Cycad Blooms and Bears Fruit, Only to Be Picked: Wuhan Hospital Gardener Alarmed

Master Shi worked as a gardener at Wuhan Yangtze River Shipping General Hospital for over forty years. Recently, the cycad he planted at the hospital entrance bloomed and bore more than 400 fruits.Unexpectedly, after the fruits ripened, more than 30 of them were picked by passersby.Master Shi reminds everyone not to eat them, because cycad seeds are toxic. He tested it before, and eating them causes nausea and vomiting.

Cycad blooms, what's the next line?

A mute speaks.

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As the saying goes: "Cycad blooms, a mute speaks"

This shows it is truly rare for a cycad to bloom

Cycad blooming often follows no pattern, and the blooms are hard to see

Hence there is also"a thousand-year-old cycad blooms"the saying

And for a cycad to bear fruit is even rarer

Today, flower enthusiast@Moran

shared a batch of "phoenix eggs" in a Wuhan flower enthusiasts' group chat

instantly attracting everyone's attention

Blooming is nothing - this cycad has borne fruit!

△Image source: @Moran

Editor, what do you mean? What on earth is this "phoenix egg" in quotation marks?

Cycads generally bloom between July and August. They are dioecious, with flowers growing at the top of the trunk. The male flower is a long club-shaped cone made of many tightly clustered microsporophylls; the female flower is composed of a cluster of broadly ovate, spreading carpels, with a surface covered in light brown or yellowish-gray fuzz, and each side of the carpel stalk has 1-3 ovules.

Cycad seeds mature in October (which is exactly the ripening period). The seeds are round and bright red, like a small red egg, hence"phoenix egg"the name.

Is it very rare for a cycad to bear fruit?

It is understood that it is relatively rare for cycads to bloom and bear fruit, but in recent years citizens across various places have reported and seen cycads blooming and bearing fruit. So what is the truth?

According to landscape experts, the female flower can bear fruit once pollinated by the male flower. But"a cycad bearing fruit" is indeed rarer than "a cycad blooming," because the male and female flowers of the cycad do not bloom at the same time.

Round and red - can it be used as medicine or eaten?

Experts point out thatcycad fruits contain toxic substances and cannot be eaten.Eating them may cause nerve paralysis, induce liver tumors and spinal cord atrophy, and in sufficient quantities may even be fatal. They can only be used in small amounts in traditional Chinese medicine for reducing inflammation, stopping bleeding, and relieving phlegm and cough.

△Cycad blooming

The cycad gets its name because its trunk is as hard as forged iron. It is the most primitive seed plant on Earth. Because its lifespan can reach 200 years, it symbolizes good fortune and longevity in folk tradition. It is therefore often used by people for bonsai and garden landscaping.

Although it is rare for cycads to bloom and bear fruit,in early summer, scenes of male and female cycads blooming can often be seen in major parks in Wuhan.

By golden autumn, the cycad flowers, shaped like "bird nests," have hatched red eggs. The orange-red fruits are shaped like chestnuts; when cracked open with force and the shell peeled off, the flesh is white and gives off a faint fragrance.

Warm Reminder

?

Xiaoqi reminds the general public here

In the process of planting and growing flowers and plants

such rare situations may occur

Citizens must not heed others' advice to

eat the roots, stems, leaves, or fruits of flowers and plants

When in doubt, consult a doctor or professional.