When do red plum blossoms bloom?
The website introduces the blooming season of red plum blossoms and the planting and maintenance methods of red plum bonsai. Next, the editor of this site will introduce relevant knowledge to everyone.
Plum blossoms bloom in winter and spring, known as the harbinger of spring, blooming alone before a hundred flowers. Many ancient poems reflect its early blooming season:
“In the corner of the wall, several plum branches bloom alone in the cold. From afar, I know it's not snow, for there's a faint fragrance” (Wang Anshi, "Plum Blossoms").
“Snowflakes fall in the front village, a thousand feet of green ridges, one branch of fragrance” (Yang Ji, "Youth Tour").
“Snow and wind send spring away, welcoming spring with flying snow. Even with a hundred feet of ice on the cliff, there are still beautiful branches. Beautiful but not competing for spring, just reporting the arrival of spring. When the mountain flowers are in full bloom, she smiles in the crowd” (Mao Zedong, "Plum Blossom Ode").
Plum blossoms are the last to bloom in one season and the first to bloom in the next spring. They are one of the Three Companions of Cold Winter and a beautiful harbinger of spring.
Plum blossoms are originally from southern China and have a cultivation history of more than 3,000 years. There are many varieties for ornamental or fruit purposes. Plum blossoms are the top among the Ten Famous Flowers in China, and are listed with orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums as the Four Gentlemen, and with pine and bamboo as the "Three Companions of Cold Winter."
In Chinese traditional culture, the plum flower, with its noble, strong, and modest character, inspires people to strive. In the severe cold, the plum blossoms before a hundred flowers, alone in the world and in spring.
Plum blossoms are cultivated everywhere in China, but the most are in the southern provinces of the Yangtze River, with a few varieties in northern Jiangsu and southern Henan, and some varieties have been successfully introduced to North China. There must also be plum blossoms in the imperial gardens.
When do plum blossoms bloom?
Plum blossoms usually bloom first in early spring, from January to February, and then the leaves grow. However, the blooming time varies according to the climate in different regions. In Southwest China, they bloom from December to January of the following year, in Central China from February to March, and in North China from March to April. The initial blooming to full bloom takes 4 to 7 days, and to the end of blooming 15 to 20 days. The flowers bloom singly or sometimes two flowers together in one bud, with a diameter of usually 2 to 2.5 centimeters, a strong fragrance, a flower stalk about 1 to 3 millimeters long, and petals from white to pink, inversely ovate. Note that these times are in the solar calendar, while the times mentioned in "Dream of the Red Chamber" are in the lunar calendar.
It's important to appreciate plum blossoms at the right time. Too early, and they are still in bud; too late, and they are in full bloom. Ancient people believed that "the flower is best when it's about to bloom but not yet open," that is, the time when the plum blossom is in bud is ideal, hence the term "exploring plum blossoms." Plum blossoms are considered to bloom around the "Jingzhe" solar term, usually 10 days before and after Jingzhe as the best time for spring plum appreciation.
The claim that red plum blossoms bloom in October has sparked a debate among Honglou scholars about whether "Dream of the Red Chamber" was written in Nanjing or Beijing. One argument is based on the blooming time of the plum blossoms. Those who insist on the "Nanjing theory" believe that the events in "Dream of the Red Chamber" took place in Nanjing. However, plum blossoms in the area around Nanjing also do not bloom in the lunar October. They bloom after the Spring Festival, which is the lunar January.
Are there places in China where plum blossoms bloom in October? There are indeed, in Lingnan, some plum blossoms can bloom in the lunar October. In the poem "Ode to Red Plum Blossoms" in "Dream of the Red Chamber," it mentions "The soul flies to the You Mountain and spring is indistinguishable, separated by the dream of Luofu Mountain." This refers to the plum blossom season in places like Dayu Mountain and Luofu Mountain, which is at the end of the lunar October. The Tang poem "Plum blossoms bloom first on the mountain in October" refers to the blooming season of Lingnan plum blossoms.
However, it is very rare for it to snow in Lingnan, especially not in October, which involves the location issue of "Dream of the Red Chamber." No matter how Honglou scholars argue, there is no claim that the story took place in Lingnan.
Since plum blossoms in the north do not bloom in the lunar October and it can snow in October, the obvious error is a puzzle left by the author for the readers to think about, a typical "false language."
The above introduces the blooming season of red plum blossoms and the complete introduction of the planting and maintenance methods of red plum bonsai for everyone to learn and understand!