What does wintersweet blossom bear fruit indicate?
The white plum blossoms in the courtyard always make people stop to appreciate, and when the branches are covered with green fruits, it often arouses the curiosity and association of the viewer. This seemingly unusual phenomenon actually contains the unique life code of wintersweet, allowing us to interpret this winter gift from a scientific perspective. The natural law of Wintersweet fruiting The life cycle of flower and fruit alternation spans from November to March of the following year, and the young fruits can germinate 5-7 days after the flower wither. At the beginning, the fruit is olive-like green fruit with dense villous surface. After maturity, it turns into a gray-brown capsule and cracks naturally. The whole process completely follows the natural reproduction laws of Rosaceae plants and is a significant indicator of plant maturity. Influence mechanism of environmental factors Adequate light (≥6 hours per day) and temperature difference between day and night (8-12℃) are the key to fruit development. Due to the long duration of low temperatures in winter, fruit maturity in the northern region is usually better than that in the Jiangnan region. This is also the ecological basis for the ancient records of "abundant plum blossoms in the north." Practical analysis of toxic components of wintersweet fruit warns that the core contains alkaloids such as calycantine. Eating 50g of fresh fruit by mistake can cause toxic reactions such as muscle tremors and vomiting. The 2021 phytotoxicity study report shows that its median lethal dose (LD50) is 38mg/kg (orally administered in mice), and special attention should be paid to the risk of accidental ingestion by children. Traditional medicinal value "Materia Medica Yanyi" records that wintersweet fruit can "relieve summer heat and promote saliva." Modern research has confirmed that its volatile oil contains 34 active ingredients. It needs to be professionally processed (nine steaming and nine drying processes) before being used as a medicine. Direct use may cause intestinal irritation. Screening criteria for new cognitive results in wintersweet cultivation strains (Chimonanthus praecox var. intermedius) has a fruit rate of 82%, while Suxin Wintersweet is only 23%. Selecting plants more than 5 years old and having a trunk diameter of more than 4 cm, combined with application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in autumn (NPK ratio 1:2:3), can increase the fruit setting rate by 40%.
From biological characteristics to cultural images, the results of wintersweet not only demonstrate the wisdom of species continuity, but also continue the oriental aesthetics of "cold fragrance accompanied by fruitful fruits." Understanding the dual attributes of this natural gift allows us to better understand the profound meaning of life cycle when appreciating the golden bell in the snow.