The Meaning and Legend of the Flower of Kingfisher Plant
The editor brings you the meaning and legend of the Kingfisher Plant flowers and the explanation of the symbolic meaning of Kingfisher Plant in the aspect of green plants and flowers. Next, the editor will provide you with detailed answers.
Kingfisher Plant, also known as Erzhihua, Colorful Sparrow Plant, and Willows, is a perennial herb of the Scrophulariaceae genus. It is native to the temperate regions of the northern part of the Eurasian continent and distributed in sandy lands, mountain meadows, and roadsides in provinces such as Henan, Gansu, and Shandong north of the Yangtze River in China. The Kingfisher Plant has soft and delicate leaves, unique flower shapes and colors, and can be used for flower beds, flower borders, potted plants, or cut flowers.
The origin of the meaning of the Kingfisher Plant flowers:
The concept of flower language originated in ancient Greece, where not only flowers but also leaves and fruit trees had certain meanings. Greek mythology records the story of the birth of the goddess of love, who created the rose, which has been synonymous with love since that era.
The general acceptance of flower language occurred around the 19th century when societal norms were not yet very open. Expressing love in public was a delicate matter, so flowers given between lovers became messengers of love.
The meaning of the Kingfisher Plant flower language is: Please accept my love. This phrase represents the pure and innocent love between men and women.
Growing Environment
The Kingfisher Plant is cold-resistant, not heat-resistant, enjoys sunlight and cool climates, with an optimal germination temperature of 15°C to 20°C, and a growth temperature of 10°C to 25°C. It requires fertile and well-drained, moderately moist sandy soil.
Distribution Range
Commonly found in Northeast China, North China, and Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu (north), Shaanxi, and Gansu (northeast). Grows on mountain slopes, roadsides, grasslands by fields, or in sandy grasslands.
Propagation Techniques
The Kingfisher Plant is propagated by seeding, dividing, or cutting. Division is done before spring germination or after the aerial parts wither in autumn. Cutting propagation uses tender branches, but it is not suitable for mass production of seedlings and is labor-intensive, so seeding is often used. In the Hexi region of Gansu, spring seedling raising and transplanting are carried out in the same year for seed production.
Greenhouse Seedling Raising
In the Hexi region of Gansu, seeds are sown in greenhouses in mid-to-late March, transplanted in May, and bloom and set fruit in the same year. In eastern Gansu, Shaanxi, and Henan, seeds are sown in the open field in mid-to-late August, transplanted in October, overwinter naturally, and bloom in April to May of the following year. Before sowing, prepare the seedbed with a mixture of garden soil, organic fertilizer, and slag in a ratio of 3:1:1; or garden soil, coarse river sand, and organic fertilizer in a ratio of 4:1:2. Soak seeds in warm water at 30°C for 12 to 24 hours, then sow with fine sand, evenly sprinkle, cover with 0.5 cm of soil, and cover with plastic film to keep moisture. Before the seeds germinate, spray water evenly, and the seedlings will emerge in 10 to 15 days. After the seedlings emerge, promptly remove the film to allow the seedlings to receive light. The seedlings grow slowly at first, and after the true leaves appear, thin the seedlings and remove diseased and weak seedlings to cultivate strong seedlings. Transplant when 3 to 5 true leaves have grown.
Planting Management
The seed production base is selected in cool areas. The plant has many lateral roots and is easy to transplant and survive. Seed production uses low-ridge mulch cultivation, with ridges marked at 90 to 100 cm, 10 to 15 cm high, 35 to 40 cm wide, and furrows 40 cm wide. Plant spacing is 25 cm, row spacing is 40 cm, double plants are planted, with a density of 6000 plants per mu. After transplanting, water to keep the soil moist, promptly cultivate after the seedlings have recovered, pinch the tips when there are 5 to 8 leaves, and apply 10 kg of urea per mu after pinching. Regularly spray 0.1% potassium dihydrogen phosphate and urea on the leaves. In the vigorous growth season, pinch the tips 2 to 3 more times to promote branching to reach 20 to 30. In the Hexi region, the plants bloom in mid-to-late May, early June, and fully bloom in early July. During the flowering period, water promptly to promote the growth of lateral branch inflorescences. In the central and eastern parts of Gansu, the plants bloom in mid-May of the following year and reach full bloom in June.
Harvesting and Overwintering
In August, the capsules mature sequentially, and the seeds mature unevenly, so they need to be harvested in multiple batches, with a seed yield of 40 kg per mu. After seed harvesting, water to promote plant recovery, then reduce watering, mulch with straw or plastic film to prevent frost before winter, and water for overwintering. In early April, when the temperature rises, promptly remove the covering material, and the plants quickly recover and gradually enter the flowering bud differentiation and flowering periods. Supplement nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers in late April to promote flowering.
Main Value
The Kingfisher Plant has high ornamental and application value, but there is little research reported on the landscape application of the plant both domestically and internationally. Many scholars' research focuses on the medicinal research of the Kingfisher Plant. The plant has high medicinal value, with the entire plant, aerial parts used in traditional Chinese medicine and Mongolian medicine. The traditional Chinese medicine has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, and diuretic properties. It is mainly used to treat jaundice, difficulty urinating, headache due to cold, hemorrhoids, skin diseases, and burns; Mongolian medicine can clear heat, treat injuries, reduce swelling, and promote the regression of jaundice. It is mainly used to treat epidemics, influenza, jaundice, burns, latent heat, leprosy, and yellowish sores. The College of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Shenyang Pharmaceutical University has measured the content of chemical components in the plant, such as flavonoids, new alkaloids, triterpenoids, ceramides, and steroidal compounds.
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