耐(nai)旱性頗佳的黃梔花(hua),生長適溫范圍為(wei)22~28℃,適合(he)于高溫濕(shi)潤和日(ri)照(zhao)充足、排水良(liang)好的環境,植地(di)的土壤以稍帶粘性的壤土為(wei)佳。
山黃梔,灌(guan)木(mu),高(gao)0.3-3米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi);嫩枝(zhi)(zhi)常被短毛,枝(zhi)(zhi)圓(yuan)柱(zhu)(zhu)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),灰色。葉(xie)對生,革質,稀為紙質,少為3枚輪(lun)生,葉(xie)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)多樣,通(tong)常為長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)圓(yuan)狀(zhuang)(zhuang)披(pi)針(zhen)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)、倒(dao)(dao)卵(luan)狀(zhuang)(zhuang)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)、倒(dao)(dao)卵(luan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)橢(tuo)(tuo)圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)3-25厘(li)(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)1.5-8厘(li)(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),頂端漸尖(jian)、驟(zou)然長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)漸尖(jian)或(huo)短尖(jian)而鈍,基部(bu)楔形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)短尖(jian),兩面(mian)常無毛,上面(mian)亮綠(lv),下面(mian)色較暗;側脈8-15對,在(zai)下面(mian)凸(tu)起,在(zai)上面(mian)平(ping);葉(xie)柄(bing)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)0.2-1厘(li)(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi);托(tuo)葉(xie)膜質。花(hua)(hua)芳香,通(tong)常單朵(duo)生于枝(zhi)(zhi)頂,花(hua)(hua)梗(geng)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)3-5毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi);萼(e)管(guan)倒(dao)(dao)圓(yuan)錐形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)卵(luan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)8-25毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),有縱棱(leng),萼(e)檐管(guan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),膨大,頂部(bu)5-8裂,通(tong)常6裂,裂片披(pi)針(zhen)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)線狀(zhuang)(zhuang)披(pi)針(zhen)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)10-30毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)1-4毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),結果(guo)時增(zeng)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang),宿(su)存;花(hua)(hua)冠(guan)白色或(huo)乳黃色,高(gao)腳(jiao)碟(die)狀(zhuang)(zhuang),喉部(bu)有疏柔毛,冠(guan)管(guan)狹圓(yuan)筒形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)3-5厘(li)(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)4-6毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),頂部(bu)5至8裂,通(tong)常6裂,裂片廣(guang)展,倒(dao)(dao)卵(luan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)倒(dao)(dao)卵(luan)狀(zhuang)(zhuang)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)1.5-4厘(li)(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)0.6-2.8厘(li)(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi);花(hua)(hua)絲極短,花(hua)(hua)藥線形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)1.5-2.2厘(li)(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),伸出(chu);花(hua)(hua)柱(zhu)(zhu)粗厚,長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)約4.5厘(li)(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),柱(zhu)(zhu)頭紡錘(chui)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),伸出(chu),長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)1-1.5厘(li)(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)3-7毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),子房直徑約3毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),黃色,平(ping)滑(hua)。果(guo)卵(luan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)、近球(qiu)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)、橢(tuo)(tuo)圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),黃色或(huo)橙(cheng)紅色,長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)1.5-7厘(li)(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),直徑1.2-2厘(li)(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),有翅狀(zhuang)(zhuang)縱棱(leng)5-9條,頂部(bu)的宿(su)存萼(e)片長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)達4厘(li)(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)達6毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi);種子多數,扁,近圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)而稍有棱(leng)角(jiao),長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)約3.5毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)約3毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)。花(hua)(hua)期3-7月,果(guo)期5月至翌年(nian)2月。
