergreen tree, up to 10 m tall, with luxuriant branches and leaves. Leaves opposite, elliptical, with fine serrations on the leaf margin, leathery, dark green. Drupe ovoid. Flowers solitary in leaf axils, or clustered at the branch tips, white, opening in September-October, with a rich fragrance. Its delicate fragrance wafts far and is rich and deep, with an abundant aroma: hence there are words of praise such as "dense leaves of a thousand layers of green, flowers blooming like ten thousand dots of gold," "its delicate fragrance does not mix with the common flowers," and "it alone dominates the three autumns and outshines all other flowers."
There are many varieties of osmanthus. Generally, those with yellow-white or light yellow flowers are called Yinguì; those with yellow flowers are called Jinguì; those with orange-red flowers are called Danguì. Among them, the August osmanthus has the strongest fragrance and is the finest among osmanthus. In addition, there is Sijigui, which has a lighter fragrance but can bloom continuously many times. It is native to the southwest and central parts of our country. It is widely planted south of the Yangtze River, with the most cultivation in Suzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu and other places. Xianning in Hubei and Guilin in Guangxi are especially abundant producers, and various places in North China often grow it as potted plants.
Osmanthus likes a warm, humid climate, is cold-tolerant, and is suitable for planting in sunny, well-drained sandy soil. Applying base fertilizer in winter and topdressing in early summer can promote growth and flowering. It is generally propagated by layering (ground layering or air layering), cuttings or grafting.
Growth Habits of Osmanthus
Osmanthus is [a plant] of the subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest region. Those that are yellow are Jinguì, and those that are red are named Danguì. There are those that bloom in autumn, those that bloom in spring, those that bloom in all four seasons, and those that bloom month by month," classifying osmanthus varieties. Wen Zhenheng of the same era also gave a detailed account of the cultivation, arrangement and application of osmanthus in his Superfluous Things. In the Qing Dynasty, Chen Haozi's Flower Mirror, building on predecessors, made a systematic record of osmanthus, but in the end no monograph devoted to osmanthus appeared.
Osmanthus Varieties
Sijigui flowers are small and hard to photograph
Because osmanthus has long been subjected to artificial cultivation, natural hybridization and artificial selection, rich and diverse cultivated varieties have been formed. In recent years, major cities across the country have conducted extensive surveys of osmanthus resources and varieties, recorded osmanthus flowering traits on the spot, analyzed and compared the traits of various types of osmanthus, selected relatively stable genetic traits, and, considering traditional classification methods and applications in garden production, identified and sorted out four cultivar groups of osmanthus.
Sijigui cultivar group: blooms in all four seasons, with varieties such as "Yueyuegui," "Rixiang Gui," "Daye Fodingzhu," and "Chiye Sijigui."
Yinguì cultivar group: blooms in autumn, with flower colors of pure white, milky white and yellow-white, with varieties such as "Zi Yinguì" (seed-bearing), "Jiulonggui," "Early Yinguì," "Late Yinguì," and "Baijie."
Jinguì cultivar group: blooms in autumn, with flowers from light lemon yellow to golden yellow, with varieties such as "Dahua Jinguì," "Dayehua," "Huangchuan Jinguì," "Wan Jinguì," and "Yuanye Jinguì."
Danguì cultivar group: blooms in autumn, with relatively deep flower colors, from orange-yellow and orange-red to vermilion, with varieties such as "Dahua Danguì," "Chi Danguì," "Zhusha Danguì," and "Kuanyehong." Each cultivar group has some varieties worthy of promotion and application. For example, in the Sijigui cultivar group, "Rixiang Gui" and "Daye Fodingzhu" are both small shrubs, 0.5-1.5 m tall. "Rixiang Gui" has light yellow flowers, and the nodes of the same branch bloom in succession, with flowers almost every day, hence the name. There are now large numbers of mother plants in Cangxi, Sichuan. "Daye Fodingzhu" has flowers from milky white to pure white, with dense inflorescences, and a unique terminal inflorescence. Its flowering period runs continuously from spring to autumn. They have very high ornamental value, and can be potted indoors or planted in large areas in the open field.
Different regions can choose different species or varieties for propagation according to different needs. For example, for the purpose of harvesting flowers, it is suitable to choose high-yield types with abundant and dense flowers, such as "Huangchuan Jinguì," "Jinguì," "Zi Yinguì," "Dahua Danguì," and "Chenghong Danguì," which bloom and drop flowers neatly. For the purpose of viewing flowers and enjoying fragrance, it is suitable to choose "Dahua Danguì," "Zi Danguì," "Zhusha Danguì," "Dahua Jinguì," and "Yuanban Jinguì." For use as shrubs, potted plants or bonsai, it is suitable to choose "Rixiang Gui," "Daye Fodingzhu," "Yueyuegui," "Sijigui," "Jiulonggui," and "Liuyegui." For use as trees or as the main landscape feature of a courtyard, it is suitable to choose "Daye Huang Yinguì," "Jinguì," "Daye Danguì," "Dadan Jinguì," and "Chenghong Danguì."
Some osmanthus plants bear fruit, and some do not. Generally, the drupe matures in April-May of the following year. Sowing it generally takes 5-6 years to bloom. Asexual propagation by branch cuttings, grafting or layering can bloom in the same year. A Song Dynasty record says: "When the moon is about to be full the flowers are just right; after the flowers are about to fade the moon wanes again. Know that the things of heaven and the world alike bear the clear autumn at one time," pointing out its basic flowering pattern: that is, on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month each year when the moon is full, osmanthus blooms profusely, and after half a month the flowers have faded and the moon has also waned.
Osmanthus likes warmth and has strong stress resistance, tolerating both high temperature and relatively cold conditions. Therefore, in areas south of the Qinling Mountains and Huaihe River in our country, it can overwinter in the open ground.
Osmanthus relatively likes sunlight and can also tolerate shade. Under full sunlight its branches and leaves grow luxuriantly and it blooms densely; in shaded places it grows sparse branches and leaves and blooms sparsely. If potted indoors in the north, special attention should be paid to having sufficient light, to facilitate growth and flower bud formation.
Osmanthus likes moisture by nature, and must never be waterlogged, but it also has a certain drought tolerance.
The ancients recorded a great deal about the weather conditions for osmanthus blooming. In the Tang Dynasty, Wang Jian wrote in "Looking at the Moon on the Night of the Fifteenth": "The cold dew is silent and wets the osmanthus"; Liu Zongyuan wrote "the dew is dense on the osmanthus of the front mountain"; Bai Juyi wrote "Heaven steams the cold fragrance with autumn air, the moon borrows golden waves to pick the yellow seeds"; in the Song Dynasty, Lu You wrote: "Heavy dew dampens the fragrance on the quiet path at dawn, the slanting sun warms the stamens, beautiful at the small window." In the poems, "cold dew" and "dense dew" indicate that the flowering weather should be cool in the morning and evening; "warming and steaming" indicate that the weather will also once again show relatively high temperatures. This kind of weather, cool in the morning and evening and hot during the day, is not only beneficial to the nutritional accumulation of the osmanthus tree, but also promotes the formation of rain and dew, and the osmanthus tree then accelerates its flowering. People in Suzhou call this "muxi steaming." Around Mid-Autumn, the weather suddenly becomes hot, just like summer, and once the osmanthus is steamed and suffused, it blooms profusely and at great length. Osmanthus flowering requires a certain humidity and also a certain temperature difference.
Osmanthus is not very strict about soil requirements. Apart from alkaline soil and low-lying land or overly heavy, poorly drained soil, it can generally grow, but deep, loose, fertile, well-drained, micro-acidic sandy loam is the most suitable.
Osmanthus has a certain resistance to harmful gases such as chlorine gas, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen fluoride, and also has a relatively strong ability to absorb and retain dust. It is often used for greening in cities and industrial and mining areas.
Osmanthus Propagation and Processing
Osmanthus, also known as muxi, is an evergreen small tree. It is a precious ornamental aromatic plant, blooming in autumn, with a delicate fragrance that is deep and refreshing. Osmanthus is a specialty of our country and one of our country's main aromatic raw materials. Osmanthus can be used to extract aromatic oil and is a precious spice. Essences and perfumed products made from pure osmanthus oil, such as osmanthus wine, osmanthus sugar, osmanthus preserves, perfume, and toilet soap, sell well in domestic and international markets.
1. Main varieties. There are relatively many varieties of osmanthus, including Jinguì, Yinguì, Danguì, Sijigui, and Yueyuegui. Among them, Jinguì has a strong fragrance and also blooms abundantly, with high ornamental and economic value. Sijigui has a long flowering period and will bloom except in severe winter and intense summer heat, with the most abundant blooming in autumn, but its tree shape is short and small and its fragrance is relatively light, so it is only suitable for courtyard planting for viewing.
2. Propagation methods. Osmanthus can be propagated by sowing, approach grafting, cut grafting, layering and cuttings, generally mainly by approach grafting and cuttings. The rootstock for approach grafting is small-leaf privet. After joining, it can bloom in the same year. Approach grafting is mostly carried out in summer. Using the cutting method can propagate large numbers of osmanthus seedlings, mostly choosing February when the tree sap is about to flow. To promote rooting and prevent disease, the cuttings are sprayed with an 800-**** times trichlorfon solution 1 month before cutting, then disinfected with lime water 10-15 days before cutting, and just before cutting the base of the cuttings is soaked in a 10×10-6 naphthaleneacetic acid solution for 8-10 hours. The cuttings are inserted 2/3 deep into the soil. After cutting, water thoroughly immediately, and maintain a certain humidity regularly. A shade net can also be set up above the seedbed. Rooting occurs after about 2 months. Transplant once the second year, and in the third year they can leave the nursery for planting.
3. Cultivation key points. Osmanthus likes dryness. Apart from paying attention to watering and moisturizing when transplanting, it generally does not need irrigation, so it requires well-drained soil. Usually large trees grow branches once a year, and young trees grow branches 2-3 times. Fertilizer can be applied once each year in December, June and September before branch growth or flowering. In the early stage of spring sprouting, heavy fertilizer should not be applied. Pig and cattle manure, soybean cake and the like are good fertilizers. From May to October, timely cultivating, loosening soil and weeding should be carried out to maintain soil moisture and avoid weeds competing with the trees for fertilizer. Osmanthus has a developed root system and many fibrous roots, and strong adaptability. It is easy to transplant and survive. Generally, for trees under 20 years old, it is easy to transplant and survive in both spring and autumn.
4. Harvesting and processing. In September and October when the flowers bloom and fragrance wafts, collect the osmanthus, mix it with alum (3.5%) and press it firmly. After a few days, press and squeeze out the juice so that it keeps its original flower weight, then add the same amount of sugar, mix well and put it into a jar. It can be used as the raw material for osmanthus buns, osmanthus glutinous rice balls, osmanthus wine and osmanthus preserves. The collected osmanthus can also be extracted with petroleum ether as solvent. The extract is clarified, filtered and concentrated under normal pressure and low pressure, and finally de-etherified to make osmanthus concrete. The yield of osmanthus concrete is about 0.17%. By repeatedly extracting the concrete with ethanol, pure osmanthus oil can be made, which is a natural precious spice. The osmanthus residue after extraction, with an appropriate amount of osmanthus essence and white sugar added, becomes osmanthus sugar, which can be used to prepare ordinary foods.
Osmanthus only blooms profusely in the eighth lunar month, and Sijigui is the same. Although it also blooms in the other three seasons, it blooms relatively little. To grow osmanthus, use moderately acidic soil for planting, such as humus soil, pine needle soil, Yuexi soil (grass-root soil) and other acidic soils mixed with garden soil for planting, with a ratio of 5:5 or 4:6 (acid soil:garden soil). In summer, place it where the sun cannot shine directly, with diffused light being sufficient. In autumn, winter and spring, place it in a place with sufficient light. Keep the soil moist. If you want more flowers and more fragrance, use potassium dihydrogen phosphate more to force flowering, with a ratio of 1:100, spraying once every 10 days. For irrigation, just keep applying thin fertilizer frequently. Do not fertilize in winter.
[Preventing Diseases of Osmanthus Trees]
I. Identification and Control of Major Diseases of Osmanthus
1. Leaf spot disease
The lesions occur on both sides of the leaves. In the early stage of the disease, only some scattered brown spots appear on the leaf surface. Later, the center of the lesion on the leaf surface becomes grayish white to light brown, roughly round or irregular in shape, and in severe cases several lesions merge together; the edge of the lesion is reddish brown to dark brown, with a light brown halo outside, and a large number of tiny gray-black mold spots are scattered on the upper surface of the leaf. These are the conidiomata and conidia of the pathogen; the lesion on the underside of the leaf is brown; because the lesions gradually expand and merge into large patches, they often cause a large number of leaves to wither and drop, seriously affecting the normal growth and flowering of the plant. The pathogen of this disease overwinters as mycelial masses on diseased plants and fallen leaves. When the temperature rises from April to June of the following year, new conidia are produced and spread by airflow and rainwater to cause infection and damage, and then new conidia are produced again for reinfection and disease development. This disease can occur from April to October; on the plant, old leaves are more severely affected than young leaves. The 'Jingui' cultivar is the most susceptible, the 'Yingui' cultivar is next, and the 'Dangui' cultivar is not easily affected; plants that are weak in growth or were transplanted in the current year are prone to the disease; under conditions of compacted, sticky soil and insufficient fertility, the disease easily occurs; in the hot and humid season from July to August, the disease can spread rapidly.
