What makes Buddha's hand so special? A detailed introduction to its unique characteristics

Alternative names of Buddha's hand

Buddha's hand citron, five-finger orange, Feirang, honey Luo mandarin, five-finger citron, five-finger mandarin.

Growing habits of Buddha's hand

Buddha's hand is a tropical and subtropical plant. It likes warm, humid environments with plenty of sunlight, is not tolerant of severe cold, and fears frost and drought. It is shade-tolerant, poor-soil-tolerant, and waterlogging-tolerant. It is best cultivated in areas with abundant rainfall and no freezing in winter.

The most suitable growing temperature is 22-24°C, the overwintering temperature should be above 5°C, the most suitable annual rainfall is 1000-1200 mm, and the suitable annual sunshine duration is 1200-1800 hours. It is suitable for growing in acidic loam, sandy loam, or clay loam with deep soil layers, loose and fertile texture, rich humus, and good drainage.

Distribution of production areas of Buddha's hand

Buddha's hand is distributed in Fujian, Guangdong, Sichuan, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang provinces in China. In Guangdong it is mostly planted in open hilly plains at an altitude of 300-500 m, while in Sichuan it is mostly distributed in hilly areas at an altitude of 400-700 m, especially more often on hilltops.

Complete list of Buddha's hand varieties

Guangdong large-fruit Buddha's hand: The tree is tall, and the trunk is grayish brown. The branches are greenish, and the branches have sharp small thorns. Long branches tend to droop after bearing fruit, there are many short branches, and the tips of young shoots are purplish red. The leaves are relatively large, similar to pomelo leaves. The fruit is relatively large, the yield is relatively high, the fruit size is relatively uniform, and when mature it is light yellow with a special aromatic odor. It is outstanding among cultivated varieties of Buddha's hand.

Nanjing Buddha's hand: The tree is tall, the stem is pale grayish green, the leaves are relatively small, about 8 cm long and about 5 cm wide, the leaf color is green, and the young shoots are green. The flowers are white. From April to May there are more male flowers, and from late June there are more bisexual flowers. The fruit is slightly smaller than the Guangdong large-fruit variety. Fruit drop is serious at the young fruit stage; generally, once the fruit grows to 2 cm long, it is not easy for it to drop. When mature, the fruit is pale golden yellow, and the fruit sizes vary, with two types: fist fruit and open-hand fruit. This variety has high yield, the alternate bearing phenomenon is not obvious, the tree vigor is vigorous, and it easily produces water sprouts and upright growing branches.

Large-seed Buddha's hand: The tree is tall, slightly smaller than the Nanjing variety, the branches are greenish grayish brown, there are not many small branches, and long branches droop easily, so support frames are needed when planted in the open. The leaves are relatively large, about 11 cm long and about 6 cm wide, the leaves are dark green, and the young shoots are dark purple. The flowers are purplish red, relatively large, slightly larger than those of the Nanjing variety. The fruit is also relatively large; the largest single fruit can reach 1 kg. Most are clenched-fist fruits. The alternate bearing phenomenon is obvious, cold tolerance is worse than that of the Nanjing variety, and the yield is not high, so it is rarely planted in production.

Small-seed Buddha's hand: The stems are mostly pale gray, the plant is short, and the flowers are white. The fruit is small, the maturity period is earlier, most are in the form of clustered clenched-fist fruits, and the fragrance is sufficient. Cold resistance is poor and the yield is low. It is generally mostly used for potted cultivation (Buddha's hand potted cultivation techniques) and rarely grown as a crop.

Value and applications of Buddha's hand

Ornamental value: The ornamental value of Buddha's hand is different from that of ordinary bonsai flowers. The flowers of Buddha's hand are pure white and fragrant, and they bloom in clusters, very lovable. When the fruit ripens, its shape is like extended fingers, a clenched fist, a fist with fingers, a hand within a hand... shaped like a human hand, remarkably true to life. Buddha's hand can not only be used for potted appreciation, but can also be used as cut fruit, decorated in bouquets, with a unique beauty.

Medicinal value: Every part of Buddha's hand is useful. The roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits can all be used as medicine. It is pungent, bitter, sweet, warm, and non-toxic; it enters the liver, spleen, and stomach meridians, and has various medicinal functions such as regulating qi and resolving phlegm, stopping vomiting and relieving distension, soothing the liver and strengthening the spleen, and harmonizing the stomach.

Buddha's hand citron essential oil. The peel of Buddha's hand can be pressed for essential oil. It is fresh and elegant, similar to orange and lemon, with a slight floral scent, integrating the rich aroma of fruit and flowers, and is one of the most commonly used essential oils in perfumes.

Edible value: The fruit of Buddha's hand is rich in nutrients. It can be dried and drunk as tea, or used fresh, and has a good dietary therapeutic effect. The outer surface of the fruit is orange-yellow, yellow-green, or brown-green, with wrinkles and oil dots. The flesh is light yellowish white, with vascular bundles present in dot-like or line-like forms. The texture is hard and brittle, becoming flexible after absorbing moisture. The aroma is fragrant; the outer part of the peel tastes pungent and slightly spicy, while the inner part tastes sweet and then bitter.

The flower language of Buddha's hand

The flower language of Buddha's hand is auspiciousness and luck.

Buddha's hand is deeply favored by people in China and abroad, especially the Chisong golden Buddha's hand of Jinhua, Zhejiang, because Chisong Township is the true source place where Huang Daxian attained the Dao and became an immortal, so the people of Chisong call it the "immortal fruit" and offer it to Huang Daxian. Nowadays, friends and merchants from Hong Kong, China, Macao, China, Taiwan, China, Singapore, and other places who come here to travel and make pilgrimage to the immortal all regard it as a rare treasure and bring the immortal fruit as a gift for relatives and friends to show auspiciousness and luck.