A Detailed Guide to Growing February Orchid (Zhonghua Zhuge Cai)

Growing Techniques Jan 1, 1970 0 views

February Orchid (Zhonghua Zhuge Cai) Scientific name: orychophragmus violaceus. Common names: Zhonghua Zhuge Cai, rapeseed flower, purple gold grass. Family and genus: Brassicaceae (Cruciferae), Orychophragmus. Morphological features: A biennial herb, named February Orchid because it begins to bloom with blue-purple flowers around the second lunar month. Stems erect.

February Orchid (Zhonghua Zhuge Cai)

Scientific name: orychophragmus violaceus

Common names: Zhonghua Zhuge Cai, rapeseed flower, purple gold grass

Family and genus: Brassicaceae (Cruciferae), Orychophragmus

Morphological features: A biennial herb, named February Orchid because it begins to bloom with blue-purple flowers around the second lunar month. Stems erect, plant height 30-50 cm, sometimes reaching 70-80 cm. Stems smooth, with a white powdery bloom. The basal leaves and upper leaves differ greatly in shape. Basal leaves nearly round, with petioles, margins coarsely and irregularly serrate; lower leaves pinnately lobed; terminal leaves reniform or triangular-ovate, without petioles; lateral leaves obliquely ovate, with petioles. Racemes terminal, flowers deep purple or pale purple, petals 4, obovate, with long claws, arranged in a cross shape, blooming successively from early spring to June. Siliques elongated. Maturing in June. Seeds black-brown, ovate. Legend has it that when Zhuge Liang led his troops on campaign, he once gathered the tender shoots as a vegetable, hence the name.

Ecological habits: It is not demanding about soil, growing robustly in fertile, moist, sunny environments, and showing good adaptability in shady and damp conditions. It has strong resistance to frost and winter cold.

Care essentials: For pot cultivation, direct sowing can be used, and after seedlings emerge, thin them according to pot size. No special management is needed; water when dry, and apply fertilizer 1-2 times during the growing season.

Propagation method: Sowing.

Flower meaning: Humble and simple, selfless dedication.

Landscape application: In winter, February Orchid has lush green foliage, and in spring its flowers are soft and pleasing to the eye. In early spring it blooms in sheets, with a long flowering period, suitable for large-area ground cover, or used as a background plant for green spaces that do not require fine management. It is a good ground cover plant for shady areas or under trees in gardens, and can also be cultivated as a flower border. It can also be planted on slopes, along roadsides, and similar sites.

Dietary and medicinal effects: The tender stems and leaves are rich in various trace elements needed by the human body and can be stir-fried, served cold, or used in soups, and also have cosmetic uses. The seeds can be pressed for oil. It has relatively high medicinal value, with heat-clearing and detoxifying effects.

Cultivation and Management of Zhonghua Zhuge Cai (February Orchid)

Cultivation method Sowing cultivation. Collect seeds promptly after they mature, store them in sand until autumn, then sow in September. Broadcasting is used for sowing, generally in a seedbed, with a sowing rate of generally 7.5 kg/hm2. Strengthen management after sowing; to prevent seeds from being washed away, it is best to water with a spray bottle after sowing, and seedlings will emerge in about 1 week. Move into pots before winter in November. Cultivation management For the potting soil, mix garden soil, perlite, and plant ash thoroughly in a ratio of 6:2:1. Apply sufficient base fertilizer when potting, and after the seedlings are established, move the pots to a sunny place for routine fertilizer and water management. Compared with other flowers, cultivation management is relatively extensive and does not require much care. It has strong cold resistance and shade tolerance, and can grow, bloom, and set seed normally with a certain amount of scattered light. It is not demanding about soil. It is best to choose loose, fertile, and well-drained sandy soil. As long as it is watered and fertilized in time and given a little management, it can grow robustly. Fertilize 4 times a year: flower bud fertilizer in early spring, vigor fertilizer after flowering, fruit-swelling fertilizer after fruit set, and seedling-strengthening fertilizer before winter. If a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution is sprayed on the leaves once each during the bud stage and young fruit stage, the flower color will be more brilliant and the fruits will be fuller. The flowering period is from early spring to June. Siliques elongated, maturing in June. Seeds black-brown, ovate. In winter, Zhonghua Zhuge Cai has lush green leaves, and in early spring it blooms in sheets. If there is heavy frost in winter, strengthen frost protection measures. If grown for food, divide frequently to promote the sprouting of tender stems and leaves. Common pests include aphids, cabbage caterpillars, snails, and leaf miners. If pests are found, carry out timely chemical control.
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Cultivation Methods and Precautions for Zhonghua Zhuge Cai