Control methods: Strengthen water and fertilizer management, loosen the soil frequently, avoid water accumulation in the soil, promote vigorous plant growth, and improve the plant's disease resistance; in winter, thoroughly remove diseased leaves and burn them in a centralized manner to reduce overwintering pathogens, which can significantly inhibit the occurrence of the disease in the following year; in spring, from the time the osmanthus plant sprouts and grows leaves until the leaves harden, spray once every half month with 1:2:100 lime double-strength Bordeaux mixture to prevent the occurrence of the disease; in the early stage of the disease, spray with 50% Duo-liu suspension concentrate 800 times solution, or spray with 50% carbendazim plus 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 500 times solution, or spray with 50% zineb wettable powder 800 times solution; 25% propiconazole emulsifiable concentrate 5000 times solution can also be used for spraying, with an interval of 48 days. When seedlings from severely affected areas leave the nursery, they can be sprayed with 0.1% potassium permanganate solution for sterilization.
2. Leaf blight
Also called leaf spot disease, it is an important disease of osmanthus. It mainly harms leaves. The lesions mostly start at the leaf tip or leaf margin, initially as yellow-green or light brown small spots, then gradually expand, becoming reddish brown to grayish brown, nearly round or irregular in shape; the back of the lesion is lighter in color, with a dark brown edge; the lesion sometimes curls and becomes brittle and cracked, and several lesions can merge with each other to cover 1/2-1/3 of the leaf, or form irregular large patches; in the later stage, many small black granular dots are scattered on the lesion, which are the pycnidia of the pathogen. The disease can occur throughout the year, causing large areas of leaves to dry up and leading to premature shedding; leaves in the middle and lower part of the canopy are affected more severely than those at the top, and old leaves are affected more severely than new leaves. Its pathogen overwinters as mycelium and pycnidia on diseased leaves. In spring, when temperature and humidity are suitable, conidia infect and cause disease, spreading by wind and rain, especially most severe from July to November; when the temperature is 20-27°C, with more rain or high humidity, poor ventilation and air permeability, insufficient fertilizer, weak tree vigor, or when suffering freezing damage or mechanical injury, the disease is likely to occur; in hot and dry weather without timely watering, the condition worsens.
Control methods: In late autumn and early winter, thoroughly remove diseased leaves and burn them in a centralized manner or bury them deeply to reduce overwintering pathogens, which can effectively inhibit the occurrence of the disease in the following year; for transplanted seedlings or introduced seedlings, remove diseased leaves and burn them in a centralized manner. If necessary, before leaving the nursery, spray the seedlings with 50% carbendazim wettable powder 500 times solution or 0.1% potassium permanganate solution for sterilization and disinfection; strengthen management, apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, loosen the soil and weed frequently, prevent soil compaction or water accumulation, and water and spray promptly in hot and dry weather to increase the disease resistance of osmanthus plants; in areas with severe disease, starting in late June, spray once every half month with 70% mancozeb wettable powder 500 times solution, or 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 800 times solution, or 1:2:100 lime double-strength Bordeaux mixture, for 3-4 consecutive times, with good control effect; 25% propiconazole emulsifiable concentrate 5000 times solution can also be used for spraying, with an interval of 48 days.
3. Sooty mold
It mainly appears as a layer of gray-black powdery material of varying shades covering the leaf surface and branches, sometimes even forming a black film. The cause is that when insects such as aphids, scale insects, and whiteflies pierce and suck on osmanthus, the excretions they secrete cause parasitism by various fungi, thereby inducing the dark, grayish sooty mold. It usually occurs in hot and humid seasons and in stuffy, humid, shaded, poorly ventilated environments. The gray-black sooty layer not only affects the ornamental value of the osmanthus plant, but also affects the photosynthesis of the leaves, causing poor plant growth and causing affected leaves to turn yellow, wilt, and then shed prematurely.
Control methods: Strengthen the shaping and pruning of osmanthus plants to ensure ventilation and light penetration inside the canopy and promote good plant growth; when insects such as aphids, scale insects, and whiteflies are found piercing and sucking on osmanthus, carry out timely and effective control to kill them; for potted plants, frequently spray water to wash the leaf surface; in the early stage of the disease, spray the branches and leaves with 50% Jia-liu suspension concentrate 500 times solution, or 50% carbendazim wettable powder 800 times solution, or 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 500 times solution, with good control effect.
4. Chlorosis
That is, iron-deficiency chlorosis. If it is mild iron deficiency, it appears as yellowing between the veins of young leaves, while the vein tissue remains green; if it is severe iron deficiency, it appears as yellowing of all new and old leaves, young leaves gradually stop growing, some old leaves develop yellow-brown spots, and the plant cannot grow and flower normally, seriously affecting the ornamental effect and flower harvest yield. The causes are: first, field-planted plants due to alkaline soil; second, potted plants due to improper formula proportions when preparing the potting soil, causing pH imbalance; third, osmanthus planted after urban and rural demolition of illegal structures due to incomplete cleanup of building debris; fourth, management mistakes, such as irrigation water with too high a pH; thus causing the iron element in the soil to exist in the form of poorly soluble ferric hydroxide, which cannot be absorbed by the osmanthus root system.
Control methods: For mild iron deficiency, apply 0.5% ferrous sulfate solution to the roots and spray 0.2% ferrous sulfate solution on the leaves; when iron deficiency is severe, apply 20-40 grams of chelated iron [F-EDTA (ferric ethylenediaminetetraacetate)] to the soil around the root zone of each osmanthus plant (including potted osmanthus), and at the same time spray the leaves with 0.1% chelated iron solution; in the spring new shoot growth season, spray the leaf surface with 0.2% ferrous sulfate solution once every half month; when preparing potting soil for pots, use 0.5% ferrous sulfate solution to adjust its pH to below 6.5.
5. Dry rot
It mainly occurs on larger newly transplanted osmanthus plants. In landscaping or transplantation of large osmanthus trees, due to injuries from digging, scratches during long-distance transport, binding injuries during lifting and planting, accidental impacts, and other reasons, the bark of the main trunk or large branches of the osmanthus plant is severely damaged, or large pieces of bark are torn off, and if timely and proper protection is not provided, rainwater and sewage infect the wounds, inducing massive invasion and parasitism by fungi (such as wood-rotting fungi) and bacteria (such as soil Agrobacterium), causing the wounds to rot, the xylem to be exposed, or tumors to form, resulting in poor plant growth, massive leaf shedding, and death of large branches, and in severe cases causing the death of the entire osmanthus plant.
Control methods: For small wounds on the main trunk or large branches, apply wound healing agent promptly; for smaller wounds with local or minor rot, clean the wound locally until fresh xylem and phloem are exposed, then apply wound healing agent on the fresh wound, which can promote the wound to heal as quickly as possible; for old large wounds on the trunk where the phloem has long been destroyed and the xylem has been exposed for many years, clean the rotted exposed xylem, and regularly apply lime-sulfur mixture for antisepsis every year, or use two-component "Yunshi adhesive" after color adjustment and quickly apply it to the fresh wound, for better protection; for thick large osmanthus plants whose main trunk has already formed a cavity, first thoroughly remove the rotted part, taking care not to destroy the isolation layer between the rotted xylem and the unrotted xylem, and fill the cavity with polyurethane foam.
II. Identification and Control of Major Insect Pests of Osmanthus
The main types of osmanthus insect pests include slug moths, mites, scale insects, whiteflies, Psilogramma menephron, bagworms, planthoppers, Atractomorpha sinensis, etc., among which mites, scale insects, and whiteflies are the most severe and widespread.
1. Carmine spider mite
The mites harmful to osmanthus are mainly Panonychus citri and Tetranychus cinnabarinus, and their occurrence has been very severe in all parts of the province in recent years.
The adult carmine spider mite is 0.5-0.6 mm long; the female mite is oval, vermilion to rust red, or dark brown to blackish brown; the male mite is slightly diamond-shaped, light yellow, slightly smaller, with a body length of 0.3-0.4 mm. The egg is round, light red to pink. The larva is nearly round when newly hatched, translucent, and its body becomes dark green after feeding. The nymph is oval, with a darker body color. It can occur 10-15 generations a year. In the south, it overwinters as adult mites, nymphs, and eggs on host plants and weeds; in the following spring, when the average temperature reaches above 7°C, it begins to move, feed, reproduce, and cause damage. Adults, larvae, and nymphs all like to gather on the underside of leaves to feed, and eggs are mostly laid on both sides of the veins on the underside of leaves or under dense fine silk webs. Each female mite can lay 50-500 eggs in her lifetime. The hot and dry season is most conducive to its major outbreak, causing the leaves of an entire plant or a patch of osmanthus grove to become grayish yellow, seriously affecting the growth, flowering, and display appreciation of osmanthus. The optimum temperature for the occurrence of this pest is 25°C-30°C, and the optimum relative air humidity is 35%-55%. Strong winds and heavy rain can wash away the mites and reduce population density.
Control methods: Protect natural enemies, such as Stethorus pusillus, Orius similis, Scolothrips takahashii, Chrysopa sinica, Chrysopa septempunctata, etc.; in winter, remove weeds under the trees and burn them, and use 0.3-0.5 degrees Baumé lime-sulfur mixture to kill overwintering adult mites, nymphs, and eggs; in the early stage of occurrence, spray with 25% Beileba (main ingredient azocyclotin) 1500 times solution; or spray with 1% abamectin emulsifiable concentrate (main ingredient avermectin) 2000 times solution; in addition, pesticides such as hexythiazox, fenpropathrin, and Miejisi can also be used for spraying.
2. Cottony cushion scale
The scale insects harmful to osmanthus include Aonidiella aurantii, Temnaspidiotus destructor, Ceroplastes rubens, Coccus hesperidum, Icerya purchasi, Parlatoria pergandii, Pseudaulacaspis cockerelli, Chrysomphalus bifasciculatus, Unaspis yanonensis, Lopholeucaspis japonica, Chloropulvinaria aurantii, Ovalaspis ovalis, Chrysomphalus aonidum, Lepidosaphes laterochitinosa, Aspidiotus destructor, etc. Among them, Icerya purchasi, Parlatoria pergandii, Lopholeucaspis japonica, and Chloropulvinaria aurantii are especially widespread.
Cottony cushion scale: the adult body is 5-7 mm long; the female is oval, orange-red, flat on the ventral side, raised on the dorsal side, and before laying eggs secretes a white egg sac behind the abdomen, with 14-16 longitudinal lines on it; the male is small and slender over the whole abdomen, about 3 mm long, with a black thorax and orange-red abdomen, narrow and long black forewings, and hindwings degenerated into hooks. The egg is oval, 0.7 mm long, orange-red, densely packed in the female's egg sac. The nymph is oval, orange-red, with a light yellow waxy powder covering the back. The pupa is 3.5 mm long, orange-red, scattered with light yellowish-brown fine hairs and covered with a white waxy thin powder. The cocoon is long oval, white, composed of loose waxy filaments, with white waxy powder on the outside. This insect occurs 2-3 generations a year, with overlapping generations; most female adults gather and fix in one place, secrete a white waxy egg sac at the end of the abdomen, and lay eggs while secreting wax, with an egg-laying period of more than 30 days, and each female can lay hundreds to 2000 eggs; males are few and mostly reproduce by parthenogenesis; after hatching, the larvae disperse and move, then migrate from tender shoots and the underside of leaves to branches and trunks where they live in groups, suck the tree's sap, and excrete honeydew, inducing sooty mold. Because insect and disease damage interact, they often cause osmanthus leaves to turn yellow and shoots to wither.
Control methods: Usually use less pesticide and protect natural enemies well; when a small number of insects are found, wipe them off and crush them to death promptly; in winter, spray 0.3-0.5 degrees Baumé lime-sulfur mixture to kill overwintering pests; at the peak of egg hatching, spray with 15% buprofezin wettable powder 2000 times solution, or spray with 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate 1500 times solution, or spray with 40% Supesha emulsifiable concentrate 3000 times solution.
3. Tea bagworm
Bagworms, also called "hanging ghosts." The bagworm pests harmful to osmanthus include tea bagworm, large bagworm, small bagworm, etc. Their common feature is that the insect body hides in a bag, and the larvae and female adults gnaw leaves and tender branches. In severe cases, they can eat all the leaves of the whole plant, and when high temperature and drought last for a long time, the damage is even more severe.
Tea bagworm: adults are dioecious; the female adult is wingless, 12-16 mm long, maggot-shaped, stout, with a small head and a pair of spines; the male is 11-15 mm long, with a wingspan of 22-30 mm, and both body and wings are dark brown, with a transparent rectangular spot near the wing tip and near the center of the outer margin of the forewing; the egg is oval, milky yellow-white, about 0.8 mm long; the mature larva is 10-26 mm long, with brown longitudinal bands on the subdorsal line of each thoracic segment and on the spiracular line of the mesothorax and metathorax, with jade-white between the bands; the pupa is hammer-shaped in the female, dark brown, with a small head and curved thorax, 14-18 mm long, and brown in the male, 11-13 mm long, with the abdomen curved into a hook shape and a pair of anal spines; the protective case is olive-shaped, dark brown, silky, up to 25-30 mm long, with fragments of branch bark and cut small twigs attached on the outside, neatly arranged in parallel longitudinal splits. This insect occurs 2-3 generations a year and overwinters as mature larvae; adult emergence often occurs in the afternoon, and mating occurs the next evening; after emergence, the female remains in the case, while the male flies near the female's case to mate; eggs are laid inside the case, with each female laying about 500 eggs; after hatching, the larvae crawl from the excretion hole of the protective case to the branches and leaves, spin silk and hang down, spread with the wind to surrounding hosts to feed, and use silk to bind leaves and small twigs into a protective case; when crawling and feeding, the head and thorax are exposed outside the case, and the protective case hangs from the abdomen; feeding mostly occurs in the early morning, evening, or on cloudy days, and they rarely feed at noon on sunny days; in the early stage, they feed on the leaf mesophyll, leaving the epidermis as transparent spots; as the larval instar increases, they eat the leaves into holes and notches, and when there are many insects, they can eat all the leaves of the whole plant and also chew the bark, flowers, and fruits.
