Tourists began enjoying sweet-scented osmanthus in a park in southern Shanghai during the past weekend, making this the earliest the flower has blossomed in decades.

 

It is rare to see the flowers blossom in mid September as they usually won't give off sweet scent until the end of the month, said several local gardening experts, according to the Shanghai Morning Post.

 

Last Saturday was the White Dew according to tradition Chinese solar terms for the year, meaning temperature will start to fall.

 

The osmanthus needs high temperatures during the day that don't exceed 25 degrees Celsius, and the nightly low should be at least five degrees cooler than the daytime, for at least one week for the plant to bloom.

 

Experts attributed the early blossom to increasing differences in the temperatures during days and nights in the past few weeks, which offered the osmanthus the necessary nutrition and dew to blossom.

 

However, high temperatures may shorten the first wave of blossoms to five days. The high climbed above 30 degrees Celsius during the past two days.

 

Experts said if there is a sufficient amount of rain, local residents may enjoy a large number of sweet-scented osmanthus during the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on September 25 this year.

 

It's a custom for Chinese people to hold family reunions and enjoy the smell of osmanthus during the festival.

 

Guilin Park in Xuhui District, Shanghai Botanic Garden in Xuhui and the Grand View Garden in Qingpu District are the best places to appreciate the sweet-scented flowers in Shanghai.

 

(Shanghai Daily September 11, 2007)