Chinese scientific name: Zhonghua Zhuge Cai

Latin scientific name: Orychophragmus violaceus

Other names: Caizi Hua, February Orchid, Purple Gold Grass

Binomial name: Orychophragmus violaceus

Kingdom: Plantae

Class: Dicotyledoneae

Subclass: Dilleniidae

Family: Brassicaceae

Genus: Orychophragmus

Species: Orychophragmus violaceus

Distribution area: Northeast China, North China, and East China

Phonetic annotation: ㄓㄨㄍㄜˇ ㄘㄞˋ

Zhonghua Zhuge Cai (February Orchid), of the genus Orychophragmus in the family Brassicaceae, is an annual or biennial herb. It is called February Orchid because it begins to bloom with blue-purple flowers around the second lunar month. It grows in plains, mountains, roadsides, and field edges. It has low requirements for soil, light, and other conditions, is cold- and drought-tolerant, and has tenacious vitality. Legend has it that when Zhuge Liang led his troops on campaign, he once gathered the tender shoots of this "turnip" as a vegetable, hence the name.

1. Morphological characteristics

Flowers purple or white, 2-4 cm in diameter. Calyx tubular, purple, sepals about 0.3 cm long; petals spreading, 1-1.5 cm long, with fine vein lines, claw 0.3-0.6 cm long.
Leaf shape varies greatly. Basal leaves and lower cauline leaves are lyrate-pinnately parted, terminal lobe nearly round or ovate, 3-7 cm long, 2-3.5 cm high, base cordate, with obtuse teeth; lateral lobes 2-6 pairs, ovate or triangular-ovate, 0.3-1.5 cm long, smaller toward the base, entire or serrate, occasionally with very small lobes interspersed on the rachis; petiole 2-4 cm long; upper cauline leaves oblong or narrowly ovate, 4-9 cm long, base auriculate, stem-clasping, margins irregularly serrate.
Siliques linear, 0.7-10 cm long, 4-angled, valves with 1 midvein, beak 1.5-2.5 cm long. Seeds ovate to oblong, about 0.2 cm long, black-brown. Flowering and fruiting period April-June.
Annual or biennial herb. Plant height 10-50 cm, entirely glabrous; stem single, erect. Leaf shape varies greatly. Basal leaves and lower cauline leaves are lyrate-pinnately parted, terminal lobe nearly round or ovate, 3-7 cm long, 2-3.5 cm high, base cordate, with obtuse teeth; lateral lobes 2-6 pairs, ovate or triangular-ovate, 0.3-1.5 cm long, smaller toward the base, entire or serrate, occasionally with very small lobes interspersed on the rachis; petiole 2-4 cm long; upper cauline leaves oblong or narrowly ovate, 4-9 cm long, base auriculate, stem-clasping, margins irregularly serrate. Flowers purple or white, 2-4 cm in diameter. Calyx tubular, purple, sepals about 0.3 cm long; petals spreading, 1-1.5 cm long, with fine vein lines, claw 0.3-0.6 cm long. Siliques linear, 0.7-10 cm long, 4-angled, valves with 1 midvein, beak 1.5-2.5 cm long. Seeds ovate to oblong, about 0.2 cm long, black-brown. Flowering and fruiting period April-June.
Zhonghua Zhuge Cai grows 20-70 cm tall, usually mostly 30-50 cm. The stem is erect and usually single. Basal leaves and lower cauline leaves are pinnately parted, leaf base cordate, leaf margins obtusely toothed; upper cauline leaves oblong or narrowly ovate, leaf base stem-clasping and auriculate, leaf margins irregularly serrate. Racemes terminal, bearing 5-20 flowers; petals have fine vein lines; flowers are mostly blue-purple or pale red, and as the flowering period continues, the flower color gradually fades, eventually turning white. Flowering period April-May, fruiting period May-June. Petals 4, long ovate, with long claws, claw about 3-6 mm long, petal length about 1-2 cm; stamens 6, filaments white, anthers yellow; calyx slender and tubular, blue-purple, sepals about 3 mm long. The fruit is a cylindrical silique, 6-9 cm long, with a slender beak at the tip, the fruit has four angles, containing large numbers of tiny black-brown seeds; seeds ovate-round; the fruit splits open naturally when mature, ejecting the seeds.