Control methods: Manually remove the protective cases and kill the larvae; protect natural enemies; use black light lamps and frequency oscillation lamps to trap and kill adults; spray 2 billion/g cotton bollworm nuclear polyhedrosis virus suspension 1000 times solution at the peak of egg laying; at the peak of second-instar larvae, spray 90% trichlorfon crystal 1000 times solution, 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate 1000 times solution, 1.2% nicotine anabasine 1000 times solution, and diflubenzuron No. 3 1000-2000 times solution for control.
3. Psilogramma menephron
The adult is 45-50 mm long, with dark gray body and wings mixed with frosty white powder; the wingspan is 90-130 mm, the thorax notum has brownish semicircular stripes, the middle of the forewing has two brown wavy horizontal lines, there are two black longitudinal lines below the median cell, and a black curved line at the wing apex; the hindwing is brown, and the outer margins of both forewings and hindwings are formed by alternating black and white small square spots connected together. The egg is spherical, green when newly laid, later turning yellow. The larva is green, 75-96 mm long, with a pale green head, green thorax, and 8-9 rows of transversely arranged granules on the back; the abdomen is yellow-green, with 7 white oblique bands on the sides; the tail horn is brownish green, with purple-brown granules on it, 12-13 mm long; the spiracles are brown, the thoracic legs are yellow-brown, and the prolegs are green. The pupa is reddish brown, 50-60 mm long. This insect occurs 3 generations a year in the Yangtze River basin, overwintering as pupae in the soil. The overwintering generation moth period is from early to mid-April to late July, the first generation from mid-to-late July to early-to-mid September, and the second generation from mid-to-late September to early October. Adults rest during the day in hidden places in tree clusters, branches and leaves, weeds, crops, and buildings, and fly out at dusk to be active. Mating and egg laying both occur at night. They have strong flying ability and strong phototaxis; adults mostly lay eggs on the underside of leaves. Newly hatched larvae feed on the leaf surface, and when slightly larger they gnaw the leaves into notches and holes, and may even eat all the leaves; mature larvae enter the soil to pupate.
Control methods: Turn the soil in winter to kill overwintering pupae; use black light lamps to trap and kill adults; if Psilogramma menephron larvae appear on a small number of individual osmanthus plants, they can be manually captured and killed; before the third-instar larvae, spray 90% trichlorfon crystal 1000 times solution, 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate 1000 times solution, and 10 billion/g Bacillus thuringiensis spore powder 500 times solution.
4. Parasa lepida
Slug moths, that is, "stinging caterpillars." The slug moths harmful to osmanthus include Monema flavescens, Parasa lepida, Setora postornata, Thosea sinensis, and Latoia hilarata, etc. Their larvae can sometimes eat all the leaves of osmanthus and other plants, causing the affected branches to wither, hindering osmanthus growth, and reducing the ornamental and economic value of the flowers and trees.
Parasa lepida adult: body length 16-18 mm, emerald green, with one quadrilateral dark brown spot at the wing base, and the hindwing light brown. The egg is oval, 0.9-1 mm, yellow-green. The mature larva is about 24 mm long, emerald green, with a reddish-brown head, 3 blue-purple and dark green lines on the center of the back, blue patches and stinging branches on the back, a pair of orange-red stinging spines on the dorsum of the first abdominal segment, and a black velvet-ball-like hair tuft at the end of the abdomen. The pupa is oval, 14-17 mm long, yellow-brown; the cocoon is dark brown, flat, covered with white silk-like material, oval, 14-17 mm long. This insect occurs 2-3 generations a year in the Yangtze River basin and overwinters as mature larvae in cocoons on branches and trunks; it pupates from April to May of the following year, and mid-May to early June and early August to mid-September are the emergence and egg-laying periods of the first and second generation adults. Adults have strong phototaxis, can mate on the night of emergence, and begin laying eggs the next day, with a single female laying 600-900 eggs. Eggs are laid in numbers from several to more than a hundred, mostly 30-40, concentrated on the underside of young leaves and arranged in a fish-scale pattern. Newly hatched larvae only feed on the leaf mesophyll and lower epidermis, leaving the upper epidermis; after the third instar they bite through the epidermis, and after the fifth instar they feed on the entire leaf. The larvae have 7 instars in total and like to gather; after the fifth instar they gradually disperse. Mature larvae form cocoons in bark crevices, at the base of the trunk, and other places, and some of the first generation form cocoons on the underside of leaves.
Control methods: Check osmanthus plants promptly for white to semi-transparent damaged leaves. For leaves with large numbers of larvae, wear gloves and remove them promptly to kill them, to prevent being stung by their poisonous hairs; manually scrape off overwintering cocoons on branches and trunks, which can reduce the overwintering population and prevent severe occurrence the following year; use black light lamps to trap and kill emerged adults and reduce the number of next-generation larvae; during the larval stage, use biological pesticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki for control; during the larval occurrence period, spray 90% trichlorfon crystal 1000 times solution, 0.3% azadirachtin emulsifiable concentrate 600 times solution, 1.25% nicotine anabasine 1000 times solution, and 1.2% diflubenzuron 8000 times solution to kill the larvae.
5. Whiteflies
The whitefly pests harmful to osmanthus mainly include Trialeurodes vaporariorum, Dialeurodes citri, Aleurocanthus spiniferus, Dialeurodes citrifolii, and osmanthus whitefly (in Hefei, Chuzhou, and Wuhu cities), etc. They mainly use the mouthparts of adults and larvae to pierce into the leaf mesophyll on the underside of leaves and suck sap, causing osmanthus leaves to curl, lose greenness and turn yellow, and even dry up; the large amount of honeydew they excrete seriously pollutes the branches and leaves of osmanthus and can induce sooty mold, causing poor growth of osmanthus and thereby affecting the normal flowering and display appreciation of the plant.
Control methods: Protect natural enemies, such as Amitus spiniferus, Prospaltella longifuniculata, Amitus aleurocanthus, yellow Encyrtidae, green lacewings, lady beetles, chalcid wasps, predatory mites, etc.; for whiteflies, yellow sticky traps can be used to trap and kill adults; whiteflies have strong pesticide resistance, so when choosing pesticides for control, attention should be paid to the principle of alternating use and mixed use, for example, 10% buprofezin emulsifiable concentrate 1000 times solution, 10% imidacloprid wettable powder 2000 times solution, 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate 1500 times solution, 25% buprofezin wettable powder 2000 times solution, and 20% fenvalerate 2000 times solution can be used alternately.
After checking the information, the branching characteristic of osmanthus is that one branch grows to the top, with few branches. To make a dwarf tree shape, the main trunk must be cut off (the main trunk of this one of mine is about 23 cm high), then the side branches below it should be bent horizontally and topped, also about 20 cm long, spreading out around, so that the new branches on the horizontal side branches grow vertically upward, forming a hemispherical crown. In one year, new branches are produced twice, in spring and autumn, about 20 to 30 each time. When the new branches are small and thin, do not apply fertilizer. Wait until they have grown fully before fertilizing. Fertilizer should be applied frequently, but not concentrated.
Osmanthus Osmanthus fragrans Osmanthus illustrated guide: How to grow osmanthus / How to propagate osmanthus
Osmanthus profileOsmanthus Osmanthus fragrans
Osmanthus cultivation methods and precautions Introduction to osmanthus
Osmanthus (English: Sweet Olive), Oleaceae, Osmanthus genus, also known as "rock osmanthus" and "muxi," commonly called osmanthus tree. It is an evergreen shrub or small tree, a temperate tree species. The leaves are opposite, mostly elliptical or long elliptical, the leaf surface is smooth, leathery, and the leaf margin is serrated. The flowers are clustered, and the corolla splits to the base, with colors including milky white, yellow, and orange-red. In China, more than 20 cities, including Xinyang City, Quzhou City, and Hanzhong City, use osmanthus as their city flower or city tree. Osmanthus is praised by the world for its calm and steadfast character. From "Zaijingtang Collection - Jiangnan Jingshi Poetry Draft - Osmanthus": "The jade tree stands quietly as the severe season comes, and after a thousand flowers are killed, its flowers bloom. Pure and steadfast, it creates a pure fragrant realm, and the desolate earth depends on it for recovery." Related plays and songs include "Osmanthus Blooming Everywhere in August," etc.
Morphological characteristics of osmanthus
Osmanthus is an evergreen shrub or small tree, a temperate tree species. The leaves are opposite, mostly elliptical or long elliptical, the leaf surface is smooth, leathery, and the leaf margin is serrated.
Osmanthus flowers are clustered, and the corolla splits to the base, with colors including milky white, yellow, and orange-red.
Ecological habits of osmanthus
Osmanthus adapts to subtropical climate regions and likes warmth and humidity. The average temperature in the planting area is 14-28°C, the average July temperature is 24-28°C, the average January temperature is above 0°C, it can tolerate a minimum temperature of -13°C, and the optimum growth temperature is 15-28°C. Humidity is extremely important for the growth and development of osmanthus, requiring an annual average humidity of 75%-85% and annual precipitation of about 1000 mm, especially needing more water during the young stage and when adult trees are flowering. If drought is encountered, flowering will be affected. Strong sunlight and shade are unfavorable to its growth, and generally 6-8 hours of light per day are required.
Osmanthus likes a warm environment and is suitable for growing in deep, well-drained, fertile, humus-rich, slightly acidic sandy soil. It is not tolerant of drought and barrenness. In shallow, compacted, and infertile soil, it grows especially slowly, with sparse branches and leaves, small and thin leaves, yellowed leaf color, no flowering or very little flowering, and even periodic dieback of the top, and in severe cases the entire osmanthus plant dies; it likes sunlight but has a certain ability to tolerate shade. Young trees need some shade, and after maturity they require relatively sufficient light to ensure normal growth of osmanthus. According to observation, when one side of a single osmanthus canopy is close to a wall, or when the canopies of two osmanthus trees overlap each other, the side close to the wall or the overlapping part of the canopy quickly becomes sparse, affecting the shape and beauty of the entire canopy.
It can be seen that osmanthus is suitable for planting in ventilated and light-transmitting places; osmanthus likes a clean and ventilated environment and is not tolerant of smoke and dust damage, and after being damaged it often cannot bloom; it fears waterlogging and standing water. If affected by waterlogging, the root system turns black and rots, the leaves first scorch at the tips, then the whole leaf turns yellow and falls off, and then the whole plant dies; it is not very cold-resistant, but compared with other evergreen broad-leaved tree species, it is still a relatively cold-resistant tree species, which provides more possibilities for potted osmanthus cultivation in the north.
Cultivation techniques and key cultivation points of osmanthus
1. Planting: It should be chosen in spring or autumn, especially best planted on cloudy or rainy days. Choose a ventilated, well-drained, and warm place; sufficient light or a semi-shaded environment is acceptable. When transplanting, a soil ball must be made to ensure the survival rate. The planting soil should be slightly acidic, and alkaline soil should be avoided. The potting soil ratio for potted osmanthus is 2 parts leaf mold, 3 parts garden soil, 3 parts sandy soil, and 2 parts decomposed cake fertilizer. Mix them evenly, then pot or repot, which can be done before spring sprouting.
2. Light and temperature: In areas south of the Yellow River basin, it can be cultivated outdoors and overwinter. Potted plants should be moved indoors in winter and placed in a sunny place so they can fully receive direct sunlight. The room temperature should be kept above 5°C, but must not exceed 10°C. After sprouting in April of the following year, move them outdoors, first place them in a wind-sheltered and sunny place for care, and after stable growth gradually move them to a ventilated, sunny, or semi-shaded environment, then carry out normal management. Insufficient light during the growing period affects flower bud differentiation.
3. Watering and fertilizing: Before field planting, mix herbaceous ash and organic fertilizer into the planting hole first, and water thoroughly once after planting. Keep the soil moist before new branches emerge, and do not water with fertilizer solution. Generally, apply nitrogen fertilizer once in spring and phosphorus and potassium fertilizer once in summer to make the flowers abundant and the leaves lush. Before winter, apply overwintering organic fertilizer once, mainly decomposed cake fertilizer and barnyard manure. Avoid concentrated fertilizer, especially avoid human excrement and urine. Potted osmanthus in the north should be moved into a low-temperature greenhouse in winter, and indoors attention should be paid to ventilation and light transmission, with less watering. After moving out in April, the water amount can be appropriately increased. During the peak growth season, an appropriate amount of dilute fertilizer water can be applied, and during the flowering season the fertilizer water can be slightly more concentrated.
4. Shaping and pruning: Determine according to the tree, set the large framework well according to the tree posture, and remove other sucker shoots, overly dense branches, leggy branches, crossing branches, and diseased and weak branches to allow ventilation and light transmission. For trees that are strong above and weak below, the upper branches can be shortened by 1/3 to make the overall tree vigor strong. At the same time, apply wound healing and antiseptic film to the pruning cut to protect the wound.