本性(xing)強韌的黃梔花(hua)發根(gen)力強,一般(ban)的繁(fan)殖系以扦插(cha)(cha)法為主(zhu),亦可用(yong)播種(zhong)(zhong)法及壓條法繁(fan)殖。扦插(cha)(cha)法得(de)在(zai)3~4月的春季(ji)或(huo)9月的初秋季(ji)節(jie)(jie)行之,擇選長(chang)約20公分、直(zhi)徑約1公分,生(sheng)長(chang)良好枝丫,斜插(cha)(cha)于(yu)花(hua)床并經(jing)妥善遮護(hu),約經(jing)一個月便可發根(gen),俟扦插(cha)(cha)成活后翌年(nian)(nian)即(ji)可移植本圃(pu);播種(zhong)(zhong)法往(wang)往(wang)于(yu)9、10月為之,雖(sui)可獲(huo)得(de)較多(duo)量的子代,但因需等2、3年(nian)(nian)方會開花(hua),以致除(chu)了育種(zhong)(zhong)、采種(zhong)(zhong)之外不常使用(yong);壓條法則適合于(yu)春季(ji)俾有較高的成活率(lv),1至(zhi)2年(nian)(nian)后植株就(jiu)可長(chang)出(chu)茂盛娉(ping)婷的花(hua)朵,花(hua)期完后宜(yi)修剪(jian)過于(yu)叢密(mi)雜亂(luan)或(huo)枯萎零弱(ruo)的枝條,并于(yu)秋、冬季(ji)節(jie)(jie)施行追(zhui)肥和進行換土,以便促(cu)進翌年(nian)(nian)的蓬發興茂。
黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)花(hua)(hua)是(shi)屬于(yu)茜草科(Rubiaceae)、黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)子屬(Gardenia)的(de)常綠性灌木或小喬木,別名(ming)有(you)梔(zhi)(zhi)子花(hua)(hua)、黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)子、雀(que)舌花(hua)(hua)以及林蘭、木單、鮮支、越桃…等,種(zhong)類繁多,近約(yue)百種(zhong),在(zai)我國(guo)計有(you)7種(zhong),山(shan)黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)則為(wei)(wei)其(qi)中(zhong)的(de)一種(zhong)。山(shan)黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)的(de)株干高(gao)約(yue)2至4公尺,分(fen)布(bu)華南、中(zhong)南半島、日本和臺(tai)灣,于(yu)全臺(tai)灣低海拔山(shan)區的(de)向陽山(shan)坡(po)或闊(kuo)葉(xie)樹(shu)(shu)林中(zhong)均常見到野生之(zhi)山(shan)黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi),另于(yu)公園(yuan)、庭園(yuan)及校園(yuan)亦常見到以人工栽(zai)植者(zhe),并適(shi)合作為(wei)(wei)盆栽(zai)、盆景及綠籬(li)、庭園(yuan)之(zhi)露天栽(zai)培。黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)樹(shu)(shu)在(zai)我國(guo)古時即被視作是(shi)高(gao)經濟(ji)性植株,其(qi)花(hua)(hua)果根葉(xie)俱(ju)有(you)用途,司馬遷著之(zhi)《史記》貨殖列(lie)傳(chuan)中(zhong)曾載(zai)有(you)「…千(qian)畝梔(zhi)(zhi)茜,其(qi)人與千(qian)戶侯等…」之(zhi)語句,不難想知黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)樹(shu)(shu)確(que)屬價值匪淺之(zhi)作物。現今(jin)臺(tai)灣地區的(de)黃(huang)梔(zhi)(zhi)花(hua)(hua)盛產地系以桃園(yuan)縣(xian)之(zhi)山(shan)坡(po)地和彰(zhang)化(hua)縣(xian)田(tian)尾(wei)鄉為(wei)(wei)主,主要是(shi)作為(wei)(wei)造(zao)園(yuan)、造(zao)景與推動公共工程時美(mei)化(hua)環(huan)境之(zhi)用。
山黃(huang)梔(zhi)的(de)葉片呈對生(sheng)(sheng)狀,為(wei)橢圓(yuan)形(xing)或(huo)長橢圓(yuan)形(xing),先端(duan)銳(rui)尖,兩(liang)面光滑,近于(yu)(yu)無柄(bing),托葉基(ji)部合生(sheng)(sheng)成(cheng)(cheng)鞘筒狀;于(yu)(yu)仲春至初夏的(de)3~6月時段開花(hua)(hua)(hua),花(hua)(hua)(hua)為(wei)傘型(xing)花(hua)(hua)(hua)序,花(hua)(hua)(hua)形(xing)系呈單瓣之(zhi)(zhi)貌(mao),乃自細(xi)小的(de)枝椏開出(chu)(chu)白色花(hua)(hua)(hua)朵,為(wei)3~4朵腋生(sheng)(sheng)或(huo)頂(ding)生(sheng)(sheng),花(hua)(hua)(hua)瓣則(ze)有6枚,單瓣,清香撲鼻,曬干后尚可當作(zuo)花(hua)(hua)(hua)茶香料,故頗受園藝界之(zhi)(zhi)喜愛,花(hua)(hua)(hua)謝時漸轉(zhuan)為(wei)乳黃(huang)色,為(wei)中國(guo)典型(xing)香花(hua)(hua)(hua)植物(wu)之(zhi)(zhi)一;秋(qiu)、冬時可結成(cheng)(cheng)長橢圓(yuan)形(xing)的(de)漿果(guo),果(guo)有五棱,果(guo)皮成(cheng)(cheng)熟后呈橘黃(huang)色,常吸(xi)引白耳畫眉(mei)、綠繡眼、繡眼畫眉(mei)和白頭(tou)翁等鳥(niao)類前來啄食(shi),果(guo)實(shi)含黃(huang)色素(crocin),因得(de)作(zuo)為(wei)黃(huang)色染料遂被取名「黃(huang)梔(zhi)」,且可加工制成(cheng)(cheng)食(shi)用色素,也(ye)可供作(zuo)藥材。山黃(huang)梔(zhi)的(de)花(hua)(hua)(hua)香味,實(shi)乃因其蘊涵的(de)benzyl-acetate、linalool-acetate與anthranylic-methylester…等精油成(cheng)(cheng)分(fen)散發出(chu)(chu)來的(de)。邇來,以(yi)香花(hua)(hua)(hua)植物(wu)的(de)花(hua)(hua)(hua)卉制作(zuo)成(cheng)(cheng)花(hua)(hua)(hua)茶、花(hua)(hua)(hua)水備供酌飲浸(jin)泡(pao)之(zhi)(zhi)自然療法甚告風行,而(er)黃(huang)梔(zhi)花(hua)(hua)(hua)正(zheng)是業(ye)者極愛選用的(de)香花(hua)(hua)(hua)植物(wu)之(zhi)(zhi)一。