How to grow Serissa japonica (Snowbush)? A detailed guide to its cultivation methods

Serissa japonica is also called snowbush, white horse bone, and fine-leaved wintergreen, among other names. It gets its name because it blooms white flowers in June; the flowers are pure white and very beautiful, and the leaves are bright green with golden edges, giving it extremely high ornamental value. It is distributed in Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Sichuan, Yunnan and other places, and is also cultivated in Japan and Vietnam. Serissa japonica has four varieties: Yinmu, golden-edged Serissa japonica, double-petaled Serissa japonica, and double-flowered Yinmu. So, what are the cultivation methods for Serissa japonica?

1. Soil selection

Serissa japonica has low soil requirements and is better grown in slightly acidic soil that is rich in nutrients and drains well. If planting Serissa japonica in a pot, you can mix it in a certain ratio: 4 parts garden soil, 4 parts leaf mold, and 2 parts sandy soil, and at the same time you can add a certain amount of cake fertilizer to provide more nutrients for the plant's growth.

2. Light

Serissa japonica is easy to grow and highly adaptable, with low light requirements; it can survive in either full light or shady conditions. However, note that conditions differ with the seasons. In winter, when temperatures are low and sunshine hours are short, try to place Serissa japonica in a sunny spot such as a balcony. In summer, when temperatures rise and the sun is strong, place Serissa japonica in a semi-shaded spot for shade. In spring and autumn, it depends on the weather conditions. It is worth noting that in winter you should keep it warm to prevent the plant from freezing.

3. Temperature

Serissa japonica is a tropical and subtropical plant and likes a warm environment. Its cold resistance is weak in winter, so in winter it needs to be brought into a greenhouse, and the room temperature must be kept above 0 degrees. If you want Serissa japonica to keep growing in winter, the room temperature needs to stay above 5 degrees.

4. Watering

Serissa japonica is highly adaptable and likes moisture while tolerating drought. Watering also needs to vary with the seasons. In spring, you can water every day, but control the amount each time and just keep the soil moist, avoiding root rot caused by waterlogging. In summer, when temperatures are high and evaporation is fast, you can water once in the early morning and once in the evening to keep the soil moist and supply the plant with water. In autumn and winter, as the weather turns cooler and the plant grows slowly, appropriately reduce the watering frequency; watering twice a week to keep the soil slightly moist is enough.

5. Fertilizing

Serissa japonica is easy to grow and tolerates poor soil, with low requirements for soil fertility, but because its flowering period is concentrated in one month, if it lacks fertilizer the flowers will be small and few. To ensure flowering, you can apply cake fertilizer once in spring and summer; if it is a potted Serissa japonica, you only need to apply cake fertilizer once in winter.

The above is a brief introduction to the cultivation methods for Serissa japonica. Do you understand it all now? Serissa japonica flowers are small and beautiful and have high ornamental and economic value. If you like it, go buy a pot and plant it!