5. Growing osmanthus in the north: Generally speaking, osmanthus is widely planted in the Huai River basin and areas to the south, and its suitable growing area can reach the lower reaches of the Yellow River in the north and Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan in the south. However, Beijing and Qingdao can also grow osmanthus. In "300 Questions on Home Flower Growing" by "Feng Tianzhe," it says that in winter, after the young osmanthus trees enter winter, water them once with antifreeze water and cultivate soil at the base to protect the roots, then wrap the trunk and branches with 7 layers of thick newspaper, and they can overwinter outdoors in Beijing. After three years, there is no need to wrap them for winter again.
Key cultivation points for container-grown osmanthus
1. Antifreeze measures: Osmanthus is slightly cold-resistant. Container-grown osmanthus seedlings potted from cuttings in the current year are prone to freezing damage, and generally should be moved into a greenhouse before the temperature is below 0°C.
2. Pest and disease control: Osmanthus is prone to anthracnose, brown spot disease, leaf blight, leaf branch disease, leaf roller moths, whiteflies, scale insects, bagworms, slug moths, osmanthus leafhoppers, and other pests and diseases. Observe promptly and spray pesticides promptly for control.
Cultivation management
In the warm areas of the Yangtze River basin and to the south, field planting is mostly used. For field planting, choose a site with sufficient sunlight, good drainage, deep topsoil, and light pollution. The planting holes for osmanthus should be dug deep and wide, and more barnyard manure, plant ash, and other base fertilizers should be applied. When planting, large seedlings must carry soil balls to ensure transplant survival. Planting should not be too deep. After the seedlings survive and recover, apply fertilizer once together with watering. After the flowers fade in winter, apply base fertilizer once. When buds sprout in spring and new leaves emerge, apply a quick-acting fertilizer mainly of nitrogen once; before flowering in July, apply a quick-acting fertilizer mainly of phosphorus and potassium once. In October, apply a slow-acting fertilizer mainly of organic matter once, which can make growth and flowering good. Before flowering, attention should be paid to irrigation; during flowering, water should be controlled, otherwise too much water easily causes flower drop. Pruning should be carried out after flowering in autumn, and heavy pruning is not suitable; only diseased and insect-damaged branches, thin and weak branches, damaged branches, inward-growing branches, and leggy branches need to be pruned. Usually attention should also be paid to pest and disease control.
Because winters in North China are cold, osmanthus is not suitable for field cultivation there and is mostly grown in pots. Potted soil requirements are not strict; mountain soil or a mixture of leaf mold, garden soil, river sand, etc. can be used, and slightly acidic pH is best. If the pH is too low, growth is slow and leaves easily turn yellow, so some lime powder or plant ash can be added to adjust it; if the pH is too high, leaves easily wither and may even die, so some ferrous sulfate or aluminum sulfate can be added for improvement.
Potted osmanthus is transplanted into pots before spring sprouting or after flowering in autumn. After transplanting, water thoroughly once, move to a shaded place for 7-10 days, and only after growth resumes and new leaves emerge can normal watering and fertilizing begin. The moisture of the potting soil is best at 50% water content. Before new shoots appear and on cloudy and rainy days, water less. In summer and autumn, when the weather is dry, more watering is needed. When flowering in autumn, do not water too much to prevent flower drop. On cloudy and rainy days, avoid water accumulation; otherwise, long-term water accumulation will cause root rot. For fertilizing potted osmanthus, refer to field cultivation fertilization.
Osmanthus has a well-developed root system and strong sprouting ability. Adult osmanthus trees produce new shoots twice each year, in spring and autumn, so appropriate and timely pruning is required. Pruning should be carried out after flowering in autumn or before spring sprouting. The purpose of pruning is to maintain the physiological balance between reproductive growth and vegetative growth so that osmanthus has abundant flowers and lush leaves. Pruning should remove overly dense branches, leggy branches, damaged branches, and diseased and insect-damaged branches. During the growing period, remove sprouting branches to help concentrate nutrients and promote abundant flowering. [12] The optimum growth temperature of osmanthus is 25-28°C. Above 30°C is unfavorable to growth and development, and below -6°C it is prone to freezing damage. For safe overwintering of potted plants, a room temperature between 0-10°C is more suitable. In the north, move osmanthus indoors in late autumn, keep the potting soil slightly moist, and allow it to fully enter dormancy so as to promote flowering the following year. After Qingming of the following year, move it to a ventilated and sunny place for care. Potted osmanthus should be repotted and soil-changed once every 1-2 years, with sufficient base fertilizer applied.
Propagation methods of osmanthus
Propagation methods: There are many propagation methods for osmanthus, including sowing, grafting, layering, and cuttings.
1. Seed propagation
Seed propagation takes a long time to reach flowering, so home gardeners mostly do not use this method.
Osmanthus fruits mature from April to May. They can be harvested when the fruit skin changes from green to purple-black. Osmanthus seeds have after-ripening and need at least half a year of sand storage. After harvesting, sprinkle water and pile them for fermentation, remove the flesh, place them in a cool place to let the seeds dry naturally, and store them mixed with sand. After sand storage, they can be sown in autumn or spring. During sand storage, check frequently to prevent the seeds from becoming moldy or being damaged by rats. Sowing propagation generally uses the drill method. Before sowing, prepare the land well and apply sufficient base fertilizer; they can also be sown in indoor seedbeds. When sowing, place the hilum sideways to avoid bending of the radicle and young stem, which would affect seedling growth in the future. After sowing, cover with a layer of fine soil, then cover with grass to shade and retain moisture, and keep the soil moist frequently. Seedlings can emerge in the same year. About 20 kg of seed is used per mu, producing about 30,000 seedlings. After the seedlings grow in the seedbed for 2 years, they can be transplanted for cultivation in the 3rd year. Seedlings grow relatively late in flowering, and can only bloom 8-10 years after planting.
2. Grafting propagation
Grafting rootstocks are mostly Ligustrum lucidum, Ligustrum quihoui, Ligustrum sinense, Ligustrum obtusifolium, Fraxinus chinensis, and Chionanthus retusus (also known as Yougongzi, Niujinzi), etc. When propagating seedlings in large quantities, the north mostly uses Ligustrum quihoui. Before spring sprouting, cut off the rootstock 5 cm above the ground; cut 1-2-year-old strong osmanthus branches 10-12 cm long, cut one side of the base into a 2-3 cm cut surface, and cut the opposite side into a 45-degree small slope; make a vertical cut about 2-3 cm deep at about 1/3 of one side of the rootstock; insert the scion into the cut, align the cambium, tie tightly with a plastic bag, then bury in soil for cultivation. Using Ligustrum quihoui as rootstock gives a high survival rate, and grafted seedlings grow fast but have a short lifespan and easily form the "small foot" phenomenon of "thick top and thin bottom." Using Ligustrum obtusifolium as rootstock, growth is slow but the lifespan is longer. Potted osmanthus is mostly propagated by approach grafting. When using Chionanthus retusus as rootstock, approach grafting should be carried out in the growing season, and should not be done in the rainy season or dog days. During approach grafting, choose a scion and rootstock with similar branch thickness, cut a spindle-shaped incision at an appropriate part of the scion, reaching the xylem, about 3-4 cm long, cut an incision of the same size as the scion at the same height on the rootstock, then bring the two incisions together so that their cambiums are closely joined, tie tightly with plastic strips, and after healing, cut off the rootstock above the graft union and the scion below it. The root system of grafted seedlings varies with the rootstock; cuttings buried in soil tend to produce adventitious roots in various places, but without an obvious main root. Osmanthus has strong branching ability and low branching points, especially obvious in youth, so it often appears shrub-like over time. After dense planting or pruning, it can form an obvious main trunk. The bark is rough, gray-brown or gray-white, sometimes showing lenticels. The leaf surface is smooth, leathery, dark bright green on the adaxial side and lighter on the abaxial side; elliptical, long elliptical, ovate, obovate, lanceolate, oblanceolate, long lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate.
3. Cutting propagation
Before spring sprouting, use one-year-old fully developed branches, cut them into 5-10 cm lengths, remove the lower leaves, keep 2-3 green leaves at the upper part, and insert them into river sand or loess seedbeds at a spacing of 3 cm x 20 cm. After insertion, water or spray promptly, and shade, maintaining a temperature of 20-25°C and relative humidity of 85%-90%. After 2 months they can root and be transplanted. [12] 4. Layering propagation can be divided into simple layering and air layering. For simple layering, osmanthus must use low-branching or clump-forming mother plants. The time is from spring to early summer. Choose a relatively stout low-trunk mother tree, select a 1-2-year-old branch on its lower part, cut or girdle an easily bendable part with a sharp knife, reaching the xylem, then press it into a 3-5 cm deep trench, and fix the pressed branch with a wooden stick, leaving only the tip and leaves outside. The air layering method is to select a 1-2-year-old stout branch from the mother tree in spring, cut a ring or girdle it as in the simple layering method, or make a cut from its lower side 6-9 cm long, then apply culture medium to the wound, tie tightly above and below with plastic bags, and during the cultivation process always keep the medium moist. After rooting in autumn, cut it off from the mother plant for care.
Selecting osmanthus seeds
Propagating osmanthus by seed is the fastest method, but what is commonly seen is cutting or layering. However, sowing is the best way to propagate osmanthus in large quantities. Not all osmanthus seeds are suitable for growing osmanthus seedlings. The mother tree selected for seed must be at least 18 years old; such osmanthus seeds will have a higher germination rate, and the seedlings grown will have stronger resistance.
A large portion of osmanthus seeds are picked before they mature, and it is even less possible to guarantee that the osmanthus tree age is over 18 years. Because the mother trees have been contracted for many years, the quality is guaranteed to a certain extent. When selecting seeds, choose clean seeds, with a golden yellow color, with one end pointed and one end shield-shaped. Once the seeds are selected, you must learn how to store them. Store the seeds well in moist sand, and the field pesticide management in the second year will also be reduced.
Osmanthus cultivation methods 1. Why is Four-Season Osmanthus not fragrant?
Answer: The reason Four-Season Osmanthus blooms all year round but is not fragrant is that the variety itself has a relatively light fragrance. Among the common osmanthus varieties, the most strongly fragrant is Dangui, followed by Jingui, then Yingui, and Four-Season Osmanthus has the lightest fragrance. As an economic crop, it is rarely cultivated precisely because its flowering is sparse and its fragrance is not strong; as an ornamental potted plant, it is used because its tree shape is beautiful and it blooms in all four seasons, making it suitable for potted appreciation. Four-Season Osmanthus mostly grows in clumps, with yellow-white flowers, relatively sparse, light fragrance, and a long flowering period. Generally, except in severe winter and midsummer, it can bloom about once every two months, with a slightly stronger fragrance in autumn and lighter at other times. Its varieties include large-leaf Four-Season Osmanthus and small-leaf Four-Season Osmanthus. If Yueyuegui lacks light and phosphorus fertilizer during cultivation, the floral fragrance becomes faint. If the plant is placed in a sunny and ventilated environment, topdressed once every 10 days, and appropriately given more phosphorus fertilizer, the fragrance of the flowers can be increased to a certain extent, but it still cannot match other varieties.
2. Why does potted osmanthus not bloom?
Answer: First, insufficient light. Osmanthus likes light. During the vegetative growth period, when the light intensity is below 60°C, its growth and development decline, vegetative growth becomes poor, and the number of flowers decreases. When light is seriously insufficient, because photosynthesis weakens and nutrient accumulation is low, it cannot bloom. Therefore, sufficient light must be provided. Second, lack of fertilizer. Osmanthus has relatively large growth and flowering amounts and needs to consume a large amount of nutrients. Thin potting soil or insufficient fertility will also affect the plant's growth and flowering. Therefore, when new shoots are growing, apply 1-2 fertilizers mainly of nitrogen, and from the flower bud differentiation stage (starting at the end of May) to before flowering, apply 2-3 fertilizers mainly of phosphorus. Third, the potting soil is too wet. Osmanthus avoids excessive moisture and water accumulation. Waterlogging can cause root rot, leading to poor growth and failure to bloom, and in severe cases can also cause the death of the potted plant. Watering should follow the principle of "do not water if not dry, water thoroughly when watering." After heavy rain and rainstorms, promptly pour out accumulated water in the pot. Special attention should be paid to the weather after rain clears, and even more attention should be paid to avoiding damage to the root system. Fourth, the soil is alkaline. Osmanthus likes slightly acidic soil, with a pH of 5.5-6.5 being suitable. Osmanthus growing in alkaline soil often grows poorly and thus affects flowering. Fifth, smoke and dust pollution. Osmanthus is not tolerant of smoke, dust, and pollution. When there is too much smoke and dust or after pollution, the leaves become smaller, easily fall off, and the phenomenon of only growing leaves and not blooming appears. Sixth, it has not reached flowering age.
3. What edible and health benefits does osmanthus have?
Answer: Osmanthus tea has the effect of being fragrant and refreshing. After briefly scalding osmanthus with boiling water, take it out and dry it, then preserve it with white sugar and seal it in a bottle to maintain color and fragrance, and it can be used as a food spice. Mix osmanthus and pure lotus root starch with white sugar and brew, and it becomes osmanthus lotus root starch, which is delicious and appetizing. Take top-grade small jujubes, cook them with sugar, and when the soup is almost gone, add osmanthus to make spleen-strengthening and appetite-opening osmanthus candied jujubes. Guizhi, guizi, and guigen can all be used as medicine. Guizhi decoction, prepared from guizhi, peony, ginger, jujube, and licorice, specifically treats exogenous wind pathogens, fever, headache, and other symptoms. Guigen tastes sweet and slightly astringent.