2. Growth characteristics

1. Strong cold resistance. It is also fairly shade-tolerant, and used as ground cover it has a good covering effect, with lush green leaves, a expanse of verdant green that people love.

2. Strong adaptability. It can grow from Northeast China and North China all the way to East China and Central China. If there is heavy frost and snow in winter, although some leaves may freeze, it can still sprout new leaves, bloom, and set seed in early spring. It is not demanding about soil.
3. Purple flowers, opening successively from bottom to top, blooming continuously from February to May or June, especially when planted in groups, like a sea of blue-purple. If planted by riversides or sea embankments, green leaves, flower seas, seawater, and blue sky interweave together, very spectacular.
4. Zhonghua Zhuge Cai has a strong self-propagation ability, and once sown it can form its own community year after year. After the seeds mature each year in May-June, they fall into the soil on their own, green seedlings grow in September, the young seedlings overwinter, bloom in late spring, set seed in summer, and continue year after year. It is often planted in garden green spaces, forest belts, parks, residential communities, and under elevated bridges, and is widely used as a flowering ground cover. Seed sources are abundant and cheap; sowing costs only a few jiao per square meter. Therefore it is adopted by many greening projects, parks, and tourist attractions. Experts also suggest planting February Orchid in large patches at airports, because it not only clothes the ground in green in winter and produces sheets of purple flowers in spring, but also can continue self-propagating, requires little maintenance, and can be mixed with other plants, making it a good variety combining many advantages.

3. Landscape greening

1. Suitable for planting under trees, at forest edges, in residential communities, under elevated bridges, at the foot of hillsides, or at the edges of lawns; it can be planted alone in patches or mixed with various shrubs to form a spring landscape feature.

2. It can be used in large quantities in parks, at forest edges, on urban streets, and in green belts on both sides of expressways or railways. When it blooms in large sheets, the greening and beautification effect is excellent. Hydroseeding can be used for slope greening along expressways, with even better results. Self-sown seeds can grow new seedlings by mid-to-late June just as the previous generation of plants is withering, so bare soil basically does not appear, making it an extremely good plant material for slope greening along expressways.
3. As a flowerbed flower, Zhonghua Zhuge Cai's medium-tall habit, strong adaptability, and early-spring flowering characteristics make it suitable for early-spring flowerbeds.

4. Cultivation management

Zhonghua Zhuge Cai is mainly propagated by seed and has strong regeneration ability; after plants wither, newly fallen seeds quickly germinate and grow into new seedlings. On uncultivated soil, manually broadcast seeds can also establish seedlings, and it has strong weed resistance. Therefore cultivation management can be relatively extensive and fairly easy. Some freshly harvested seeds have after-ripening physiological characteristics; early sowing gives a low germination rate, and germination may continue for 1-2 months or even longer. Sowing can be done in summer or autumn, but August-September is most suitable. Each gram contains 300-400 seeds, and the sowing rate per mu is about 1 kg. Calculated per square meter, it should be 1-2 grams per square meter. If hydroseeding is used, the amount per unit area should preferably be increased by 10-20%.

