What does plum blossom mean?
Today, I will provide a detailed explanation of what plum blossom means and introduce the knowledge of green plants and flowers related to understanding the characteristics of plum blossoms. Please see the detailed introduction below.
Plum blossom is a deciduous tree of the Rosaceae family, Prunus genus, and sometimes also refers to its fruit (plum) or flower (plum blossom). It usually blooms in the winter and spring seasons. It is listed together with orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum as the "Four Gentlemen," and also with pine and bamboo as the "Three Companions of Cold Winter." With its cold-resistant characteristics, it becomes the flower representing winter. Let's take a look at the characteristics of plum blossoms together!
Physical features of plum blossom
Plum blossom is a small tree or rarely a shrub, 4-10 meters tall, with light gray or greenish bark, green branches, ovate or elliptical leaves, acuminate apex, broad cuneate to rounded base, and usually small sharp teeth on the leaf edge. The flowers are solitary or sometimes two flowers together in one bud, with a strong fragrance, blooming before the leaves, short pedicels, usually brownish red calyces, wide campanulate calyx tubes, ovate or suborbicular sepals, and obovate petals that range from white to pink. The fruit is nearly spherical, sour in taste, with the flesh adhering to the stone, elliptical stone, flowering in winter and spring, and fruiting from May to June (in North China, fruiting extends to July to August).
Growth characteristics of plum blossom
Plum blossom prefers a warm climate and does not have strong cold resistance. Except for the apricot plum variety that can tolerate -25°C low temperatures, it generally tolerates -10°C low temperatures, is relatively drought-resistant, does not tolerate flooding, has a long lifespan, reaching up to a thousand years. The flowering period is very sensitive to climate change, prefers higher air humidity, but dislikes heavy rain. It can tolerate high temperatures, growing even at 40°C, and develops best in areas with an average annual temperature of 16-23°C. It is very sensitive to temperature, blooming when the average temperature in early spring reaches -5 to 7°C. If encountering low temperatures, the flowering period is delayed, and if it blooms during low temperatures, the flowering period can be extended.
Spiritual characteristics of plum blossom
1. Plum blossom blooms first in the severe cold, then leads to the fragrance of the blooming flowers, so plum blossom, like chrysanthemum, has been revered and praised by poets. Chen Liang of the Song Dynasty wrote in his poem "Plum Blossom": "One flower suddenly changes first, all other flowers are fragrant later." The poet captures the characteristic of plum blossom blooming first, writing about the quality of not fearing打击挫折 and daring to be the first in the world, which is both an ode to plum blossom and to himself. Wang Anshi wrote in his poem "Plum Blossom": "From afar, I know it's not snow, because of the faint fragrance." The lines not only describe the plum blossom's fragrance spreading with the wind but also implicitly show its purity and whiteness, achieving an artistic effect of both fragrance and color. Lu You's famous lyric poem "Ode to Plum Blossom": "Crushed into dust, the fragrance remains." Uses plum blossom as a metaphor for his own unfortunate experience and noble sentiment of not conforming to the world. Wang Mian of the Yuan Dynasty wrote in his poem "Ink Plum Blossom": "Do not praise the beauty of the color, only let the clear fragrance fill the universe." It also reflects his noble sentiment of not conforming to the world through the ice-clear and jade-clean plum blossom, with simple words but profound meaning.
2. Plum blossom continues to bloom tenaciously in the cold winter, symbolizing our nation's indomitable, tenacious struggle, and invaluable quality of not fearing difficulties, all of which are well reflected in it. Ancient poets have praised the plum blossom in their poems: "Several branches of plum blossoms in the corner, blooming alone in the cold. From afar, I know it's not snow, because of the faint fragrance." Plum blossom is also considered the most upright flower species. Although the growing environment of plum blossom is harsh, it still blooms happily, expressing an optimistic character of welcoming hope. Since ancient times, people have praised its spirit of defying snow and its noble beauty of not competing with other flowers for spring.
The above sharing of what plum blossom means and the introduction of its characteristics are hoped to bring you help. Don't forget to check out more experience and common sense!