Basic Introduction to Huangchuan Golden Osmanthus
Huangchuan Golden Osmanthus (Scientific name: Osmanthus fragrans (Thunb.) Lour.): Also known as woodruff, it is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the Oleaceae family. It has firm and thin bark, with long elliptical leaves that end in a point and are opposite, remaining green throughout winter. The flowers grow in the axils of the leaves; the corolla is united and four-lobed, small in size.
Huangchuan County is located in southeastern Henan Province, with a warm climate, abundant rainfall, and is situated in the northern part of the subtropical zone, making it suitable for the northward migration of tropical plants and the southward migration of temperate plants. According to Volume 28 of the “Guangzhou Annals,” “The genus of trees includes osmanthus, also known as woodruff, which comes in three varieties: red, white, and yellow.” To the northwest of the ancient city of Huang, there is a range of hills stretching for dozens of kilometers where osmanthus has been grown on a large scale since ancient times. When autumn arrives, the osmanthus blooms and its fragrance travels for miles, hence the area is called “Osmanthus Ridge.” It is a tradition for the people of Huangchuan to make “osmanthus cakes,” “osmanthus sugar,” and brew “osmanthus wine” during festivals.
The Huangchuan Golden Osmanthus is an excellent ornamental tree species that combines greening, beautification, and fragrance, suitable for gardens. Its scent can be both delicate and pervasive, truly unique. In particular, during mid-autumn, when the osmanthus blossoms, under the full moon, enjoying the flowers while sipping wine, the strong fragrance invigorates one's spirit. In ancient Chinese poetry, there are many works dedicated to praising the osmanthus, which has been beloved by the Chinese people for centuries and considered a traditional flower.
Nutritional Value
The osmanthus has a pungent flavor and can be used medicinally. Different parts of the plant, including the flowers, fruit, and roots, can be used for medicinal purposes. Flowers are harvested in autumn; fruits in spring; and roots can be collected all year round, with each part being dried separately.
Flowers: Warm and dispel cold, dissolve phlegm and stop coughing. Used for toothache, coughing with excessive phlegm, dysmenorrhea, and abdominal pain. Fruit: Warms the stomach, soothes the liver, and dispels cold. Used for cold-related stomach pain. Roots: Dispels wind-dampness and cold. Used for rheumatic joint pain, back pain, and toothache due to kidney deficiency.
Product Characteristics
There are varieties such as the Dan Gui, with strong growth, thick branches, large leaves, rough surfaces, dark green color, and orange-red flowers; the Yin Gui, with moderate growth, smooth leaf surfaces, serrated leaf margins, and white flowers that bloom densely with a sweet fragrance; and the Si Ji Gui, which grows well, has smooth leaf surfaces, sparsely serrated or entire leaf margins, pale yellow flowers, sparse blooms, and a light fragrance. Apart from flowering in September and October alongside other varieties, the Si Ji Gui can bloom every two or three months. Seedlings of the Huangchuan Golden Osmanthus have a distinct taproot and a deep, extensive root system. Young roots are light brownish-yellow, while older roots are brownish-yellow.
Historical Folklore
Huangchuan County, formerly known as Guangzhou, is the birthplace of the Huang surname in Chinese culture. During the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, it was the kingdom of Huang. In 1913, during the second year of the Republic of China, Guangzhou was renamed Huangchuan County. Located in southeastern Henan Province, the county has a warm and humid climate with ample rainfall, belonging to the subtropical climate zone, making it suitable for the northward migration of tropical plants and the southward migration of temperate plants.
According to historical records, families in Guangzhou had the custom of planting osmanthus in their courtyards during the Tang Dynasty. Wang Jian, a poet of the Tang Dynasty who served as the governor of Guangzhou in the fifth year of the Dahan period, wrote about the osmanthus' fragrance on Mid-Autumn night, using the flower as a metaphor for his emotions, sighing, “In the courtyard, white ground where crows roost, the cold dew silently wets the osmanthus. Tonight, everyone gazes at the bright moon, but no one knows whose autumnal thoughts it stirs.” The “Guangzhou Annals” also records that the ancient poet Huang Jian left behind the famous poem “When the noon rain has not yet formed, a sudden gust brings the fragrance of woodruff across the dike” on the South Lake embankment in Huangchuan City. The Huangchuan Golden Osmanthus, with its dense foliage and fragrant flowers, has been favored by people through the ages, along with “Guangzhou Tribute Noodles,” becoming treasured ornamental plants in people's courtyards. After the 1980s, researchers began to search for different osmanthus varieties nationwide, and the Huangchuan Golden Osmanthus attracted attention due to its uniqueness. Chen Junyu and Liu Shihan's (1980) book “Garden Flowers” recorded 12 osmanthus varieties, including the Huangchuan Golden Osmanthus. Chen Junyu and Cheng Xuke's (1989) edited work “China's Flower Classics” listed the Huangchuan Golden Osmanthus as a separate variety. Subsequently, scholars such as Chen Junyu, Zhu Changshan, and Li Ruifu specifically studied and described the characteristics of the Huangchuan Golden Osmanthus when researching osmanthus varieties. In 2004, Professor Xiang Qibai from Nanjing Forestry University, who had been studying osmanthus varieties for over 20 years, applied on behalf of China for the International Cultivar Registration Authority of the International Society for Horticultural Science for plants in the genus Osmanthus, giving China the naming rights for plants in this genus. The book “Illustrated Guide to Chinese Osmanthus Varieties” by Xiang Qibai and Liu Yulian, published in 2007, became the most comprehensive and authoritative work on osmanthus classification worldwide. This book lists the Huangchuan Golden Osmanthus as a variety within the Golden Osmanthus and describes its specific characteristics. Thus, the Huangchuan Golden Osmanthus has been recognized internationally as an independent variety of osmanthus. It is evident that the Golden Osmanthus has imbued Huangchuan with historical charm and character, so the people of Huangchuan have a special affection for it. The Huangchuan Golden Osmanthus is planted along the main roads of the city, in every school, and in every residential area. When autumn arrives, the whole city is perfumed with its fragrance, earning it the title of the “City Flower” of Huangchuan. For Huangchuan, the Golden Osmanthus has become a symbolic representation. Whenever the surrounding areas mention Huangchuan, they think of the Golden Osmanthus; and whenever they mention the Golden Osmanthus, they think of Huangchuan.