耐旱性頗佳的(de)(de)黃梔花,生長適溫范圍為22~28℃,適合(he)于(yu)高溫濕潤(run)和日照(zhao)充足(zu)、排水良好的(de)(de)環境,植(zhi)地的(de)(de)土壤以稍帶粘性的(de)(de)壤土為佳。
山黃(huang)(huang)梔,灌木,高0.3-3米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi);嫩枝常(chang)被短毛,枝圓(yuan)(yuan)柱(zhu)(zhu)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),灰色(se)。葉(xie)對(dui)(dui)生,革質,稀為紙質,少為3枚輪生,葉(xie)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)多樣,通常(chang)為長(chang)圓(yuan)(yuan)狀(zhuang)披針(zhen)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)、倒卵(luan)(luan)狀(zhuang)長(chang)圓(yuan)(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)、倒卵(luan)(luan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)(huo)橢圓(yuan)(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)3-25厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)1.5-8厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),頂(ding)端漸尖(jian)、驟然長(chang)漸尖(jian)或(huo)(huo)短尖(jian)而鈍,基(ji)部楔(xie)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)(huo)短尖(jian),兩面(mian)(mian)常(chang)無毛,上面(mian)(mian)亮綠(lv),下(xia)(xia)面(mian)(mian)色(se)較暗;側脈8-15對(dui)(dui),在(zai)下(xia)(xia)面(mian)(mian)凸(tu)起,在(zai)上面(mian)(mian)平(ping);葉(xie)柄長(chang)0.2-1厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi);托葉(xie)膜質。花芳香,通常(chang)單朵(duo)生于枝頂(ding),花梗(geng)長(chang)3-5毫(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi);萼(e)管(guan)倒圓(yuan)(yuan)錐形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)(huo)卵(luan)(luan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)8-25毫(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),有縱棱(leng),萼(e)檐管(guan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),膨(peng)大,頂(ding)部5-8裂,通常(chang)6裂,裂片披針(zhen)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)(huo)線(xian)狀(zhuang)披針(zhen)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)10-30毫(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)1-4毫(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),結果(guo)(guo)時(shi)增(zeng)長(chang),宿存;花冠白色(se)或(huo)(huo)乳黃(huang)(huang)色(se),高腳碟狀(zhuang),喉部有疏(shu)柔毛,冠管(guan)狹圓(yuan)(yuan)筒形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)3-5厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)4-6毫(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),頂(ding)部5至8裂,通常(chang)6裂,裂片廣(guang)展(zhan),倒卵(luan)(luan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)(huo)倒卵(luan)(luan)狀(zhuang)長(chang)圓(yuan)(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)1.5-4厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)0.6-2.8厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi);花絲(si)極短,花藥(yao)線(xian)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)1.5-2.2厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),伸出;花柱(zhu)(zhu)粗(cu)厚,長(chang)約4.5厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),柱(zhu)(zhu)頭紡錘形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),伸出,長(chang)1-1.5厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)3-7毫(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),子(zi)房直徑約3毫(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),黃(huang)(huang)色(se),平(ping)滑(hua)。果(guo)(guo)卵(luan)(luan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)、近(jin)球形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)、橢圓(yuan)(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)(huo)長(chang)圓(yuan)(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),黃(huang)(huang)色(se)或(huo)(huo)橙紅色(se),長(chang)1.5-7厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),直徑1.2-2厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),有翅狀(zhuang)縱棱(leng)5-9條(tiao),頂(ding)部的(de)宿存萼(e)片長(chang)達(da)4厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)達(da)6毫(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi);種子(zi)多數,扁,近(jin)圓(yuan)(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)而稍有棱(leng)角(jiao),長(chang)約3.5毫(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)約3毫(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)。花期(qi)3-7月,果(guo)(guo)期(qi)5月至翌年2月。
