Spring is the season when a hundred flowers bloom. As all things revive in spring, plants that have stored up the essence of winter compete in splendor under the brilliant sunshine.What can we admire on a sunny weekend?
Forsythia
First to greet us is forsythia, blooming from February to April. With its delicate fragrance, golden petals tinged with red, and status as spring's earliest bloomer heralding the season's full floral display, it earns its name.
Peach Blossoms
How could spring be complete without peach blossoms blanketing the landscape? "Beyond the bamboo, a few peach branches; the spring river warms, and ducks know first." Peach blossoms have become a quintessential symbol of spring. As the petals fall and the fruit ripens, peaches—belonging to the Rosaceae family and genus Prunus—become a beloved fruit.Deciduous small trees; leaves narrowly elliptical to lanceolate, 15 cm long and 4 cm wide, with long, slender tips and finely serrated edges. Dark green and glossy, with nectaries at the leaf base.
Apricot Blossoms
When discussing peach blossoms, apricot blossoms are equally indispensable. Apricot flowers bloom singly before the leaves emerge, featuring white petals or those with a slight reddish tinge. They are renowned ornamental trees in China.Apricot trees are suitable for planting in front gardens, along walls, beside paths, or near water. They can also be grouped or mass-planted on hillsides or waterfronts, serving as a primary spring ornamental species. The scientific name of the apricot indicates that Westerners' knowledge of the apricot originated in Armenia, though it is actually widely distributed throughout East and Central Asia.They can be propagated through seed sowing or grafting. The kernels used medicinally have effects of promoting fluid production, detoxification, and clearing heat. They ripen in early summer. Apricot trees originated in China and have a wide distribution. They have a long lifespan, living over a hundred years, and serve both as fruit trees and ornamental plants, holding significant importance in fruit production and urban beautification.
Cherry Blossoms
When mentioning cherry blossoms, does anyone immediately think of Japan? Actually, that's incorrect. Cherry blossoms originated in China. According to the authoritative Japanese work The Great Guide to Cherry Blossoms, cherry blossoms are native to the Himalayan Mountains. After being cultivated artificially, this species gradually spread to China's Yangtze River basin, southwestern China, and the island of Taiwan.During the Qin and Han dynasties, imperial courts already cultivated cherry blossoms, marking over 2,000 years of cultivation history. By the Han and Tang periods, they were widely planted in private gardens. During the prosperous Tang era, vibrant cherry blossoms bloomed everywhere—from palace gardens and corridors to rural fields—enhancing the majestic image of a flourishing China.During this era of international tribute missions, Japan deeply admired the brilliance of Chinese culture and the cultivation and appreciation of cherry blossoms. Cherry blossoms were brought back to Japan by Japanese pilgrims alongside architecture, clothing, tea ceremony, and swordsmanship.
Phalaenopsis Orchid
Phalaenopsis orchids bear inflorescences laterally at the stem base, reaching up to 50 cm in length, either unbranched or occasionally branched. The inflorescence stalk is green, 4-5 mm thick, sheathed by several scale-like bracts. The rachis is purplish-green, somewhat zigzagged, often bearing several flowers that open sequentially from base to tip.
Magnolia grandiflora
Magnolia grandiflora
is a white-flowering variety among magnolias. Also known as magnolia or white magnolia. A deciduous tree reaching up to 17 meters tall, it is a renowned ornamental plant in China, an important early spring flowering tree in northern regions, and the municipal flower of Shanghai. It possesses high ornamental value.
Flowers appear white or pale purplish-red, large in size with cup-shaped corollas and a fragrant scent, blooming before leaves emerge.
The blooming period is brief, lasting only about 10 days.
Redbud
Redbud is a deciduous tree; its bark is dark brown and nearly smooth; young parts are often covered in grayish short soft hairs; branches spread widely, are stiff and slightly zigzagged, and hairless. It blooms from April to May and is commonly found in major parks, making it highly suitable for viewing.