Why does the whole camellia fall to the ground when it "closes its curtain"?

In early spring, the wind still carries a little chill, but the sun has become gentle. When thousands of trees have just sprouted, camellias in Sichuan, Zhejiang, Guangdong and other areas south of the Yangtze River are already in full bloom.

The camellia has a full and noble shape, thick and soft petals, red, white, pink and sometimes even multiple colors in one flower, and golden stamens, as if warmth overflows from the heart of the flower. The leaves are dark green, adding a sense of calmness and elegance to the flowers. As the Ming Dynasty poet Gui Youguang wrote in "Camellia": "Camellia has a strange quality, with deep green leaves. It often blooms red, but prefers to bloom in the white snow." He praised the camellia for having the rich and noble demeanor of the peony, but not being coquettish. It blooms in the cold when all other flowers have not yet bloomed, and it is a natural scenery without relying on the spring breeze.

Camellias are not the most beautiful flowers in spring, but they are calm and composed. Su Shi of the Song Dynasty also lamented in "Camellias of Shaobo Fanxing Temple": "I come alone in the drizzle, and the red flowers bloom like fire in the snow." In the cold rain, camellias bloom like fire, not to please anyone, but to live out themselves, quietly but powerfully.

The flowering period of camellia is extremely long, and the flowers are firm and firm, extending from the cold winter to late spring, heralding spring and guarding winter. Wang Anzhong, a poet in the Song Dynasty, wrote in "Viewing the Camellias in the Monk's House": "I should be surprised by the end of the year for the guests, and first let the spring colors shine on the horizon." The blooming of camellia is a glimmer of light in the depths of the season, quietly lighting up the transition to spring.

Perhaps the most moving thing about camellia is when it "falls off". When camellia flowers fall, they do not fall one petal at a time like peach and plum blossoms, but the whole flower and calyx fall to the ground together, cleanly and neatly. This way of falling flowers is called "falling camellia" in Japan, and it has a heroic beauty. It seems that it does not want people to see its decline, but only wants to return to its peak.

People like to regard the resolute withering of camellia as aloofness, but in botany, this may be a rational choice in evolution. The petals of camellia are tightly connected to the calyx, and when they wither, a separation layer is formed at the base, and the whole flower falls off. This prevents the remaining petals from being retained on the branches and becoming a breeding ground for pathogens, thereby reducing the spread of diseases. Behind this "decisiveness" lies the "deliberate consideration" of nature.

In addition to its ornamental value, camellia also has practical value. Its seeds can be used to extract oil, which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and is known as the "Oriental olive oil". For thousands of years, camellia has been both pleasing to the eyes and nourishing to the body, a rare "double beauty" in the plant world.

Camellia does not refer to a single flower, but a large family. According to the Flora of China, there are about 280 species of Camellia plants in the world, 238 of which are found in China, with the most species in Yunnan.

Camellia is known as the first of the eight famous flowers in Yunnan, and Yunnan Camellia is particularly outstanding. It has a cultivation history of more than 1,500 years, with large flowers and rich varieties. In the Ming Dynasty, a monk named Dandan described Yunnan Camellia as follows: "Ten thousand flowers on the treetops swallowed fire, and the remaining snow burned half the sky red." His friend Xu Xiake also praised: "The flowers and trees in central Yunnan are all rare, and camellia, rhododendron and azalea are the best."

Due to its profound cultural heritage, Yunnan camellia was designated as the city flower of Kunming in 1983. Rhododendrons all over the mountains, white magnolias like jade, bougainvilleas blooming like waterfalls... Why did Kunming, which has four seasons like spring and abundant flower resources, choose camellia as the city flower?

The reason is that Kunming people prefer camellia, not for its beauty, but for its character. Camellia is not ostentatious, but has backbone; it does not compete for spring, but waits quietly. When all flowers begin to bloom, it has already quietly bloomed in street corners, temples, and gardens, passing through the cold winter at its own pace, not anxious or impatient, not in a hurry, and heading towards spring, becoming the best portrayal of this spring city.

(The author Gu Zhuoya is a Ph.D. from Fudan University and a member of the Shanghai Science Writers Association)