How to grow a pearl spiraea bonsai? A full breakdown of the latest care methods
Pearl spiraea, also known as pearl spiraea (Spiraea thunbergii), belongs to the genus Spiraea in the rose family. It is a deciduous shrub with lush branches and leaves, umbel-shaped flower clusters, and dense small white flowers that look like accumulated snow. Its flowering period is April to May. It is suitable for clump planting, group planting, and mass planting. When grown as a home potted plant, the charming beauty of its blooms is even more refreshing to the mind.
Pearl spiraea is native to northern Asia. It is a deciduous broad-leaved shrub and a plant that relatively likes sunlight. Because it itself has multiple resistance abilities such as shade tolerance, cold tolerance, drought tolerance, and moisture tolerance, it is very simple to grow and easy for beginners, making it a courtyard decorative plant relatively suitable for novice growers.
Pearl spiraea gets its name because its flowers resemble pearls. Its flowers and leaves are elegant, and its flowering period is very long. It is a very popular ornamental tree species in landscaping applications and can be planted alone, in rows, or in clumps with excellent results. Pearl spiraea has relatively strong sprouting and regeneration ability, a very wide cultivation range, and low requirements for soil. The management of water, fertilizer, temperature, and light is also relatively extensive, making it suitable for greening and beautification cultivation in various places.
Pearl spiraea likes light but also tolerates shade, likes moisture but also tolerates drought, likes fertile soil but also tolerates poor soil, and likes warmth but also tolerates severe cold. It can grow in well-drained slightly acidic or slightly alkaline soil, but dislikes waterlogging, and has strong tillering ability.
For potting soil, loam with good permeability, strong drainage, and relatively fertile soil should be selected. Apply organic fertilizer once in late autumn and early winter, and apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer once before flowering. Water appropriately at ordinary times to keep the potting soil moist, but it must not remain overly wet for a long time, and even more so must not become waterlogged. Potted plants should be placed in direct sunlight as much as possible. Low-temperature dormancy in winter is a physiological need, so they must not be placed in a greenhouse, lest it affect the next year's growth and flowering. Placing them in an open, wind-sheltered, sunny spot or burying the pot with soil will allow them to overwinter safely. Prune every year after leaf fall until before budding the following year, cutting out diseased and damaged branches, dry and withered branches, and the thin and weak among overly dense branches. Shorten overly long branches to maintain a good plant shape, ventilation, and light transmission, so as to promote flowering.
Light:
Pearl spiraea by nature likes a warm, humid, and sunlit environment. Mature plants can also tolerate cold and partial shade. For seedlings from autumn cuttings, by the following summer, they are exactly in the growth period of young shoots and young leaves. Growers should, according to the position of the seedbed, pay attention to building shade to avoid direct strong sunlight, so that scattered light is sufficient. For flowering and fruiting plants, sunlight exposure should be strengthened to make photosynthesis vigorous and promote vigorous plant growth.
Temperature:
The most suitable temperature for pearl spiraea growth is 18°C~32°C. If the temperature is suitable, light is sufficient, and reasonable water and fertilizer management is combined, pearl spiraea can enter a luxuriant growth period, and pearl-like flower buds will bloom gloriously on the crown. Pearl spiraea is cold-resistant, so no special cold protection measures are needed in winter, and it can generally overwinter in the open ground.
Watering:
Pearl spiraea needs large amounts of water and nutrients during both vegetative growth and reproductive growth. Pearl spiraea likes moisture. During the growing season, water appropriately according to the local climate, the height of the groundwater level, and soil moisture conditions. Especially after each fertilization, water thoroughly to meet the water needs of pearl spiraea growth. In summer, pay attention to drainage and waterlogging prevention. For plants cultivated in courtyards, dig ditches early and do a good job of drainage and waterlogging prevention. If summer drought occurs, increase the number of irrigations to keep the soil moist. In autumn, appropriately reduce the amount of watering. Before winter begins, also irrigate once with overwintering water, so that pearl spiraea can overwinter safely in a moist environment.
Fertilization:
After new buds sprout in spring, use fully decomposed organic liquid fertilizer and apply it once every 20~30 days at a concentration of 1:4 or 1:6. Water thoroughly the next day after application, so that the soil becomes loose, moist, and fertile, promoting more vigorous vegetative growth of pearl spiraea. From April to May, pearl spiraea quickly enters the flower bud differentiation stage. At this time, fertilizer should mainly contain phosphorus and potassium and be applied once every 10~15 days. Fertilization can be stopped during the flowering period, and should continue after fruit set. After leaf fall in autumn, prune and shape the plant once, dig a ditch around the plant, and apply solid fertilizer such as fully decomposed barnyard manure. This fertilization is very critical and can lay a foundation for flowering and fruiting the following year.