How to Grow and Care for the Coral Berry (Ardisia crenata)

SummaryFertilizing: When seedlings reach 10cm in height, apply organic fertilizer, or water in a mixture of 0.1% urea and 0.1% monopotassium phosphate. Humidity: Mist often and water sparingly, 3-4 times a day in spring, 2-3 times a day in autumn, 1-2 times in summer. Light: Fluorescent lamp exposure basically meets its growth needs; avoid direct sun exposure. Temperature: The suitable temperature is 20°C-28°C. Pest and disease control: Watch for brown spot and aphids and other diseases. Propagation: Seed sowing and cuttings.

1. Fertilizing

1. When the coral berry seedling grown from seed reaches 10cm in height, it needs to be pinched back. Apply light fertilizer, about once every 15 days, mainly organic fertilizer, or water in a mixture of 0.1% urea and 0.1% monopotassium phosphate.

2. During the flowering and fruiting period, spraying the leaves with a 0.2% monopotassium phosphate solution can promote flowering and fruiting in the coral berry.

3. Stop fertilizing when the temperature is too high or too low, and avoid over-fertilizing, which can hinder plant growth or damage the roots.

2. Humidity

1. Watering amount

Follow the principle of misting often and watering sparingly, keeping the surrounding air humidity suitable and the potting soil slightly moist, neither dry nor waterlogged.

2. Watering frequency

(1) Generally, once every 3-4 days in spring, once every 2-3 days in autumn, and 1-2 times a day in summer.

(2) The watering frequency should be increased or decreased according to the season, the size of the pot, changes in weather, how well the pot drains, and the placement location. For example, a coral berry kept in an air-conditioned room should be watered 3-5 times a day.

3. Watering time

When temperatures are high in summer and autumn, water in the morning and evening; in winter, watering at noon is best.

3. Light

1. The coral berry is a semi-shade plant. From mid-spring to mid-autumn, it can usually be placed under a shade structure with 50%-60% shading.

2. An indoor coral berry can be placed a little farther from the window; as long as there is fluorescent lamp light, it can basically meet its simple growth needs. Avoid direct sun exposure, which can easily cause it to wither and die.

4. Temperature

The coral berry is sensitive to cold and fears both dry heat and high temperatures. Its suitable growing temperature is generally 20°C-28°C; when above 30°C, provide shade, misting, and ventilation to cool it down and increase humidity; when below 5°C, move it to a greenhouse or indoors to overwinter.

5. Pest and Disease Control

1. Controlling brown spot disease

Spray with a 600-fold dilution of 50% carbendazim wettable powder for control. For household potted plants, directly apply miconazole nitrate cream to the diseased spots to control their spread; if the spots are not yet obvious in the early stage, simply remove the leaves.

2. Controlling aphids

Aphids breed during the seedling stage. After 4 p.m., spray with an 800-fold dilution of omethoate, once every 5 days.

6. Propagation

1. Seed sowing method

(1) Harvest in late autumn and early winter. After washing the seeds, soak them for 24 hours, keep the temperature at around 25°C-30°C, and add moist sand for low-temperature stratification to promote germination.

(2) Sow in spring of the following year after the seeds crack. When sowing, cover with a 2cm layer of soil, then a layer of grass to retain moisture, and maintain 18°C-24°C for germination.

(3) After about 20d, once the sprouts emerge, remove the grass in stages and shade the seedlings to promote growth and development.

2. Cutting method

(1) For cuttings, use green branches in spring, or semi-lignified 10cm-long branches in summer as cuttings, preferably with 3 to 4 leaves.

(2) Make the lower cut 0.2cm below a node. Use a half-and-half mix of rice-hull ash and moist sand, or peat soil and perlite, as the medium. Insert to a depth of 1/3-1/2 of the cutting length, water thoroughly, then cover with film to retain moisture.

(3) Shade 60%, maintain a suitable temperature of 20°C-25°C to promote rooting, which takes about 1 month. Cuttings bear fruit in the second year.