4. How to thaw frozen osmanthus?
Answer: In early winter, when osmanthus is attacked by a cold wave, freezing damage is very likely to occur. In affected plants, the concentration of the solution in the intercellular spaces increases, and the protoplast is severely dehydrated, causing young leaves to shrink. In this situation, if you rush to place the affected potted plant in a high-temperature or direct-sunlight place, it will instead accelerate the death of the osmanthus. The correct method should be to adopt slow thawing measures so that the cells gradually absorb water and return to normal. In this situation, you can also quickly wrap the potted flower with three layers of highly absorbent waste newspaper together with the pot. When wrapping, be careful not to damage the branches and leaves of the potted flower and avoid direct sunlight. Leave it like this for one day so that the temperature of the potted flower gradually rises. After this treatment, the frozen potted flower can revive.
5. How can the osmanthus plant shape be made symmetrical?
Answer: First, when planting osmanthus, place the plant in the exact center of the pot. After watering thoroughly, straighten any leaning plants to lay a good foundation for future cultivation. Second, prune reasonably. When pruning, pay attention to the overall appearance of the plant and to retaining buds, trying to direct the terminal buds toward empty spaces. Prune vigorous branches heavily, remove useless weak branches, and keep and lightly prune those needed to fill gaps. Third, tie and shape potted flowers moderately. If a certain direction has a large gap, you can use tying to guide dense branches toward the gap. Fourth, turn the pot frequently. For osmanthus that does not need pruning, turn the pot often so that the gap faces the sun and can induce new growth. Turning the pot: throughout the year, the sun always moves along its orbit, so the angle and intensity of light are constantly changing. If a flower pot remains in a fixed position for a long time, one side of the plant will always fail to receive proper light, and over time a round potted plant will grow unevenly because of uneven sunlight. Therefore, during the growing season, rotate the pot 45° every 10 days. By frequently turning the pot, all sides and directions of the plant will grow evenly, the side branches around the main trunk will also be neat and uniform, and the leaves can receive sunlight in a balanced way. In this way, the plant's shape and posture can be full and beautiful, achieving an ornamental effect from every angle, and the branches and leaves can grow more spread out and attractive.
6. Why is osmanthus prone to dying at the turn of winter and spring?
Answer: This should be traced to management methods. In addition to providing appropriate moisture and sufficient light, it is especially important not to fertilize osmanthus in winter and to keep it in a cool, cold environment. The reason osmanthus easily dies in winter is not that the environment is not warm enough, but that the environment is not cool enough. In its place of origin, winter is not warm. Having adapted to this growing environment for thousands of years, when osmanthus overwinters in a warm place, at first no abnormality is visible in the plant. On the contrary, it seems to forget that winter has arrived, sprouting buds and sending out branches, looking full of vitality. However, this condition does not last long. Factors such as indoor lighting and temperature changes cannot satisfy growth like that in summer, and old leaves begin to fall, new shoots wilt, and the plant dies. To help the osmanthus you grow survive the winter safely, in winter place it in an environment of 0-5°C and give it sufficient sunlight; do not apply additional fertilizer, and avoid the potting soil becoming too wet. After winter has passed, you will find that the osmanthus you grow has not only survived safely, but also shows stronger growth vigor than those that barely survived the winter in a high-temperature environment.
7. How should fertilization be done more reasonably?
Answer: (1) Reasonable fertilization should follow the principle of light fertilizer applied frequently, mainly with quick-acting nitrogen, and large seedlings should be fertilized 3 to 4 times per year. In early spring, when buds begin to swell and roots begin to become active, the osmanthus tree will absorb fertilizer. Therefore, early spring orchards should be fertilized to promote the growth of spring shoots. For flowers that first open from spring buds, in the autumn of that year, strong spring shoot growth will mean more flowering in the future. Osmanthus trees bloom in autumn; to restore tree vigor and supplement nutrients, before winter they need inorganic fertilizer or mixed manure. At the same time, according to the growth of the osmanthus, fertilize once or twice. For newly transplanted osmanthus trees, the roots are damaged, so their absorption capacity is weak, and fertilizer should not be added too early. Base fertilizer should be mixed evenly with the soil in the planting pit before adding soil; the roots should not directly contact the fertilizer, so as to avoid damaging the roots and affecting the survival rate of the osmanthus tree.
(2) Fertilizer must be applied at the roots to be absorbed well. In this way, transplanted plants are more likely to survive. When fertilizing seedlings, the concentration of fertilizer near the plant roots should not be too far from the seedlings, otherwise the roots will expand outward. It should not be applied to the main trunk of the tree, because this is not conducive to fertilizer absorption.
Disease control of osmanthus
Osmanthus brown spot, osmanthus blight, and osmanthus anthracnose are common leaf diseases of osmanthus. These diseases can cause premature leaf fall in osmanthus, weaken plant growth vigor, and reduce osmanthus flower yield and ornamental value. The main pest in home cultivation of osmanthus is mites, commonly known as red spiders. Once disease is found, it should be treated immediately. Mite clear, aphid-mite kill, and fenbutatin oxide can be used for foliar spraying. Both the front and back of the leaves must be sprayed evenly. Once a week for 2 to 3 consecutive times, and it can be cured.
Osmanthus brown spot
In the early stage of the disease, small chlorotic yellow spots appear on the leaves, gradually expanding into nearly round lesions with a diameter of 2-10 mm, or becoming irregular lesions because the expansion of the lesion is restricted by leaf veins. The lesions are yellow-brown to gray-brown, with a yellow halo around the outside of the lesion. Brown spot generally occurs from April to October, and old leaves are more susceptible than young leaves. The pathogen overwinters as mycelium on diseased fallen leaves, and in the following spring produces conidia for primary infection. Conidia are spread by airflow and raindrops.
Osmanthus blight
The pathogen of this disease mostly invades from the leaf margin and leaf tip, and occurs at the leaf margin and leaf tip. In the early stage of the disease, light brown small spots appear on the leaves, gradually expanding into round or irregular lesions, then expanding into nearly round or irregular gray-brown large spots with dark brown edges. Blight occurs from July to November, and can occur year-round in poorly conditioned greenhouses. The pathogen spreads and infects through conidia via wind and water. High temperature, high humidity, and poor ventilation favor the disease. When plant growth is weak, and on old leaves after overwintering and leaves in the lower part of the plant, the disease is more severe.
Osmanthus anthracnose
This disease infects osmanthus leaves. In the early stage of the disease, small chlorotic spots appear on the leaves, gradually expanding to form round, semicircular, or elliptical lesions. The lesions are light brown to gray-white, with a reddish-brown ring at the edge. Under humid conditions, light pink sticky acervuli appear on the lesions. Anthracnose occurs from April to June. The pathogen overwinters as acervuli in diseased fallen leaves and is spread by wind and rain.
Control measures
First, reduce sources of infection. Thoroughly remove diseased fallen leaves in autumn. For potted osmanthus, promptly remove diseased leaves. Second, strengthen cultivation management. Choose fertile soil or substrate with good drainage for planting osmanthus; increase application of organic fertilizer and potassium fertilizer; planting density should be appropriate so as to allow ventilation and light penetration, reduce leaf surface humidity, and decrease disease occurrence. Use chemical control scientifically. In the early stage of the disease, spray Bordeaux mixture at 1:2:200, after which 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 1000 times or 50% benomyl wettable powder at 1000-1500 times can be sprayed. In severely affected areas, when seedlings leave the nursery, they should be soaked and disinfected with a 1000-times potassium permanganate solution.
Introduction to osmanthus varieties
Through long-term planting, natural hybridization, and artificial selection, osmanthus has produced many cultivated varieties. Through further investigation and sorting, 32 osmanthus varieties have been preliminarily identified.
By flower color, there are Jingu, Yingu, and Dangui; by leaf type, there are Liuyegui, Jinshangui, Dishuihuang, Kuihuaye, and Chaibinghuang; by flowering period, there are Bayuegui, Sijigui, and Yueyuejia, etc. [7] China still has no unified variety classification, and by convention osmanthus is divided into the following four variety types: Jingu, Yingu, Dangui, and Sijigui.
Sijigui variety group: the plant is relatively short and produces many tillers; the fragrance is not as rich as that of Yingu, Jingu, and Dangui; it blooms multiple times a year or continuously, and the flowers are lemon yellow or light yellow. Varieties include Daye Sijigui and Xiaoye Sijigui. It blooms in all four seasons, and varieties include "Yueyuegui", "Rixianggui", "Daye Fodingzhu", and "Chiyesijigui".
Yingu variety group: blooms in autumn, with flowers pure white, milky white, yellow-white, or light yellow. Varieties include Kuanye Ziyingu, Liuye Yingu, Yingye Yingu, "Ziyingu", "Jiulonggui", "Zao Yingu", "Wan Yingu", "Baijie", "Chunbai Yingu", and "Qingshan Yingu".
Jingu variety group: blooms in autumn, with flowers from lemon yellow to pale to golden yellow. Varieties include "Dahua Jingu", "Dayehuang", "Huangchuan Jingu", "Wan Jingu", "Yuanye Jingu", Xianning Wangui, Qiugui, Yuanbian Jingu, Liuye Sugui, Jinshigui, and Boye Jingu.
Dangui variety group: blooms in autumn, with relatively deep flower color, flowers orange, orange-yellow, orange-red to vermilion. Varieties include "Zhusha Dangui", "Daye Dangui", "Xiaoye Dangui", and "Chidangui".
Distribution areas of osmanthus
Garden osmanthus originated in the eastern section of the Himalayas in southwest China, and is also distributed in India, Nepal, and Cambodia. In southwestern China, Sichuan, southern Shaanxi, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui, Henan, and other places, wild osmanthus grows. It is now widely planted in the Huai River basin and areas to the south. Its suitable growing area reaches north to the lower reaches of the Yellow River and south to Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, and other places.
This region has good hydrothermal conditions, suitable precipitation, and soil mostly yellow-brown soil or yellow-cinnamon soil, while vegetation is mainly of the subtropical broadleaf forest type. Nurtured and influenced by the above conditions, osmanthus grows well, and several nationally famous osmanthus commercial production bases have formed in Lu'an, Anhui; Xianning, Hubei; Taoyuan, Hunan; Suzhou, Jiangsu; Guilin, Guangxi; Wuhan, Hubei; Hangzhou, Zhejiang; and Chengdu, Sichuan. And Hangzhou's city flower is precisely osmanthus.
Medicinal or dietary therapeutic value of osmanthus
The medical information and health dietary therapy information on Hugarden.com is for reference only and cannot be used as a basis for diagnosis or medical treatment. For any health problem, consult professional medical personnel, and for the treatment of any disease, please follow a doctor's advice.
Ultimate flower-protecting task: to love yourself, start from reality and strictly follow a doctor's advice. For illness, do not be careless, do not delay, and do not give up hope. Face it bravely, warm the silent world with love, and care for the flower field in your heart with your heart.
Medicinal value: brief introduction to the medicinal material: Oleaceae, evergreen tree. Flowers pale yellow-white, fragrant; aromatic oil is extracted and osmanthus concrete is made; it can be used in food and cosmetics, can make cakes and candies, and can also brew wine. Osmanthus is pungent in taste and can be used as medicine.
Source: The plant osmanthus of the genus Osmanthus in the family Oleaceae, with flowers, fruits, and roots used as medicine. Flowers are collected in autumn; fruits in spring; roots in all four seasons, and dried separately.
Related medicinal materials: Lubei Guihua, Maguihua, Shanguihua, Guihualu, Guihuazi.
Nature, flavor, and meridian entry: Flower: pungent, warm. Fruit: pungent, sweet, warm. Root: sweet, slightly astringent, neutral.
Functions and indications：
Flower: dispels cold and breaks stagnation, transforms phlegm and stops coughing. Used for toothache, cough and asthma with profuse phlegm, amenorrhea, and abdominal pain.
Fruit: warms the stomach, calms the liver, and dispels cold. Used for deficiency-cold stomach pain.
Root: dispels wind-dampness and disperses cold. Used for wind-dampness pain of the sinews and bones, low back pain, and kidney-deficiency toothache.
Practical attached prescriptions：
Prescription 1
[Formula]: 1 gram dried osmanthus, 2 grams tea leaves.
[Preparation]: Put dried osmanthus and tea leaves into a cup, pour boiling water over them, steep for 6 minutes, and it is ready to drink.
[Usage]: Drink 1 cup in the morning and 1 cup in the evening.
[Effects]: Strengthens muscles and nourishes the skin, invigorates blood, and moistens the throat.
[Application]: Suitable for dry skin, hoarse voice, toothache, and other conditions.
Prescription 2
[Materials]: Several osmanthus flowers
[Seasonings]: 1 small teaspoon fine salt, 1 small teaspoon rock sugar
[Method]:
1. Wash the osmanthus repeatedly with salt water and drain;
2. Put the osmanthus into a cup, pour in boiling water, add rock sugar, cover the cup, and let it steep for about three minutes; when the lid is lifted, the fragrance wafts out.
[Effects]: Can transform phlegm and dissipate stasis, and treat cough.
Effects of osmanthus wine：
The ancients believed that osmanthus was the chief of a hundred medicines, so wine brewed with osmanthus could achieve the effect of "drinking it gives a lifespan of a thousand years." For example, in the Han Dynasty, osmanthus wine was a fine product used by people to worship gods and ancestors. After the sacrifice was completed, younger generations offered osmanthus wine to their elders, and after the elders drank it, it symbolized prolonged life and longevity.
This wine is sweet, fragrant, and mellow, and has the effects of stimulating the appetite, refreshing the spirit, strengthening the spleen, and tonifying deficiency. Osmanthus wine is especially suitable for women to drink and has been praised as "women's happiness wine." Traditional Chinese medicine has theoretical practice of flower therapy, and osmanthus wine is a typical example. [16] Effects of osmanthus tea: osmanthus tea can nourish the face and beautify, soothe the throat, improve symptoms of excessive phlegm and cough, treat duodenal ulcers, urticaria, stomach cold and stomachache, bad breath, and blurred vision.
