When I walked around my neighborhood on January 31, 2022, I noticed this unique plant. When I got home and Google it, I learned it was Buddha’s hand (fingered citron) because of its resemblance. Its fruit is a symbol of happiness, longevity, and good fortune. It is also a traditional temple offering and a New Year’s gift. Buddha’s hand fruit is very fragrant and is used in China and Japan for perfuming rooms and clothing. Its peel and rind can be used for a number of dishes, like salad dressings, marinades, baked goods, and drinks. In 2024, my sister gave me Buddha’s hand picked from her garden. The scent of citrus and lemon fills the room with fragrance. Adding it to drinks gives it a unique flavor. I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to taste it.
2022 年 1 月 31 日，當我在附近散步時，我注意到了這種獨特的植物。回家Google 一下才知道這是佛手柑因為很像佛的手。它的果實是幸福、長壽和好運的象徵。 它也是一種傳統的寺廟供品和新年禮物。佛手柑非常香，在中國和日本被用於加香房間和衣服。它的果皮和外皮可用於製作多種菜餚，如沙拉醬、醃泡汁、烘焙食品和飲料。2024年妹妹送我他們家採摘的佛手柑，柑橘檸檬的香味讓滿室生香，將它加入飲料中，更是別有風味。我覺得我很幸運有機會嚐到它的味道。
Notes 筆記
- Buddha’s hand or the fingered citron is an unusually-shaped citron variety whose fruit is segmented into finger-like sections, resembling those seen on representations of the Buddha.
- Buddha’s hand can be found in many languages including English, Chinese (佛手柑), Japanese (仏手柑), Korean (불수감; 佛手柑), Vietnamese (quả phật thủ), and French (Main de Bouddha).
- It is a shrub or small tree with long, irregular branches covered in thorns. Its large, oblong leaves are pale green and grow about four to six inches. Its white flowers are tinted purplish from the outside and grow in fragrant clusters. The fruit’s fingers contain only the white part of the fruit and sometimes a small amount of acidic pulp, but many of them are completely juiceless and some are seedless.
- While it contains no fruit or pulp, it is extremely fragrant, and the peel and rind can be used for a number of dishes, like salad dressings, marinades, baked goods, and drinks.
- The plant is sensitive to frost, as well as intense heat and drought. It grows best in a temperate climate. Trees can be grown from cuttings.
- Buddha’s hand fruit is very fragrant and is used predominantly in China and Japan for perfuming rooms and personal items such as clothing.
- The fruit may be given as a religious offering in Buddhist temples. According to tradition, Buddha prefers the “fingers” of the fruit to be in a position where they resemble a closed rather than open hand, as closed hands symbolize to Buddha the act of prayer. In China, the Buddha’s hand fruit is a symbol of happiness, longevity, and good fortune. It is also a traditional temple offering and a New Year’s gift.
- 佛手柑或五指柑是一種形狀奇特的柑桔類水果，其果實分離形成手指狀，類似佛手。
- 佛手柑 (英語：Buddha’s hand、 fingered citron），或稱佛手果、五指柑、福壽柑和密羅柑。
- 它是一種灌木或小樹，長而不規則的樹枝被荊棘覆蓋。它的大而長方形的葉子是淡綠色的，長約四到六英寸。它的白色花朵外面是淡紫色，並在芳香的簇中生長。果實的手指只含有果實的白色部分，有時還含有少量的酸性果肉，但許多是完全無汁的，有些是無籽的。
- 雖然它不含水果或果肉，但非常香，果皮和果皮可用於許多菜餚，如沙拉醬、醃泡汁、烘焙食品和飲料。
- 它對霜凍、高溫和乾旱敏感。它在溫帶氣候中生長最好。樹木可以從扦插中生長出來。
- 佛手果非常香，在中國和日本主要用於加香在房間和個人衣物用品上。
- 這種水果可以作為佛教寺廟的宗教供品。根據傳統，佛陀更喜歡水果的“手指”是類似於閉合而不是張開的手的位置，因為閉合的手對佛陀象徵著祈禱的動作。在中國，佛手柑是幸福、長壽、吉祥的象徵。它也是一種傳統的寺廟供品和新年禮物。
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Buddha's hand
- The Spruce’s Eats: What Is Buddha's Hand?
- 維基百科: 佛手柑
Plants Posts 植物的帖子