What are the cultivation methods for flowering almond (Prunus triloba, also known as Xiaotaohong)?
Flowering almond, also known as Xiaotaohong or Yuye luanzhi, has a long history of cultivation in China and high ornamental value, and is planted in many parks across the country. So, what cultivation methods are there for flowering almond? Let's take a look!
1. Growth habits of flowering almond
The branches of flowering almond are purplish brown, the leaves are broadly elliptical to obovate, the flowers range from single to double and are purplish red, and the drupe is red and nearly spherical. Flowering almond likes light, tolerates slight shade, and is cold hardy, able to overwinter at -35 degrees. It is not strict about soil and does best in neutral to slightly alkaline, fertile soil. Flowering almond has a well-developed root system and strong drought tolerance, but it does not tolerate waterlogging, and it has strong disease resistance. It grows on slopes or beside ditches at low to medium altitudes, under arbor and shrub forests or at forest edges. In China it is mainly distributed in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Shandong, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other places.
2. Propagation methods for flowering almond
1. Grafting
The grafting methods for flowering almond include bud grafting and scion grafting, and bud grafting is generally used more often. Bud grafting is best carried out in mid-to-late August. The rootstock can be one-year-old flowering almond seedlings, or wild rose plants, Mao tao (wild peach), or Shan tao (mountain peach) seedlings. For bud grafting, you can select and cut plump leaf buds from one-year-old branches of a superior variety of flowering almond for later use. Scion grafting should be carried out in spring from February to March. The scion should be cut before the plant buds. In winter, the scion can also be cut and stored in sandy soil for use in spring.
2. Cuttage
Flowering almond is often propagated by softwood cuttings in late spring and early autumn using branches from the current year, or by hardwood cuttings in early spring using branches from the previous year. For softwood cuttings, from late spring to early autumn when the plant grows vigorously, choose sturdy branches of the current year as cuttings. After cutting the branches, select the robust parts and cut them into sections 5-15 cm long, each section with more than 3 leaf nodes. For hardwood cuttings, after the temperature rises in early spring, choose healthy branches from the previous year as cuttings, and each cutting usually retains 3-4 nodes.
3. Layering
Select a sturdy branch and remove a ring of bark about 15-30 cm below the top shoot. The width of the wound after peeling should be about one centimeter, and the depth should be just enough to remove the outer bark. Cut a piece of plastic film 10-20 cm long and 5-8 cm wide, place some moistened garden soil on it, and wrap the girdled part as if bandaging a wound. Tie the upper and lower ends of the film tightly, with the middle bulging, and roots will form in about four to six weeks.
4. Sowing
After the seeds of flowering almond mature, they can be sown in autumn or stored in sand and sown in spring. Planting can be done from after leaf fall in autumn to before buds sprout in early spring. In cultivation management, attention should be paid to pruning and fertilizing after flowering to ensure enough flowering branches the following year.
3. Cultivation methods for flowering almond
1. Soil
Flowering almond is not strict about soil, so there is no need to expend much effort on soil, but it does not tolerate waterlogging. It is best planted in neutral to slightly alkaline, fertile, loose sandy loam.
2. Watering
Flowering almond dislikes waterlogging. When planting in spring, if the weather is dry, water 2-3 times. Normally no watering is generally needed. At the same time, pay attention to drainage during the rainy season. If waterlogging occurs, it is very easy for the roots to rot, affecting the growth of flowering almond.
3. Sunlight
Flowering almond can be given plenty of sunlight in autumn, winter and spring. When kept indoors, place it in a spot with bright light as much as possible, such as a well-lit living room, bedroom, study and similar places. When grown in summer, too strong sunlight will scorch the leaves, so it is best to provide shade.
4. Temperature
Flowering almond likes a warm climate, and spring and autumn are generally very suitable for its growth, but the high temperature and muggy environment of summer are not good for its growth. It has strict requirements for winter temperature. When the temperature is below 10 degrees, it will stop growing, and it cannot overwinter safely under frost, so attention must be paid to keeping it warm when growing it in winter.
5. Pests
The main diseases and pests of flowering almond include brown spot disease, white root rot, aphids, nettle caterpillars, red spiders, leaf-rolling moths, etc. They generally occur in summer and autumn. If pests are found, pesticides should be selected and sprayed promptly for control.
6. Pruning
During the growth of flowering almond, special attention should be paid to pruning the branches. After the flowers fade, the flowering branches should be moderately shortened, leaving 3-5 buds on each healthy branch. After the dog days begin, prune once more and pinch off the tips to concentrate nutrients, which can promote the sprouting of flower buds.
The above are the cultivation methods for flowering almond compiled for you by the Tumao website editor. We hope they can help you!