What are the characteristics of plum blossoms?

Plum blossom is a deciduous tree of the genus Prunus in Rosaceae, sometimes referring to its fruit (plum) or flower (plum blossom). It usually blossoms in winter and spring, and is listed as "four gentlemen" with orchids, bamboo and chrysanthemum. It is also known as "three friends of old cold" with pine trees and bamboo. With its cold-resistant characteristics, it has become a flower representing winter. Let's take a look at the characteristics of plum blossoms.

The appearance characteristics of plum blossom

Plum blossom is a small tree, sparse shrub, 4-10 m high, bark grayish or greenish, branchlets green, leaf blade ovate or elliptic, apex tail tip, base broadly cuneate to rounded, leaf margin often sharply serrate. Flowers solitary or sometimes 2 in 1 bud, fragrant, opening before leaves, pedicel short, calyx usually reddish brown, calyx tube broadly campanulate, sepals ovate or suborbicular, petals Obovate-white to pink. The fruit is nearly spherical, sour in taste, the pulp and nucleus are pasted, the core is oval, the florescence is in winter and spring, and the fruiting period is from May to June (extended to July to August in North China).

Growth characteristics of plum blossom

Plum blossom like warm climate, cold tolerance is not strong, in addition to apricot plum varieties can withstand-25 ℃ low temperature, generally tolerant to-10 ℃ low temperature, more resistant to drought, not resistant to waterlogging, long life, up to a thousand years. Flowering is particularly sensitive to climate change, preferring high air humidity, but avoiding torrential rain. It is resistant to high temperature and can grow under the condition of 40 ℃, and the growth and development is the best in the area with annual average temperature of 16-23 ℃. It is very sensitive to temperature. It blossoms when the average temperature reaches-5: 7 ℃ in early spring. If it is at a low temperature, the flowering period is delayed. If it is at a low temperature, the flowering period can be prolonged.

The spiritual characteristics of plum blossom

1. Plum blossoms bloom first in the cold, and then lead to the fragrance of flowers in full bloom, so plum blossoms, like chrysanthemums, are respected and praised by poets. Chen Liang of the Song Dynasty, "Plum Blossom": "one suddenly changes first, and all flowers are fragrant later." The poet grasped the characteristic that the plum blossom was the first to open, and wrote the quality that he was not afraid of setbacks and dared to be the first in the world, which was not only about plum but also about himself. Wang Anshi "Plum Blossom": "from a distance, we already know that it is not snow, because there are waves of fragrance coming." The poem not only writes the plum blossom because of the wind, but also implicitly shows the purity and whiteness of the plum blossom, and receives the artistic effect of both fragrance and color. Lu you's famous word "Yong Mei": "scattered into mud and ground into dust, only fragrance remains the same." The plum blossom is used as an analogy to his battered misfortune and his noble sentiment of not being in cahoots with others. Wang Mian "Meimei" of the Yuan Dynasty: "Don't praise the color, just let the fragrance fill the universe." It is also with the ice and jade clean plum blossom to reflect their unwilling to collude with the quality, shallow words but deep meaning.

2. Plum blossoms still bloom unyielding in the cold winter, symbolizing that the precious qualities of our nation's indomitable, tenacious struggle and fearless hardship are well reflected in it. In ancient times, there were poets chanting plum blossoms in poems and singing plum blossoms in the corner of the wall. braving the cold and proudly blooming alone. From a distance, we already know that it is not snow, because there are waves of fragrance coming. " Plum blossom is also considered to be the most virtuous flower species. In addition, although the plum blossom grows in a bad environment, it is still blooming happily, expressing an optimistic character to welcome hope. since ancient times, people have praised her proud snow spirit, and her lonely noble beauty of not competing with a hundred flowers for spring.