What is the flower language of Epiphyllum oxypetalum?
Today, we will introduce the flower language of Epiphyllum oxypetalum and the related experience of planting flowers with the true meaning of Epiphyllum oxypetalum. Next, let's find out more.
When night is still and all flowers are asleep, Epiphyllum oxypetalum appears, intoxicating the poet. Today's science popularization is about "the beauty under the moonlight" — Epiphyllum oxypetalum.
Ice muscle and jade bone © KAHA
In the dark night, the flowers bloom, telling the story of past affection, dream soul entwined in vain self-pity.
People's love for Epiphyllum oxypetalum is always tinged with a touch of sadness, because its blooming period is very short, blooming only in the dead of night and withering at dawn. Therefore, the flower language of Epiphyllum oxypetalum is: a moment of beauty, an instant of eternity. As the flower language says, the ice-jade appearance of Epiphyllum oxypetalum is but a fleeting beauty, its beautiful appearance will eventually fade and return to dust, but the fragrance of the flower follows the poetic sentiment, piercing the heart and causing sadness, achieving an instant eternity. Every night when the flowers bloom, it must be a place of serene dreams.
Epiphyllum oxypetalum in bloom © Internet
Legend has it that the flower god was demoted to Epiphyllum oxypetalum for loving a young man who watered her, and the young man, renamed Weituo, became a monk and forgot his past. Over the years, Weituo really forgot about Epiphyllum oxypetalum, but the flower god still cherished the old feelings. Every time Weituo went down the mountain to collect morning dew in late spring, Epiphyllum oxypetalum would use all its energy from the past year to bloom for a moment, hoping for Weituo's glance. With the passage of time, Weituo still did not remember her. Until an old man named Yuming asked, "Why are you sad?" The flower god had no words.
Forty years later, the old man asked the flower god again, "Why are you sad?" The flower god hesitated but still said nothing. Another forty years passed, and when the old man, now in his twilight years, asked the flower god for the last time, Epiphyllum oxypetalum revealed the truth. The old man said, "I am the one who ended the past, but since 'the beginning and end of fate are exhausted, the blooming and falling of flowers return to dust,' this love has no fault, and I will bear the sin for others and open my eyes for heaven." After speaking, the sunset收回 the last ray of light, and the flower god saw Weituo in the Buddha realm. Recalling the past, Weituo finally settled his past karma, but the old man was punished for his mistake and his soul wandered forever without a place to stay.
Epiphyllum oxypetalum under the moon © Baidu
Epiphyllum oxypetalum appears once to repay a bosom friend, wanting to tell the flower soul but ending in silence. Because the flower god did not meet Weituo until after the sunset, Epiphyllum oxypetalum is also known as "Weituo Flower," blooming only at night.
In the quiet night, the flowers sleep, and Epiphyllum oxypetalum appears, intoxicating the poet.
Epiphyllum oxypetalum (DC.) Haw. is an epiphytic succulent shrub, with a plant height of 2-6 meters and a cylindrical, lignified flower stem.
Epiphyllum oxypetalum has small areoles on the lateral branches, with green flower receptacles attached, and the flowers are born in these small areoles, in the shape of a funnel, blooming at night and fragrant. The flowers of Epiphyllum oxypetalum can reach 30 cm in length and have a diameter of about 10-12 cm. The sepalous perianth segments are mostly greenish white, pale amber, or flushed with red, usually in the shape of an inverted lanceolate; the petal-like perianth segments are mostly white, in the shape of an inverted ovate lanceolate or ovate, 7-10 cm long and 3-4.5 cm wide. Some petal-like perianth segments have awns, and the edges are entire or show a eroded appearance.
What is the flower language of Epiphyllum oxypetalum?
Red flushed petals © National Geographic
The filaments of Epiphyllum oxypetalum are mostly white, about 2.5-5 cm long, surrounding the stamen cluster. The anthers are light yellow, 2.5-5 mm long. The flower also has a white pistil. The receptacle is about 13-18 cm long, covered with short scales, which are triangular.
Filaments, pistil, and anthers © National Geographic
The fruit of Epiphyllum oxypetalum is a purple-red oblong sphere, evenly distributed with longitudinal ridges, containing numerous seeds. When the fruit of Epiphyllum oxypetalum grows a bit larger, cutting it open resembles the dragon fruit we usually eat, but it is not as large.
Fruit of Epiphyllum oxypetalum © Chinese Plant Journal
In foreign lands, there are strange flowers, growing by the garden pond.
Epiphyllum oxypetalum prefers to grow in a warm and humid environment. Although it has the quality of ice and frost, it is not frost-resistant and fears strong sunlight. The roots of Epiphyllum oxypetalum are easily damaged by waterlogging, so its growth requires a higher demand for soil, which must have good drainage, be loose and fertile, and slightly acidic sandy soil. Currently, it is cultivated in various parts of China, with more extensive cultivation in Jinghong and Damanlong in the southern part of Yunnan Province.
However, the original habitat of Epiphyllum oxypetalum is not in China. According to surveys, the type locality of Epiphyllum oxypetalum is in Mexico. In the tropical deserts of Mexico, the temperature difference between day and night is very large. In order to have a chance to bloom, Epiphyllum oxypetalum can only bloom at night to avoid the intense sunlight during the day; in order to reduce water loss during the flowering period, Epiphyllum oxypetalum has to shorten its flowering time to prolong its life. Over time, the characteristic of short-time blooming at night has gradually formed and stabilized, passed down to the present.
Epiphyllum oxypetalum has bloomed, where is the old friend?
Nowadays, every summer and autumn, Epiphyllum oxypetalum blooms in the dead of night, and after the petals slowly open for 1-2 hours, they gradually wither, with the entire flowering process lasting only about four hours.
Cold pistil condenses into a deep sigh, fresh fragrance penetrating the spleen
Whenever the flowers bloom, the fragrance of Epiphyllum oxypetalum is refreshing, and the negative ions released with the fragrance can effectively purify the indoor air. Unlike plants that bloom during the day, Epiphyllum oxypetalum has a CAM metabolism (Crassulaceae Acid Metabolism) mode, which can absorb carbon dioxide for dark reactions at night when the temperature is low, and can also improve the indoor environment. As a medicinal plant, Epiphyllum oxypetalum can clear heat and relieve asthma, and also treat hypertension and other diseases, making it highly valuable.
Epiphyllum oxypetalum © Baidu Encyclopedia
So, do you want to plant a few Epiphyllum oxypetalum? Want~ Alright, let's give you a tip.
As mentioned earlier, Epiphyllum oxypetalum needs to be planted in soil with good drainage, and the soil for planting Epiphyllum oxypetalum needs to be moist but not too wet, so watering is a technical task. You can water more in the summer, once in the morning and once in the evening, preferably using a spray bottle and less using a rinsing method. The watering frequency in spring and autumn should be deliberately reduced, and in winter, the watering frequency and amount should be strictly controlled, as long as the soil is not cracked. Epiphyllum oxypetalum is afraid of strong sunlight, so it should be planted in the shade in summer and in a sunny place in winter to prevent frostbite.
The above is a comprehensive introduction of the flower language of Epiphyllum oxypetalum and the true meaning of Epiphyllum oxypetalum brought by Green Plant Enthusiast Network, hoping to bring some knowledge about green plants to green plant enthusiasts.