Prynne: trees grow in South China and potted plants in East China

Magnolia is not a white orchid.

In different places, Prynne carries different meanings. In the memory of the people of Suzhou and Shanghai, at this time of year, there are granny white orchids strung together with wire and hawking in Wu Nong's soft language; in the impression of the people of Lingnan, it is rows of street trees by the roadside, as long as they walk under the trees. you can smell the faint fragrance; in Yunnan, people call it the sweet-scented osmanthus, with the melodious tune of "Burmese sweet-scented osmanthus blossoms for ten miles" to witness the friendship between countries.

A string of delicate fragrances. Photo: Taihu plum / sohu.com

Blaine was just at that time

Magnolia (Michelia × alba) is a member of Michelia of Magnoliaceae. We talked about this genus in April this year, when the smiling flowers of the "chief" were in full bloom, and the blooming season of Magnolia has just come.

If you are careful, you may find that Prynne has a fork in its Latin name, which means that Prynne is actually a hybrid. Its parents are M. champaca and M. montana, which is similar to Hong Kong safflower Bauhinia (Bauhinia × blakeana).

Left yellow orchid, right white orchid. Picture: El Denis Conrado & Fightingfalcon2005 / wikimedia

The English name white champaca of Magnolia looks very similar to the scientific name of one of its parents, M. champaca, but their plant appearance is also very similar.

Yellow orchids are occasionally cultivated in South China and are more common in Southeast Asia. Indian poet Tagore's "The Champa Flower" refers to it. At a cursory glance, Huanglan is no different from Magnolia except that the flowers are yellow. If you don't look at the flowers, you can only distinguish them from the subtle features of the hairs and petioles under the leaves of Huanglan. However, yellow orchid can bear fruit normally, while white orchid may not bear fruit because it is a hybrid, which is similar to safflower Bauhinia.

Magnolia-from bud to full bloom. Picture: CommonsDara / wikimedia

Perhaps because it is a hybrid, the earliest origin of Bailan is no longer available, and it should be inferred from its parents that it is in Southeast Asia. According to legend, China's Bailan was brought back by Zheng he's fleet from Indonesia during the Ming Dynasty, but some may have been introduced from Myanmar, hence the name "Burmese sweet-scented osmanthus".

In 1956, Premier Zhou Enlai and then Burmese Prime Minister Wu Bari planted two magnolia trees in Mangshi, Yunnan Province, symbolizing the everlasting friendship between China and Myanmar. Today, the weather-beaten two magnolia trees have grown luxuriantly.

Two magnolia trees planted that year. Photo: Yang Bangqing

In the flower plate, in the skirt

It is a tradition to use white orchids as ornaments. "White orchids, hairpins on the temples, inserts on the lapel …" This old Shanghai song from the 1930s has spread to today with the charm of an old phonograph.

Usually, the old woman who sells flowers will skillfully string up pairs of white orchids with thin wire, put them on a small plate and gently cover them with a layer of tulle. Each pair costs only one or two yuan. With such a string of white orchids pinned on the collar, it can be surrounded by fragrance wherever you go, adding a lot of freshness.

Does Grandma's flower basket evoke your childhood memories? Picture: smiley

In the past, the little sisters in Suzhou and Shanghai liked to dress up like this. Perhaps in the old days, every girl who walked slowly through the Bund in the soft language of Wu Nong had such a pair of white orchids on her skirt.

Is the girl in the memory gradually forgotten with the white orchid? Picture: sohu.com

The white orchid you take home can be placed in a small teacup and poured with a little water, so that you can continue to immerse yourself in the fragrance of the flowers, or become a jade carving-like ornament on the coffee table; if you are not satisfied, you can also make scented tea. However, relatively speaking, the aroma of white orchid made into scented tea has been greatly reduced, so it is not as common as jasmine tea.

It's too cold to grow high.

Although Jiangnan has so many memories of Magnolia, it is difficult to see the Magnolia tree on the street because it is a plant from Southeast Asia after all, and the winter in the package area is too cold for it. As a result, Magnolia can only be planted as potted plants in eastern China, and in winter, florists in Suzhou can only put them all in the greenhouse and can not move out again until after the Qingming Festival.

A magnolia plant in Calendar Niang's friend's house. Picture: calendar Niang

But in South China, it is completely different. Magnolia has regained its evergreen nature, and can be seen everywhere in parks, schools and roadsides. There are two magnolia trees in front of the Zhongshan Memorial Hall in Guangzhou. The trunk is nearly one meter in diameter and the crown covers an area of hundreds of square meters.

Standing under the Magnolia tree, you can smell the fragrance and take in the shade. Picture: Forest & Kim Starr / wikimedia

In some places, Magnolia is called "Magnolia". The city flower "Magnolia" in Chaozhou, Guangdong refers to Magnolia. In fact, the real magnolia (Yulania denudata) is a deciduous tree, flowering leafless, is not common in Guangdong.

Magnolia not only flowers, leaves also have a special fragrance, walking on both sides of the path covered with blue orchid, you will smell the fallen leaves under the tree emitting bursts of fragrance.

Magnolia leaves are also popular with magnolia butterflies (Graphium doson), a butterfly with beautiful blue patterns that lay eggs on the leaves and allow the trees to raise their offspring. Take a close look at the Magnolia leaves on the side of the road, and if you find signs of gnawing, you can usually find large or small magnolia butterfly larvae nearby. They don't sting as much as baby silkworms, and if you're interested, you can take them home and raise them until they pupate into butterflies.

Adults and pupae of magnolia butterfly. Picture: Peellden & School of Ecology and Conservation / wikimedia

Today, with the rapid development of economy, due to the pressure of life and the shortage of land, there is less and less space for florists and florists, and people's love for white orchids seems to have gradually faded. Fewer and fewer grandmothers come out to sell flowers in summer, maybe the white orchids in the south of the Yangtze River will only stay in memory in the future. Fortunately, Magnolia can be potted, and if measures are taken to spend the winter, it can blossom all over the country.

Picking a fragrant white orchid can make our life and ourselves more white and fragrant.

A pair of gardenia and magnolia were found on the streets of Suzhou. Picture: smiley

This is the 171st article in the fourth year of the species calendar, from @ Hanxiao, author of the species calendar.

Calendar Niang today's avatar

Magnoliaceae purple flower with smile