The plum blossoms in Hangzhou Botanical Garden are flowering! The flowering period arrived particularly early this year - nearly half a month ahead.

An interview on Dec. 18 with the scenic area administration says that the blossoms are now sparsely visible in Mingxing Forest. This is a romantic sign in such chilly days.

Senior engineer Hu Zhong is a seasoned plum blossom scientist at the Botanical Garden. He’s been here for about thirty years. He says the first flower came exceptionally early. “It’s quite unusual. Generally, the first red plum blossom appears around New Year’s Day, but it seems to be almost half a month earlier now.”

In the Botanical Garden, most plum blossoms are at the Lingfeng Area. The peak days of blooming are usually in mid-February. Is the first flower calling for earlier arrival of a massive flowering scene?

Hu gave an example. “Just like people, each plum tree perceives the outside world differently. Some might jump the gun if they are particularly sensitive. However, it is not a common phenomenon. It is the weather that may determine the peak time.”

The period of seeking plum blossoms traditionally consists of three stages. First, you can only find a very few. Later, you will see 20 to 30% are blooming without worn flowers. The peak flower time comes next, with the trees brimming with a riot of plum blossoms.

The early blooming is great news – it means we may start much earlier to find them. 

Well, what about the wintersweet?

Wintersweet blooming in the coldest time is known as “the last flower in winter days.” We may still find its flowers around mid to late January. In recent years, people have seen quite often the co-existence of such two types flowers in Lingfeng Area.

Hu Zhong said that the wintersweet flowers are far from its peak. To get a blooming spectacle? Please be patient and wait a little more while.