本(ben)性(xing)強韌的(de)黃梔花(hua)發根力強,一(yi)(yi)般的(de)繁殖系以(yi)扦插(cha)法為(wei)主,亦可(ke)(ke)(ke)用播(bo)種法及壓條法繁殖。扦插(cha)法得(de)在3~4月(yue)的(de)春季(ji)(ji)(ji)或(huo)9月(yue)的(de)初秋季(ji)(ji)(ji)節行之,擇選長(chang)約(yue)20公分(fen)(fen)、直徑約(yue)1公分(fen)(fen),生長(chang)良好(hao)枝丫,斜插(cha)于(yu)(yu)花(hua)床并經(jing)妥善遮護,約(yue)經(jing)一(yi)(yi)個月(yue)便(bian)可(ke)(ke)(ke)發根,俟扦插(cha)成活后翌(yi)(yi)年(nian)即可(ke)(ke)(ke)移植本(ben)圃;播(bo)種法往往于(yu)(yu)9、10月(yue)為(wei)之,雖可(ke)(ke)(ke)獲得(de)較(jiao)多量的(de)子代,但因(yin)需等(deng)2、3年(nian)方(fang)會開花(hua),以(yi)致除了育種、采(cai)種之外不常使用;壓條法則適合于(yu)(yu)春季(ji)(ji)(ji)俾有較(jiao)高的(de)成活率(lv),1至2年(nian)后植株(zhu)就可(ke)(ke)(ke)長(chang)出(chu)茂(mao)(mao)盛娉婷(ting)的(de)花(hua)朵,花(hua)期(qi)完后宜(yi)修剪過(guo)于(yu)(yu)叢密雜亂或(huo)枯萎零(ling)弱的(de)枝條,并于(yu)(yu)秋、冬季(ji)(ji)(ji)節施行追(zhui)肥和進行換土,以(yi)便(bian)促進翌(yi)(yi)年(nian)的(de)蓬發興茂(mao)(mao)。
黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)花(hua)(hua)(hua)是屬(shu)于茜草(cao)科(Rubiaceae)、黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)子屬(shu)(Gardenia)的(de)常(chang)綠性(xing)灌木或(huo)小喬木,別名有梔(zhi)(zhi)子花(hua)(hua)(hua)、黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)子、雀舌(she)花(hua)(hua)(hua)以及林蘭、木單、鮮支、越桃…等,種類繁多,近約(yue)百種,在我(wo)國計有7種,山(shan)(shan)黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)則(ze)為其中(zhong)(zhong)的(de)一種。山(shan)(shan)黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)的(de)株(zhu)干(gan)高約(yue)2至4公(gong)尺,分布華南、中(zhong)(zhong)南半島、日本和臺灣,于全臺灣低海拔山(shan)(shan)區(qu)的(de)向陽山(shan)(shan)坡(po)或(huo)闊葉(xie)樹林中(zhong)(zhong)均(jun)常(chang)見(jian)到野生之山(shan)(shan)黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi),另于公(gong)園(yuan)、庭(ting)園(yuan)及校(xiao)園(yuan)亦常(chang)見(jian)到以人工(gong)栽植者,并適合(he)作為盆栽、盆景及綠籬、庭(ting)園(yuan)之露天栽培。黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)樹在我(wo)國古(gu)時(shi)即被視作是高經(jing)濟性(xing)植株(zhu),其花(hua)(hua)(hua)果根葉(xie)俱有用(yong)途,司(si)馬遷著之《史記》貨殖(zhi)列(lie)傳中(zhong)(zhong)曾載有「…千(qian)畝梔(zhi)(zhi)茜,其人與(yu)千(qian)戶(hu)侯等…」之語句,不難(nan)想知(zhi)黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)樹確屬(shu)價值(zhi)匪淺(qian)之作物(wu)。現(xian)今臺灣地(di)區(qu)的(de)黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)花(hua)(hua)(hua)盛產地(di)系以桃園(yuan)縣(xian)之山(shan)(shan)坡(po)地(di)和彰化縣(xian)田尾鄉為主(zhu),主(zhu)要是作為造園(yuan)、造景與(yu)推動公(gong)共(gong)工(gong)程時(shi)美化環境之用(yong)。
山黃(huang)(huang)梔的(de)葉片呈(cheng)對(dui)生(sheng)狀(zhuang),為(wei)橢圓(yuan)形或長(chang)橢圓(yuan)形,先端銳尖(jian),兩面(mian)光滑,近于無(wu)柄,托葉基(ji)部合生(sheng)成(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)鞘筒(tong)狀(zhuang);于仲(zhong)春至初夏的(de)3~6月時段開花(hua),花(hua)為(wei)傘型花(hua)序,花(hua)形系呈(cheng)單瓣之貌,乃自細小的(de)枝椏開出白色(se)花(hua)朵,為(wei)3~4朵腋生(sheng)或頂生(sheng),花(hua)瓣則(ze)有(you)6枚,單瓣,清香撲鼻,曬干后(hou)(hou)尚可(ke)當(dang)作(zuo)花(hua)茶香料(liao),故(gu)頗受園(yuan)藝界之喜愛(ai),花(hua)謝時漸轉為(wei)乳(ru)黃(huang)(huang)色(se),為(wei)中國典型香花(hua)植(zhi)物(wu)之一;秋、冬時可(ke)結(jie)成(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)長(chang)橢圓(yuan)形的(de)漿(jiang)果(guo),果(guo)有(you)五棱,果(guo)皮(pi)成(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)熟后(hou)(hou)呈(cheng)橘黃(huang)(huang)色(se),常吸引白耳畫眉、綠(lv)繡(xiu)眼、繡(xiu)眼畫眉和白頭翁等鳥類(lei)前來啄(zhuo)食,果(guo)實含黃(huang)(huang)色(se)素(crocin),因得作(zuo)為(wei)黃(huang)(huang)色(se)染(ran)料(liao)遂(sui)被取名(ming)「黃(huang)(huang)梔」,且可(ke)加工制成(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)食用(yong)(yong)色(se)素,也(ye)可(ke)供作(zuo)藥材。山黃(huang)(huang)梔的(de)花(hua)香味,實乃因其(qi)蘊涵的(de)benzyl-acetate、linalool-acetate與anthranylic-methylester…等精(jing)油成(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)分散發出來的(de)。邇來,以香花(hua)植(zhi)物(wu)的(de)花(hua)卉制作(zuo)成(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)花(hua)茶、花(hua)水備(bei)供酌飲浸泡之自然(ran)療法甚告風行,而(er)黃(huang)(huang)梔花(hua)正是(shi)業(ye)者極愛(ai)選用(yong)(yong)的(de)香花(hua)植(zhi)物(wu)之一。