Edible value: glutinous rice osmanthus lotus root: Honey-glazed glutinous rice osmanthus lotus root ingredients: 800 grams lotus root, 200 grams glutinous rice, 20 grams lotus leaf, 100 grams white granulated sugar, 40 grams sweet osmanthus
1. Wash the glutinous rice clean and soak it in warm water for about 1 hour
2. Wash the lotus root clean and cut it apart at the nodes
3. Cut off one end of the lotus root to expose the holes, fill in the soaked glutinous rice, then cover it with the cut lotus root node head and secure it firmly with bamboo skewers
4. Pour clean water into a pot, add the lotus root (with the rice-filled opening facing up), and bring to a boil over high heat
5. Cover with clean lotus leaves, put on the lid, turn to low heat and cook for about two hours, then remove from heat
6. Take out the lotus root and let it cool, peel it, cut it into slices 0.8 cm thick, and arrange them overlapping on a plate
7. Place the pot over high heat, add clean water and bring to a boil, add white sugar and cook until dissolved, skim off the foam, then turn to low heat
8. When the sugar syrup becomes thick and sticky, add osmanthus syrup and stir evenly, then remove from heat and let cool
9. Pour the sugar syrup over the glutinous rice lotus root and it is done.
Osmanthus Huanglin pastry：
Ingredients: 300 grams wheat flour, 100 grams osmanthus, 150 grams egg white, 150 grams black sesame, 20 grams starch (corn) to make osmanthus Huanglin pastry (3 pieces), 150 grams lard (rendered), 100 grams white granulated sugar
1. After sifting the flour, use 200 grams flour and add 90 grams lard, knead into a shortcrust pastry dough
2. Add 60 grams lard to 300 grams flour, and knead with an appropriate amount of clean water into a water-oil dough
3. Divide the shortcrust dough and the water-oil dough separately into strips and then into small pieces, and roll them with a rolling pin into ox-tongue shapes
4. Roll down from the top, then fold into three folds, roll into pastry blanks, wrap in osmanthus filling, and shape into cakes
5. Place into a baking tray, brush the surface with egg liquid, and bake in the oven until cooked.
Key points for making osmanthus Huanglin pastry:
1. When baking this pastry, temperature control must be mastered well, otherwise problems such as cracks and poor surface smoothness of the pastry are likely to appear
2. Method for making osmanthus filling: put sesame, white sugar, and lard in a container, mix evenly, add an appropriate amount of dry starch while stirring, and finally add osmanthus and mix evenly to make osmanthus filling.
Method for making osmanthus cake:
Raw material formula: 16 kg first-grade Sichuan white sugar, 4 kg refined sugar, 4 kg glutinous rice flour, 4 kg cooked oil, 2.5 kg honey osmanthus, 20 kg cooked flour. Production method
1. Make cooked flour: put flour into a steamer and steam until cooked (time 20 minutes), take it out and cool it, then grind it fine with a grinder. This is cooked flour.
2. Make cake flour: wash glutinous rice with warm water at 50-60°C for 4-5 minutes, take it out and spread it in a winnowing basket to drain, the next day stir-fry it with river sand (river sand treated with rapeseed oil) until puffed (it must not be fried yellow), then grind it into powder with an electric mill; this is cake flour (also called male powder), then spread the coffee osmanthus cake on the winnowing basket and expose it for 2-3 days; when the powder can be pinched into a ball by hand without falling apart, it is ready.
3. Make refined sugar: for 50 kg white sugar, add 2-2.5 kg maltose and 7.5 kg water, bring to a boil, then add 1 kg melted oil and boil until about 120°C. When a drop of the sugar liquid placed in water can form a block, scoop it out and put it into an ice pot and stir until it granulates, becoming refined sugar.
4. Make the filling: according to the proportions, mix white sugar, cooked flour, cooked-oil cake flour, and honey osmanthus evenly, sift to remove impurities, and the filling is ready.
5. Panning and shaping: use a wooden frame. First put 1/5 of the mixed bottom and surface material into the frame, spread it into a thin layer as the base, place the filling in the middle, then cover with 4/5 of the bottom and surface material as the cake surface layer, roll flat, press tightly, cut into rectangular strips with a thin knife, and then package.
Food characteristics: rectangular strips, complete shape, uniform thickness.
Color: yellow and white clearly distinct, no spots, no impurities.
Texture: moist and soft, fine and melting, not coarse, no sugar grains.
Taste: sweet and delicious, with a rich, fresh osmanthus fragrance.
Roasted osmanthus sausage:
Ingredients: 300 grams pork (fat), 400 grams pork (lean), 100 grams pig small intestine, 5 grams soy sauce, 5 grams white granulated sugar, 5 grams salt, 4 grams five-spice powder, 3 grams baijiu
1. Wash the fatty pork and lean pork, wipe dry with cloth, cut into granules, sprinkle in a small amount of salt and mix evenly, marinate for about 10 minutes.
2. Wash the pig intestine with warm water and soak until soft.
3. Put light soy sauce, granulated sugar, and five-spice powder (omit if you do not like five-spice powder) into the fully marinated chopped pork and mix evenly. Mix an appropriate amount of pink coloring with one teaspoon of water, and after marinating with the seasonings for about 10 minutes, add and mix well.
4. After the fully marinated chopped pork has been mixed with pink coloring, proceed to stuff it into the casing. Take out the soaked intestine, pour off the water used for soaking, put the drained intestine back into a container, tie one end of the intestine tightly with thin string, and fit the other end over a sausage-making funnel, also tying it tightly with thin string. Prepare a sewing needle about 7 cm long. When the intestine swells, use the sewing needle to prick holes around the lowest position where air is trapped, so that the air escapes; as the pork is pressed in, it will not burst. Once the work of filling the pork into the intestine is completed, remove the funnel and tie the opening tightly with thin string.
5. Use a roasting clip made of wire mesh, clamp the prepared meat sausage in a wrapping manner and place it about 24 cm above glowing red charcoal to roast, turning and moving it until a fragrant aroma is released and it is done.
6. If the prepared meat sausage is too long, it can be cut into sections and roasted in 2 or 3 batches. The cut openings should be tied tightly with thin string to prevent meat granules from coming out. If not roasting in long strips, it can be changed to the form of sausages about 17 cm long.
Carving material
The wood of the osmanthus tree is dense, has a beautiful grain, is not easy to crack, and has a smooth planed surface, making it a good carving material.
Landscape uses of osmanthus: landscape uses
Osmanthus has a wide range of landscape uses. With the continuous progress of science today, seedlings originally from the south have been introduced to the north and are widely distributed in Jiangsu, Henan, Shandong, Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Shanxi, and other places. Osmanthus has a good greening effect and reflects results quickly; in the year of planting it can already play a relatively good role. However, when planted in the north, its cold resistance is generally ordinary, and special protection is needed in winter for it to overwinter safely.
Osmanthus is evergreen all year round, with luxuriant branches and leaves. It blooms in autumn, and its fragrance spreads all around, so it can be called "dominating the three autumns and pressing down all other flowers." It is commonly used in gardens, often as a landscape tree, planted singly, in pairs, or in clumps and groves. In Chinese classical gardens, osmanthus is often paired with buildings, mountains, and rocks, with clump-forming shrub-type plants planted near pavilions, terraces, towers, and chambers. Old-style courtyards often use paired planting, anciently called "two osmanthus in the courtyard" or "two osmanthus leaving fragrance." Planting osmanthus trees on the four sides of a residence or before a window can achieve the effect of "golden wind sending fragrance." On campuses, taking the meaning of "plucking osmanthus in the moon palace," osmanthus is also planted in large quantities. Osmanthus has a certain resistance to harmful gases such as sulfur dioxide and hydrogen fluoride, and is also a good flowering tree for greening in industrial and mining areas.
Osmanthus has a striking fragrance and contains a variety of aromatic substances, and can be used for food or to extract fragrance. China has already formed concentrated osmanthus planting regions such as Xianning in Hubei, Taoyuan in Hunan, Lu'an in Anhui, Guilin in Guangxi, Zunyi in Guizhou, and Wuhan in Hubei.
Enjoying osmanthus in Jiangcheng
Some osmanthus spots in Wuhan: 3458 plants at Hankou Riverside Beach, 153 plants at Baibuting Amusement Park, 24 plants on Huangpu Road, 63 plants in the Hanjiang Green Space. Greening in Jiangcheng has upgraded from the past stages of adding greenery and adding flowers to adding fragrance. In newly built and renovated public green spaces, the number of aromatic plants has been increased to enhance the city's taste. A few years ago, the Baibuting community planted 473 osmanthus trees in the central square of the community, which residents loved very much. In recent years, more have been replanted continuously, and now there are already over a thousand. Around every Mid-Autumn Festival, the fragrance of osmanthus drifts far and wide, just like the famous Guiyuan of Wuhan University, known as an ivory tower. Wuhan has also specially launched a Wuhan flower-viewing map to make it convenient for tourists to enjoy osmanthus, cherry blossoms, plum blossoms, and various other flowers and trees.
Xinzhou District of Wuhan currently has 13,000 mu of osmanthus bases, mainly distributed in Cangbu, with 34 bases, of which 11 are over 500 mu. The largest osmanthus garden has an area of nearly 4,000 mu, and this is also the largest osmanthus garden in the country. There is also the largest Dangui garden in central China, with an area of 1,000 mu. First, it has the most osmanthus varieties. There are 157 varieties, the most in the country. Second, there are many rare osmanthus treasures, among which Zaohong Dangui covers an area of 1,000 mu and is the largest Dangui garden in central China. Third, it has the largest osmanthus breeding base area, with 4 million osmanthus seedlings currently being propagated, ranking first in central China.
According to incomplete statistics, in the public green spaces of Wuhan's central urban area managed by the landscaping department alone, 33,200 osmanthus trees are planted, of which 12,300 are distributed in 63 city parks. This means that osmanthus trees outside parks account for more than half. On East Lake Moshan alone, there are over 100 mu of osmanthus forest and more than 10,000 trees. Wuhan has more than 120 species of greening trees totaling 754,000 trees, and osmanthus trees account for less than 5%. But the head of Wuhan's landscaping department said that the built-up area of Wuhan's three towns is several times larger than the urban area of Xianning, with an average of more than 70 osmanthus trees per square kilometer. The number of osmanthus trees has already surpassed the old-brand "hometown of osmanthus," and it has transformed into a "capital of osmanthus." Careful citizens have also found that the osmanthus trees on the streets of the three towns include not only Dangui, Jingu, Yingu, and many other varieties, but are also divided by tree shape into single-trunk osmanthus and clump osmanthus. Different osmanthus varieties have different flowering periods, making the golden autumn osmanthus fragrance in Jiangcheng last for more than a month.
Osmanthus Park
Suzhou Osmanthus Park. Suzhou Osmanthus Park was completed in October 1998, covering 16.5 hectares, located in the southeast corner of the ancient city of Suzhou and adjacent to the thriving industrial park. To the east it embraces the ancient canal, and to the south it stretches for several li, surrounded by the lush city walls of Gusu and beside the green waters of the Grand Canal. It is one of the key landscapes in the construction of Suzhou's ancient city ring scenic belt. Along the southern part of the canal, the ancient city "Snake Gate" and the 218-meter-long Gusu land-and-water city tower have been built. A two-kilometer-long winding path runs along the canal through dense willow-shaded green island groves. The lawns are broad and naturally comfortable, fully showing the characteristics of a Jiangnan water town city, and it is the best place for citizens to relax, walk, and enjoy the scenery.
Osmanthus Park is named after Suzhou's city flower, "osmanthus." In the park, flowering shrubs are mainly evergreen plants, with more than 260 varieties, including many precious and rare tree species. It is especially characterized by osmanthus tree species. The richness of osmanthus varieties and the large quantity in the park rank first in China. It is the specialized garden with the largest collection and planting quantity of osmanthus varieties in China. In order to build a specialized garden for osmanthus varieties and support the work of "international registration authority for osmanthus cultivars," the park organized people to go south to Shanghai, Hangzhou, eastern Zhejiang, and western Zhejiang, and far to more than a dozen counties in southeastern Sichuan, climbing mountains and wading through water, to search for some well-known varieties long heard of but never seen, such as Jiulonggui, Yichuanhong, and Xuegui. Apart from a certain amount preserved in Osmanthus Park, these varieties are rarely seen elsewhere. There are 62 osmanthus varieties recorded in China by osmanthus classification experts Xiang Qibai and Liu Yulian, of which Osmanthus Park has collected 50 varieties, belonging to the two major categories of Sijigui and autumn osmanthus, and the four variety groups of Sijigui, Yingu, Jingu, and Dangui.
Home placement
1. Osmanthus can fill your home with poetry [23]. "Accompanying a beauty, fragrance throughout the world, fame throughout the world, noble and beautiful, auspicious" is the flower language of osmanthus. Liu Yuxi wrote, "Do not envy the peaches and plums of the third spring; osmanthus bears fruit and flourishes toward autumn." Su Shi wrote, "River clouds vast and dim, osmanthus wet; plum rain rustling, lychees thus." There is also Li Qingzhao's "Partridge Sky: Osmanthus": "Why need pale green and deep red? It is naturally first-rate among flowers." The Qing dynasty poet Zhang Yun'ao's quatrain "Tasting Osmanthus": "In August at West Lake there is enough for a clear excursion; where does fragrance reach the nose and make seclusion? Beside Manjuelong golden grains are everywhere; heaven's wind blows down the autumn of ten thousand mountains." Although there are many verses praising osmanthus, there are also many that touch the scene and stir sorrow, such as Wang Jian of the Tang dynasty in "Looking at the Moon on the Night of the Fifteenth": "In the courtyard the ground is white, trees harbor crows; cold dew silently wets the osmanthus. Tonight the moon is bright and everyone gazes; I wonder whose home autumn longing falls to?" It can be seen that osmanthus is a plant full of emotion.
