The seeds of Paris polyphylla love to sleep—so much so that, left undisturbed in nature, they can remain dormant for two full winters. Even if awakened, they often drift back into slumber.
In botanical terms, this is known as seed dormancy. Moreover, the seed embryo of Paris polyphylla may exhibit double dormancy.
Early spring still carries a chill in Guitou Bay, but under the warming sun, the valley breeze begins its gentle ascent up the slopes. On the hillsides flanking the stream, trees stir to life—some already unfurling tender red buds, others poised to awaken. After enduring the dry winter winds, the valley’s soft, moist air now lifts delicate stuff, carrying them from the ravine to the ridges. Sensing this call, the Katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) blooms with inconspicuous flowers nestled among its young leaves, hoping the wind will deliver pollen to a destined match.
In nature, Uncaria rhynchophylla typically grows in sparse woods or shrubs on the banks of mountain valley streams. Its lateral branches emerge from the axils of its opposite leaves, simplify and bend downward into hooks, resembling a pair of goat horns, and allow the plant to climb on other vegetation.
Wandering beneath the forest canopy in May, you might be fortunate enough to a catch a sweet fragrance permeating the moist air. You look around for the source of this delicate, refreshing scent but find nothing, and frustration as well as disappointment begins to creep in. Don’t worry—if you simply follow the fragrance and lift your gaze, you will find that high upon the towering trees, lotus-like flowers are hidden among the green leaves. The trees stand so tall that the snowy blooms are hard to spot, yet their alluring scent makes them impossible to miss. This beautiful and aromatic plant is the Manglietia patungensis.
Crabapple (Hai Tang) is the common name and folk name for various plants in the Malus genus of the Rosaceae family. As a famous ornamental tree species in China, it is widely cultivated across the country. With its graceful posture and blossoms like brocade, the crabapple has been a celebrated flower appreciated by both the refined and the popular since ancient times, renowned as the “Fairy among Flowers”, “Imperial Concubine of Flowers”, and “Noble Flower.”