For the potting soil, mix garden soil, perlite, and plant ash thoroughly in a ratio of 6:2:1. Apply sufficient base fertilizer when potting, and after the seedlings are established, move the pots to a sunny place for routine fertilizer and water management.
Compared with other flowers, cultivation management is relatively extensive and does not require much care. It has strong cold resistance and shade tolerance, and can grow, bloom, and set seed normally with a certain amount of scattered light. It is not demanding about soil. It is best to choose loose, fertile, and well-drained sandy soil. As long as it is watered and fertilized in time and given a little management, it can grow robustly. Fertilize 4 times a year: flower bud fertilizer in early spring, vigor fertilizer after flowering, fruit-swelling fertilizer after fruit set, and seedling-strengthening fertilizer before winter. If a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution is sprayed on the leaves once each during the bud stage and young fruit stage, the flower color will be more brilliant and the fruits will be fuller. The flowering period is from early spring to June. Siliques elongated, maturing in June. Seeds black-brown, ovate. In winter, Zhonghua Zhuge Cai has lush green leaves, and in early spring it blooms in sheets. If there is heavy frost in winter, strengthen frost protection measures. If grown for food, divide frequently to promote the sprouting of tender stems and leaves.
Common pests include aphids, cabbage caterpillars, snails, and leaf miners. If pests are found, carry out timely chemical control.

Weed management measures

1. Water before sowing to promote the germination of weed seeds in the topsoil. If soil moisture is moderate, seeds can germinate within two weeks. Do not till the soil again, otherwise more weed seeds will be brought to the surface. Applying herbicide spray can basically eradicate weeds, but be sure to rest for a period after applying herbicide before sowing, because herbicides are harmful to any plant.
2. Be sure to use chemical herbicides safely, and avoid chemical residues affecting the germination and growth of flower seeds. Therefore, generally before sowing wildflower mixes, reserve 3-4 weeks for the soil to recover, and then plant the wildflower mix, because widespread use of herbicides may delay seed germination or weaken the growth vigor of flower seedlings.
3. Remove weeds promptly when flower seeds germinate, so as to prevent them from spreading. If conditions permit, weeds should be pulled out immediately whenever found. In addition, relatively effective methods are using broad-spectrum herbicides or cutting them with a mower (or brush cutter). Make sure to remove weeds before they set seed. Many annual or perennial weeds can be controlled with specialized herbicides. These herbicides do not affect the growth and development of broadleaf plants and can be used on wildflower mixes; spraying them on newly grown seedlings works very well.

Pruning and cleanup

To keep a wildflower mix always showing a good ornamental effect in landscape arrangements, it must be prevented from setting seed; generally during the seed-setting period, use a mower to cut it to a height of 10-15 cm. In addition, when preparing the land for autumn sowing, remove surface debris that hinders good contact between seeds and soil, including dead branches and fallen leaves. At present, in the field of landscape greening, creating natural and diverse garden landscapes, exploring plant application forms that return to simplicity and nature, and building a conservation-oriented and sustainably developing ecological environment are the direction of future development. Wildflower mixes can create natural, beautiful landscape effects, and with their extensive management, rich variety, abundant wild charm, low establishment cost, and long ornamental period, they will become the most uniquely characteristic element in the field of landscape greening and be most widely applied. Zhonghua Zhuge Cai planting techniques.

5. Nutritional value

Zhonghua Zhuge Cai is a common wild vegetable in early spring, and its tender stems and leaves have a relatively large growth amount and are rich in nutrients. According to measurements, every 100 grams of fresh product contains 3.32 mg carotene, 0.16 mg vitamin B2, and 59 mg vitamin C. The seeds contain more than 50% oil and are also a very good oil plant. In particular, their linoleic acid proportion is relatively high, which is extremely beneficial to the human body. Because linoleic acid can lower serum cholesterol and triglycerides in the human body and can soften blood vessels and prevent thrombosis, it is a good medicine for patients with cardiovascular disease. Zhonghua Zhuge Cai has strong cold resistance and sprouts early, and can help fill the early-spring vegetable off-season. Its wild collection is generally carried out in March-April. After collection, it only needs to be blanched in boiling water to remove the bitter taste before eating.

6. Food

Zhonghua Zhuge Cai is a common wild vegetable in northern China. Its tender leaves and stems are edible, and the seeds can be collected for pressing oil. Therefore, every early spring, people who enjoy wild flavors enter parks or other wild areas where Zhonghua Zhuge Cai grows in clusters to dig it up for food. Excessive harvesting will damage the populations of Zhonghua Zhuge Cai.