2. Osmanthus can green your home and make you feel it is impeccable. We know that osmanthus can release a light yet not vulgar fresh fragrance. That kind of fragrance, while rich, will not irritate everyone's sense of smell. Many people choose it when visiting the sick because it can purify the air in a hospital room. The same is true at home. If osmanthus is kept at home for a long time, it can long absorb odors in the home and, through photosynthesis, release clean oxygen and waves of subtle fragrance.
Cultural background of osmanthus: cultivation history
China has a long history of osmanthus cultivation. The earliest mention of osmanthus in literature is in the "Classic of Mountains and Seas: Classic of the Southern Mountains" from the old Warring States period (475-221 BCE), which says, "The mountain of Zhaoyao has many osmanthus." Qu Yuan (340-278 BCE) in "Chu Ci: Nine Songs" also wrote: "We grasp the Northern Dipper to pour osmanthus wine; with magnolia chariots and osmanthus banners." From the Han dynasty to the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, osmanthus had already become a precious flowering tree and a superior tribute. In the early Han dynasty it was introduced and planted in imperial palaces and gardens and succeeded. Since the Tang and Song dynasties, osmanthus cultivation began to flourish. Tang dynasty literati planted osmanthus very commonly, and chanting about osmanthus became a trend. Song Zhiwen's poem "Lingyin Temple" contains the famous line "Osmanthus seeds fall in the moon; heavenly fragrance drifts beyond the clouds," so later generations also called osmanthus "heavenly fragrance." After the Tang and Song dynasties, osmanthus was widely used in courtyard cultivation for ornament. In Ni Zan's poem "Osmanthus" from the Yuan dynasty, there is the line "Osmanthus keeps the evening color; curtain shadows lighten autumn light," showing the situation of planting osmanthus before a window. Folk cultivation of osmanthus began in the Song dynasty and flourished in the early Ming dynasty. China's five major osmanthus production areas in history were all formed during this period.
Chinese osmanthus was introduced to England via Guangzhou and India in 1771, and thereafter developed rapidly in England. Today it is cultivated in many countries in Europe and America as well as in various Southeast Asian countries, and grows best in countries along the Mediterranean coast.
Many alternative names
Osmanthus has many alternative names: because its leaves resemble a gui tablet, it is called "gui"; its texture is like rhinoceros horn, so it is also called muxi; it is pure, elegant, and lofty, with fragrance spreading everywhere, and is called "immortal friend"; osmanthus is also called "immortal tree" and "matchmaker among flowers." Osmanthus usually grows on rocky ridges, so it is also called "rock osmanthus"; when osmanthus blooms, its rich fragrance travels far, and its aroma has the characteristic of being both clear and rich; the clear can cleanse, and the rich can travel far, so it has the laudatory name "nine-li fragrance"; its yellow flowers are as fine as millet, so it also has the name "golden grains"; osmanthus is "immortal guest"; it blooms in autumn, and in old lore the god of autumn governs the west, so it is also called "western fragrance" or "autumn fragrance"; the osmanthus tree is a symbol of nobility, chastity, honor, friendship, and auspiciousness, and anyone successful in official career and rising rapidly is said to "pluck osmanthus."
Legends of osmanthus
(1) A plague broke out in Xianning, and nearly one third of the people died. People tried all kinds of folk remedies, but none worked. At the foot of Guabang Mountain lived a brave, honest, and filial young man named Wu Gang. His mother had also fallen ill and could not leave her bed, so every day the young man went up the mountain to gather herbs to save her. One day, Guanyin was returning from a journey east and was hurrying back to the Western Paradise for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Passing by that day, she saw the young man gathering herbs on a cliff and was deeply moved. That night she appeared to him in a dream and said that in the Moon Palace there was a tree called muxi, also called guihua, or osmanthus, which bore small golden-yellow flowers; steeping them in water and drinking it could cure this plague; on Guabang Mountain, on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, there would be a heavenly ladder by which he could reach the Moon Palace to pick them. That night happened to be the twelfth day of the eighth lunar month, and there were still three days until the Mid-Autumn Festival on the fifteenth. But to reach the top of Guabang Mountain, he had to cross seven deep ravines and climb seven sheer cliffs and overhanging crags. It would take at least seven days and seven nights, yet time waited for no one; if he missed the osmanthus's once-a-year blooming season, he would have to wait another year. To make a long story short, this Wu Gang went through untold hardships, and finally on the night of the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month he reached the top of Guabang Mountain and caught the heavenly ladder leading to the Moon Palace. The eighth lunar month is exactly the season when osmanthus fragrance drifts, its heavenly scent floating beyond the clouds. Following the fragrance, Wu Gang came to the osmanthus tree, but if he picked too much he could not carry it all, so he thought of a plan: he shook the osmanthus tree, making the blossoms fall one after another, down into the river at the foot of Guabang Mountain. At once, the river's surface was filled with a fresh fragrance, and the river water was dyed golden yellow. People drank this river water, and the plague was completely cured. So people named this river Jinshui. Later, they added three dots of water beside the character jin, naming it "Gan River." That night was exactly the great gathering of the immortals of the Heavenly Palace on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, at which they would also admire the moon and eat mooncakes. At this time the fragrance of the osmanthus rushed up to the heavens, alarming the immortals, so they sent an official to investigate. When the official arrived at the Moon Palace, he saw that all the osmanthus flowers on the sacred tree of the Moon Palace, the treasure that anchors the palace, were gone, all having fallen into the mortal world's "Gan River," and so he reported it to the Jade Emperor. When the Jade Emperor heard this, he flew into a rage. You should know that the Jade Emperor most loved eating mooncakes made from Moon Palace osmanthus, and with the whole tree's blossoms gone, he could not eat mooncakes. So he sent heavenly soldiers and heavenly generals to arrest Wu Gang. After Wu Gang was captured, he told the Jade Emperor everything that had happened that night, from beginning to end. After hearing it, the Jade Emperor could not really say anything more, and in his heart he admired this young man; but Wu Gang had after all violated heavenly law, and if he were not punished, the Jade Emperor's authority could not be upheld. He asked Wu Gang what request he had, and Wu Gang said he wanted to bring the osmanthus tree to the mortal world to save people from suffering. So the Jade Emperor thought of a plan that could both punish Wu Gang and grant his request. He said, as long as you chop down the osmanthus, you may take it. So Wu Gang found a great axe and began chopping, wanting to quickly fell the great tree, but the Jade Emperor cast a spell, so that Wu Gang chopped year after year, month after month, for several thousand years. Seeing that he could not chop the tree down, and longing for home and missing his mother, Wu Gang each year on Mid-Autumn night dropped a sprig of osmanthus onto Guabang Mountain to express his homesickness. Year after year, Guabang Mountain became covered with osmanthus, and the villagers used this osmanthus to make tea, and Xianning never suffered disaster again. Chang'e, from the same village as Wu Gang, had been his childhood sweetheart, innocent playmates since youth. Ever since Wu Gang went to the Moon Palace, she had always cared for Wu Gang's aged mother, until the old woman passed away. Wu Gang and Chang'e were separated between heaven and the mortal world, and their mutual longing grew with each day. Wu Gang could not return because he could not chop down the osmanthus tree, and Chang'e, separated by heaven and earth, could not go to meet her Wu Lang. Finally one day, the Queen Mother of the West took her seven daughters to bathe at the Mingming Spring at the foot of Guabang Mountain. Chang'e saw this, secretly took the seven fairies' immortal elixir for returning to heaven, took it home and ate it, and carrying her Jade Rabbit, went up to heaven to meet Wu Gang. The seven fairies, having no elixir, could not return to the heavenly court, and had to wait for their elder sisters to come bathe again three days later and bring them some, only then could they ascend to heaven. You should know that one day in heaven is one year in the mortal world, and during these three years, the seventh fairy met Dong Yong.
(2) Legend says that in ancient times, at the foot of Liangying Mountain, there lived a widow who sold mountain wine. She was generous and kind-hearted, and the wine she brewed was mellow and sweet. People respected her and called her the Lady of Immortal Wine. One winter, the weather was freezing cold. Early in the morning, just as the Lady of Immortal Wine opened her gate, she suddenly saw a man lying outside, thin as a stick and barely clothed, who looked like a beggar. The Lady of Immortal Wine felt that the man still had breath, so she carried him back home, first gave him hot soup, then fed him half a cup of wine, and the man slowly revived. He said excitedly, "Thank you, lady, for saving my life. I am a paralyzed man; if I go out, I will either freeze to death or starve to death. Please do a good deed and let me stay a few more days." The Lady of Immortal Wine was troubled. As the saying goes, "A widow's door attracts gossip." If a man like this stayed in her home, others would talk. But then she thought again, she could not just watch him freeze to death or starve to death. Finally she nodded and agreed to let him stay temporarily. As expected, gossip about the Lady of Immortal Wine quickly spread, people became distant from her, and fewer and fewer came to the wine shop to buy wine each day. But the Lady of Immortal Wine endured the pain and cared for the man with all her heart. Later, when no one came to buy wine and she truly could not keep going, the man left without saying goodbye, and no one knew where he went. The Lady of Immortal Wine was worried and searched everywhere. On a hillside she met a white-haired old man carrying a load of dry firewood, walking with difficulty. Just as the Lady of Immortal Wine was about to help, the old man suddenly fell, and the dry firewood scattered all over the ground. The old man's eyes were closed, his lips trembled, and he weakly called out, "Water, water..." Where could there be water on the barren hillside? The Lady of Immortal Wine bit through her middle finger, and at once bright red blood flowed out. She put her finger to the old man's mouth, and the old man suddenly disappeared. In a clear breeze, a yellow cloth bag flew down from the sky, filled with many small yellow paper packets, and with a yellow note on which was written: The Moon Palace grants osmanthus seeds, rewarding the good families. High fortune, green osmanthus trees; high longevity, blossoms all over the tree. Pick flowers to brew osmanthus wine, first give it to father and mother. Wu Gang aids the good, and sends disaster upon the treacherous and sly. Only then did the Lady of Immortal Wine understand that the paralyzed man and the firewood-carrying old man had both been transformed by Wu Gang. When this matter spread, people from far and near came to ask for osmanthus seeds. Good people planted the osmanthus seeds, and before long osmanthus trees grew, osmanthus flowers bloomed, and the whole courtyard was sweetly fragrant, with endless glory. For those with crooked hearts, the osmanthus seeds they planted simply would not take root and sprout, making them feel ashamed, and from then on they washed their hearts and turned toward goodness. Everyone was very grateful to the Lady of Immortal Wine; it was her good deeds that moved the great immortal Wu Gang, who managed the osmanthus trees in the Moon Palace, to pass osmanthus seed wine to the mortal world, and from then on the mortal world had osmanthus and osmanthus wine.
Cultural Heritage
The eighth lunar month was called the Osmanthus Month in ancient times. This month is the best period for admiring osmanthus, and also the best month for admiring the moon. China's osmanthus and the Mid-Autumn bright moon have been linked with the cultural life of our people since ancient times. Many poets composed poems and lyrics to depict and praise it, and even deified it. Moon Palace myths such as Chang'e flying to the moon and Wu Gang chopping the osmanthus, the palace in the moon, and the fairy realm in the palace have become well-known tales praised through the ages, and it is precisely the osmanthus that links them together. The osmanthus tree has even become a "fairy tree." Han Zicang of the Song Dynasty wrote in a poem: "In the moon there was a guest who once shared its seed; in the world no flower dares contend with its fragrance." Li Qingzhao called the osmanthus tree "foremost among flowers." In modern times, through a mass selection, the osmanthus tree leaped onto the seat of the top 10 famous flowers.
The osmanthus has many names. Because its leaf veins are shaped like a gui tablet, it is called "gui"; because its material is dense and its grain resembles rhinoceros horn, it is called "muxi"; because it naturally grows among clustered rocky ridges, it is called "yangui"; and because when it blooms its fragrance is strong and carries for miles, it is also called "seven-li fragrance" and "nine-li fragrance."
Osmanthus belongs to the Oleaceae family and the genus Osmanthus. It originated in southwestern, southern, and eastern China. Wild resources now exist in Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Zhejiang, and other places, with cultivation most concentrated in cities such as Chengdu, Wuhan, Nanjing, Guilin, Hangzhou, and Suzhou. It is widely planted throughout the areas from the Huai River basin to the south of the lower reaches of the Yellow River. North of the Huai River, osmanthus has difficulty overwintering in the open ground, so pot cultivation is generally used, and in winter it is moved into a greenhouse or cold cellar to overwinter, so as to ensure its normal growth.
Osmanthus is cultivated in Japan and India. In 1771, Chinese osmanthus was introduced to Britain via Guangzhou and India, and afterward it spread rapidly. Today it is commonly cultivated in many countries in Europe and America as well as in various Southeast Asian countries, becoming an important fragrant-flower plant.
Some osmanthus plants bear fruit, and some do not. Generally the drupe ripens in April to May of the following year. If sown from seed, it generally takes 5 to 6 years to bloom. For asexual propagation by branch cuttings, grafting, or layering, it can bloom in the same year.
