Is the Huangshan goldenrain tree a deciduous tree or an evergreen tree?
The scientific name of the Huangshan goldenrain tree is Koelreuteria integrifoliola (whole-leaved goldenrain tree). It is distributed in the Chinese provinces and regions of Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Guizhou and others. It grows in hilly land and beside villages at an altitude of 100-300 m, or in sparse mountain forests at 600-900 m. So is the Huangshan goldenrain tree deciduous or evergreen?
1. Is the Huangshan goldenrain tree deciduous or evergreen?
The Huangshan goldenrain tree is a deciduous tree, reaching a height of more than 20 m, with branchlets bearing small warty points, flat leaves, and bipinnately compound leaves; the leaflets are usually entire, sometimes with serrations along one side near the apex. Its form is upright, and its branches and leaves are dense and elegant, making it an excellent greening and landscaping tree with ornamental value across three seasons.
2. Cultivation techniques
1. Saplings: Choose plants that are vigorous, robust, free of pests and diseases, and with straight trunks. For larger saplings, mark the sunny side of the trunk to prevent the sunny and shady sides from being reversed during transplanting, which can cause sunscald or cracking of the trunk and affect the survival rate.
2. Planting: Koelreuteria integrifoliola prefers deep soil that is slightly acidic, so the author adopted the method of digging large holes and replacing the soil. Taking a Koelreuteria integrifoliola 1 m to 2 m tall as an example, the planting hole was 1 m long, 1 m wide and 1 m deep. After digging the hole, fill it with 30 cm of furnace slag as a drainage layer, and lay a layer of straw matting over the slag to prevent the upper soil from flowing into the gaps in the slag when watered. Using prepared planting soil mixed with humic acid fertilizer, decomposed organic fertilizer and saline-alkali soil amendment, fill the planting hole and tamp it down to a depth of 50 cm from the ground surface. Then fill the planting hole with planting soil and tamp it down to 45 cm from the ground surface, so that the cut roots do not come into direct contact with the fertilized soil and root rot is less likely. Then gently place the Huangshan goldenrain tree into the planting hole with its sunny side facing south, and then fill in the mixed soil and firm it.
3. Water and fertilizer: After transplanting Koelreuteria integrifoliola, the first settling water should be given promptly and should be watered generously and thoroughly, so that the roots can make full contact with the soil and survival is aided. For the first watering, be sure to build a large basin and water thoroughly; 10 g of dissolved rooting agent can be watered into the planting hole along with the water to promote new root growth. After 7 to 10 days, water a second time. After about 20 days, water a third time. After that, water as needed according to conditions. During the growing season, apply dilute manure water once or twice, which will make the leaves green and the flowers abundant and enhance the plant's disease resistance.
4. Protection: In summer, the trunk and branches are easily scorched by the intense sun, causing the bark to crack and decay and resulting in serious damage. For newly planted Koelreuteria integrifoliola, apply whitewash after transplanting, and also wrap the trunk with straw rope for about 2 m to reduce water evaporation. After planting, set up supports to fix the trunk and prevent wobbling. If no supports are set up, the wobbling of the trunk prevents the roots from closely contacting the soil, creating gaps, and the roots are very likely to lose water, affecting survival; the contact points should be padded with soft material to prevent damage to the bark.
5. Cold protection: After winter sets in, newly planted trees need cold protection. The method is to build a sturdy windbreak barrier, leaving an opening on the south side facing the sun to receive sunlight. In addition, cover the ground with a layer of rice straw to prevent the roots from freezing. In North China, not only newly transplanted Koelreuteria integrifoliola needs cold protection, but even after it has established, cold protection treatment should be carried out on the trunk every year, by winding straw rope from the base of the trunk all the way to the branching point; only in this way can the tree's survival rate be ensured.
6. Pruning: Koelreuteria integrifoliola has an upright crown, and its natural tree form is commonly used in landscaping. For newly planted trees, retain 3 to 5 evenly distributed main branches, cut them back by 25 cm to 40 cm, and retain two or three lateral branches on each main branch. During maintenance, prune away dead, diseased or overly dense branches at any time.