7. Plant character

Zhonghua Zhuge Cai is one of the most common wildflowers in northern China in early spring, so the plain Zhonghua Zhuge Cai often appears in literary works with the posture of the grassroots class. Among literary works featuring Zhonghua Zhuge Cai as the protagonist, the most famous is undoubtedly the prose "February Orchid" by Ji Xianlin.
There is a lesson text "The Words of Flowers," a fairy tale by Zong Pu. The article arranges flowers that cannot speak and could not possibly gather together to compare beauty and discuss worth in a moonlit garden. Using flowers as the medium, this article strongly praises the valuable spirit of February Orchid: modesty, simplicity, and selfless dedication.

8. Stories and legends

1. Origin of the name: Zhuge "Wolong," entrusted with the heavy responsibility of the orphaned heir, devotedly assisted the later ruler, and sent troops to attack Wei. Although Shu was known as the Land of Abundance, it could not withstand years of continuous warfare; moreover, the Shu army repeatedly marched out through Qishan, and the Shu roads were difficult, so military grain often could not be supplied. To solve this problem, Zhuge Liang came up with the method of planting turnips in the army. Based on his experience farming in Longzhong, he ordered soldiers to plant turnips widely wherever they went, to supplement military food.
The soldiers acted according to orders, and before long they planted turnips over large areas near the march routes, temporarily alleviating the contradiction between military grain supply and demand. After the Shu army left, the turnips they had planted were not wasted; the local people generally gathered and ate them, calling them "Zhuge Cai."
2. According to legend, Zhuge Liang became Liu Bei's military commander of the middle rank, overseeing military grain and taxes. Because Liu Bei had a large number of troops, the demand for grain and forage was relatively large, and the burden on the common people was even greater. For example, if the common people could not eat their fill or dress warmly, people's hearts would become unsettled. Once, Zhuge Liang went out on an inspection incognito and saw a vegetable called "turnip." From an old farmer he learned that this vegetable was a treasure from top to bottom: its leaves and stems could both be eaten, and what was left could be made into pickles. During the lean season, this vegetable could become the staple dish.
Zhuge Liang was extremely interested in this vegetable. He asked the old farmer about the yield per mu of "turnip" and how to grow it, then ordered soldiers to open wasteland and plant this vegetable, both to supplement military grain and to use as livestock feed, economical and practical, achieving two goals at once. So Zhuge Liang ordered soldiers to plant "turnip" widely, and military grain became plentiful. Later generations called this vegetable Zhuge Cai.
Zhonghua Zhuge Cai, native to Northeast China and North China, is not demanding about soil and can grow fairly well even in ordinary soil conditions. Key points for propagation and cultivation: It has strong cold resistance and shade tolerance, and under conditions with a certain amount of scattered light, it can grow, bloom, and set seed normally.

9. Literary works

Ji Xianlin wrote a very famous prose piece titled "February Orchid." He said: "I have lived in Yanyuan for more than forty years. At first I did not particularly notice this little flower. Until the year before last, perhaps exactly a big flowering year for February Orchid. I suddenly discovered that, starting from the small earthen hill beside the building where I live, I walked all over the garden, and wherever my eyes reached, there was February Orchid. Beside houses, under hedges, in forests, on hilltops, on earthen slopes, by lakesides, wherever there was an opening, there was a mass of purple air, interspersed with white mist. The little flowers bloomed to the fullest, with extraordinary momentum; the purple air rushed straight to the sky, and even the universe seemed to turn purple."
In Zong Pu's "The Words of Flowers," February Orchid is mentioned. Suddenly, the garden's side gate opened, and a little boy came flying in. He did not look at the myriad colors under the moonlight, but ran straight to an inconspicuous corner behind the pine tree, and among the lush green grass, picked wild February Orchid.
His "Farewell to Spring" also describes February Orchid: "Everyone rejoices in welcoming spring; who likes to bid spring farewell? The loyal, persistent February Orchid does not shirk this task. It welcomes spring's arrival, accompanies spring while it stays, and sees spring off when it goes."