A Song Dynasty record states: "When the moon is about to be full, the flowers are just right; after the flowers are about to fade, the moon wanes again. One should know that things in heaven and the mortal world alike all receive the clear autumn at the same time." This points out its basic blooming pattern: namely, each year when the moon is full on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, the osmanthus blooms profusely, and half a month later the flowers have withered and the moon has also waned.
Osmanthus likes warmth and has strong stress resistance. It can withstand high temperatures and is also relatively cold-tolerant. In China, it can overwinter in the open ground in areas south of the Qinling Mountains and the Huai River.
Osmanthus prefers sunlight and can also tolerate shade. Under full sunlight its branches and leaves grow luxuriantly and it blooms densely; in shady places its branches and leaves grow sparsely and its flowers are few. If potted indoors in the north, special attention must be paid to having sufficient light, to benefit growth and the formation of flower buds.
The ancients left a great many records about the weather conditions for osmanthus blooming. In the Tang Dynasty, Wang Jian wrote in "Looking at the Moon on the Night of the Fifteenth": "Cold dew falls silently, wetting the osmanthus." Liu Zongyuan wrote, "Dense dew on the osmanthus of the front mountain." Bai Juyi wrote, "Heaven is about to steam the cold fragrance with autumn air; the moon borrows golden waves to pick the yellow seeds." Lu You of the Song Dynasty wrote: "Heavy dew dampens the fragrance on the quiet path at dawn; the slanting sun warms the buds, beautiful at the small window." In the poems, "cold dew" and "dense dew" show that the blooming weather requires cold, cool mornings and evenings; "warming and steaming" shows that the weather would also once again reach relatively high temperatures. This kind of weather, cold and cool in the morning and evening and hot during the day, is favorable for the osmanthus tree's accumulation of nutrients and also promotes the formation of rain and dew, and the osmanthus tree then speeds up its blooming. People of Suzhou call this "muxi steaming." Around Mid-Autumn, the weather suddenly turns hot, even like summer, and once the osmanthus is steamed and warmed, it blooms profusely and abundantly. Osmanthus blooming requires a certain humidity and also a certain temperature difference.
Because osmanthus can be enjoyed for its flowers and also smelled for its fragrance, modern urban landscaping often chooses it. Osmanthus also has rich cultural significance. "Among the beauties of things, the osmanthus of Zhaoyao," and osmanthus has always been a symbol of what is beautiful and elegant in the world. "In the eighth month the osmanthus blooms everywhere; when the osmanthus blooms, happiness comes." Through the ages, folk people have also regarded osmanthus as an auspicious sign. And passing the imperial examination and gaining success in official career are also called "breaking the osmanthus," while those who obtain special honor are praised as having a "laurel crown."
City Flower and City Tree Xianning Xianning City
Osmanthus cultivation has a long history. According to historical records, more than 2,300 years ago during the Warring States period, the poet Qu Yuan passed through Xianning and wrote the beautiful lines "I offer osmanthus wine and pepper broth" and "Swiftly I ride in an osmanthus boat." Five hundred years ago, there was already a folk tradition of brewing fine osmanthus wine.
A small number of thousand-year-old ancient osmanthus trees still exist in Xian'an. Xianning osmanthus ranks first in the country in six aspects: planting area, number of varieties, number of ancient osmanthus trees, osmanthus output, osmanthus quality, and osmanthus nursery stock. The city's five main resource indicators, including the number of osmanthus varieties, number of ancient trees, base area, fresh osmanthus output, and osmanthus quality, have always maintained a leading position nationwide. Osmanthus is distributed across 45 townships in 6 counties and urban districts of the city, with four major cultivar groups: Jingu, Yingui, Dangui, and Sijigui, and nearly thirty osmanthus varieties. There are 1.5 million osmanthus plants with a ground diameter of more than 5 cm, equivalent to an area of more than 50,000 mu. In particular, the city has 2,000 ancient osmanthus trees over a hundred years old, accounting for 91% of the country's 2,200.
In 1963 and 1983, the state twice named Xianning the "Home of Osmanthus"; in 2000, the state once again named Xian'an District of Xianning City the only "China's Home of Osmanthus." With indisputable resource advantages, Xianning City has successively won numerous national honors. According to a special survey on osmanthus, compared with 1999, the osmanthus area, output, output value, tax revenue, and net income provided to farmers all grew considerably, and the osmanthus industry developed substantially. Xian'an District was listed by the State Forestry Administration as a national-level nursery stock and flower base. Xianning osmanthus products have been exported to more than 10 countries and regions including Japan, the United States, Europe, and Southeast Asia. "Rose fragrance, jasmine fragrance, none can compare with Jiangnan's osmanthus fragrance." The rich osmanthus customs have nurtured a Gui Township culture with southern Hubei characteristics. A "Legend of the Heavenly Fragrance Osmanthus" tells the legendary story of osmanthus, and a song "Jiangnan Osmanthus Fragrance" has spread Xianning's osmanthus fragrance across the north and south of the country.
Lu'an
The background setting of the TV drama "August Osmanthus Blooms Everywhere," Lu'an Zhou, is today's Lu'an, and the instructors of the New Fourth Army's southern Henan training class entered Lu'an Zhou to serve as political commissars in the guerrilla detachment at Huoying Mountain. Huoying Mountain here is Lu'an's Huoshan County. Lu'an is also called Lu'an, and because the pronunciation is the same, it is often written as Lu'an. It is one of China's largest osmanthus production areas and concentrated production areas. "August Osmanthus Blooms Everywhere" was adapted from the tune of the Dabie Mountains folk song "Eight Sections of Brocade," and has been sung to this day without declining. There are multiple versions of where it originated. Since the 1980s, the birthplace of "August Osmanthus Blooms Everywhere" has sparked disputes among various places, with claims for Jiangxi, Sichuan, Hubei, Anhui, and Henan.
Xinyang
"August Osmanthus Blooms Everywhere" was spread across the country by the "Red Sun Troupe" founded by Wang Jichu, becoming a classic work among China's revolutionary historical folk songs. Shangcheng and Xinxian regard "Osmanthus" as their pride, and the two counties made irreplaceable contributions to the blooming of "Osmanthus." Xinyang City adopted osmanthus as its city flower. Xinyang City is located in southern Henan Province, bordering Anhui to the east and Hubei to the south. Xinyang has beautiful mountains and waters and a pleasant climate.
Suzhou
Suzhou's city flower is osmanthus. Osmanthus is an evergreen tree of the Oleaceae family. China has more than two thousand years of cultivation history with it, and it is rated as one of the top ten traditional famous flowers. A myth was once widely circulated among the people: it was said that in the moon there was an osmanthus tree, 500 zhang tall. Wu Gang, a man from Hexi in the Han Dynasty, because he studied immortality and did not follow the rules of the way, was punished by being sent to the moon to chop the osmanthus. But the tree closed up as soon as it was chopped, and could never be chopped down. He toiled all year round, and was only allowed to rest when the osmanthus bloomed at Mid-Autumn. Mao Zedong's line "Ask Wu Gang what he has; Wu Gang brings out osmanthus wine" is a vivid embellishment of this story. Through the ages, folk people have all regarded osmanthus as an auspicious sign. Passing the imperial examination and gaining success in official career are called "breaking the osmanthus." Those who obtain special honor are praised as having a "laurel crown." Among some ethnic minorities in Guangxi, young men and women also like to give osmanthus to the one they love, to express their admiration, hence the proverb "One sprig of osmanthus, one heart; in the osmanthus grove, a lifetime is joined."
Hangzhou
Hangzhou uses osmanthus as its city flower not because the osmanthus flower shape is so beautiful or so large, but because of a deeper connotation: osmanthus is a flower with connotation. First, its fragrance is rich, elegant, and pleasant. Whenever osmanthus blooms in golden autumn, the whole city of Hangzhou is filled with osmanthus fragrance, making people feel relaxed and joyful. Second, literati and poets through the ages have chanted about Hangzhou osmanthus countless times, which shows that osmanthus cultivation in Hangzhou also has a long history and has been loved by people for thousands of years. All tourists who come to Hangzhou during osmanthus season are captivated by it, and osmanthus fragrance has already become a symbol of Hangzhou.
Guilin
Guilin's city flower is also osmanthus. In Guilin, this scenic, world-famous tourist city, the "best under heaven" Guilin landscape attracts many people from home and abroad. In Guilin there is the saying "Guilin, Guilin, osmanthus trees form a forest."
Related Poems
"Partridge Sky" Li Qingzhao
Dim and light yellow, its nature is gentle; its feeling distant, its traces far, only fragrance remains.
Why need pale green or deep red? It is naturally foremost among flowers.
Plum must be jealous; chrysanthemum should be ashamed. Where it blooms by the painted railing, it crowns Mid-Autumn.
How could the poets be so lacking in feeling? Why was it not included back then?
"Appreciating Osmanthus" Qing Dynasty, Zhang Yun'ao
In the eighth month West Lake is perfect for a clear outing; where does fragrance reach the nose in quiet seclusion?
Beside Manjuelong golden grains are everywhere; heavenly wind blows them down, autumn over ten thousand mountains.
"Looking at the Moon on the Night of the Fifteenth" Tang Dynasty, Wang Jian
In the courtyard the ground is white, crows perch in the trees; cold dew falls silently, wetting the osmanthus.
Tonight the moon is bright and everyone gazes at it; who knows in whose home autumn longing falls?
"Autumn Night Stirring Feelings" Song Dynasty, Zhu Shuzhen
Suppressing the west wind, it dominates all fragrance; for whom is the full autumn color busy?
One sprig lightly placed beneath the study window; the person and the flower's heart each have their own fragrance.
When the moon is about to be full, the flowers are just right; after the flowers are about to fade, the moon wanes again.
One should know that things in heaven and the mortal world alike all receive the clear autumn at the same time.
"Osmanthus" Song Dynasty, Lü Shengzhi
Alone it dominates the three autumns and suppresses all fragrance; why praise the green of oranges and the yellow of tangerines?
Since it was divided and sent down from the Mid-Autumn moon, its fragrance truly drifts from the edge of the sky.
"Three Poems on the Osmanthus of the East City with Preface" Tang Dynasty, Bai Juyi
The East City of Suzhou was the ancient capital of Wu. Now it is a place for woodcutters and herders.
There is one osmanthus tree growing below the city wall. Pitying that it did not get the right place, I therefore composed three quatrains to console it.
You fell originally from Tianzhu Temple; your roots now coil in Helü City.
At that time you should have followed the south wind down, falling to the mortal world to grow at random.
Though pressed by much frost and snow, you do not die; brambles grow fast and want to bury you.
Always I worry you will fall into a woodcutter's hands, sold as a bundle of firewood in Suzhou.
From afar I know the osmanthus in heaven is lonely; may I ask Chang'e if she wants any more?
Fortunately the Moon Palace has idle land; why not plant two in the center?
Song Dynasty, Zhu Xi
Gracefully standing, the osmanthus below the cliff; late in the year it alone is fragrant.
Leaves dense with a thousand layers of green; flowers open in ten thousand dots of yellow.
"Gathering Mulberries" Li Gang
Its hidden fragrance does not bloom for spring light; it waits straight for the autumn wind, waits straight for the autumn wind; its fragrance is especially strong compared with other flowers.
Hairpins of gold and jade, a person like jade; the wind stirs the tinkling ornaments, stirs the tinkling ornaments, just like meeting beneath the jade terrace in the moon.
On the branch tips ten thousand dots adorn golden stamens; ten li of clear fragrance, ten li of clear fragrance, drawing out the recluse's long, elegant thoughts.
In a jade vase storing water, the flowers are hard to age; on a clean table by a bright window, on a clean table by a bright window, the faded petals fall rustling yellow.
"Bird Cries in the Ravine" Wang Wei
When people are at leisure, osmanthus flowers fall; at night all is quiet, the spring mountain is empty.
The moon comes out and startles the mountain birds; from time to time they cry within the spring ravine.
"Osmanthus Blooms Again at Changsha Temple" Chen Yuyi
Heaven sent the hidden flower to bloom twice; at dusk, Buddhist chanting releases, and here I linger.
Not letting the lay believer lie on the meditation couch, calling him out to the west chamber to look together.
"Lingyin Temple" Tang Dynasty poet Song Zhiwen
Osmanthus seeds fall within the moon; heavenly fragrance drifts beyond the clouds.
"Chang'e" Ming Dynasty, Bian Gong
In the Moon Palace autumn is cold, osmanthus round and round; year after year the flowers bloom, only to be picked. Together in the mortal world we speak of heaven, not knowing that in heaven they long for the mortal world.
"Remembering Jiangnan" Tang Dynasty, Bai Juyi
In the mountain temple within the moon I seek osmanthus seeds; on the commandery pavilion pillow I watch the tide head.
"Sent to Zen Master Taoguang" Tang Dynasty, Bai Juyi
From afar I think of where my master walks the way; heavenly fragrance and osmanthus seeds fall in profusion.
"With Thoughts of My Younger Brother Han" Yu Chou
Hibiscus weeping dew is seen at the slope's head; osmanthus seeds drifting fragrance are smelled beneath the moon.
The Flower Language of Osmanthus
Flower language: inhale your fragrance. Autumn osmanthus is like gold, representing "harvest."
The flower language of osmanthus is "inhale your breath."
Forever accompanying the beauty, the osmanthus tree is indeed a house tree whose fragrance fills the world and whose fame fills the world. It is a symbol of the lofty and beautiful, of "auspiciousness and wealth."
Osmanthus Pictures