Heady scent of wintersweet beckons all this season

However, there is an amusing twist to the ancient tradition of winter blossom viewing. Some might have been celebrating an entirely different flower all along. The blossoms they admired were very likely the pink plum flowers that bloom later in early spring, not the waxy yellow wintersweet.

Li Qingwei, a professor at Beijing Forestry University, recently explained in a popular science video that wintersweet and plum blossoms, both called mei in Chinese, bloom around the same time and smell similar, leading flower lovers to group them together.

However, plum blossoms, academically known as Prunus mume, are pink and bloom from March to April. Wintersweet, with its yellow petals, is the true "cold-resistant warrior" of winter and is scientifically named Chimonanthus praecox.

Wintersweet's petals are covered in a waxy "down coat" that can withstand temperatures as low as — 10 C, which is why ancient poets extolled its noble and resilient spirit amid frost and snow.

Li notes that among more than 170 wintersweet varieties worldwide, the majority are found in China, which leads the way in cultivar registration.

In Chinese tradition, wintersweet’s five petals symbolize the “Five Blessings”: happiness, prosperity, longevity, ease, and peace. Blooming around the Chinese New Year, the plant is a popular festive flower and can be found in local flower markets.

People often cut stems of wintersweet to display in vases at home, enjoying its delicate fragrance and auspicious symbolism.

But be warned: wintersweet dislikes warmth! At temperatures of around 20 degrees Celsius, its petals may wither, so it is best appreciated in the cold. Better still, step outdoors and enjoy a walk filled with fragrance and beauty.