How to Grow Michelia alba? A Complete Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods
Michelia alba is also called Michelia alba (white yulan) and huang lan. It is a plant of the Magnoliaceae family, and Michelia alba has extremely high ornamental value, with a very strong fragrance when it blooms. Its flowers and leaves are also raw materials for various aromatic oils used in traditional Chinese medicine, and its wood is used in various industries, so its economic value cannot be underestimated. So how should Michelia alba be grown? Below, the editor brings you the cultivation methods for Michelia alba. Let's take a look!
1. Growing environment
Michelia alba likes to grow in warm, humid, sunny, slightly acidic soil. Its tolerance for alkalinity and drought is very poor, but the soil moisture content should not be too high either, so the soil must also have good drainage and irrigation capacity. After choosing the site, do a good job of soil preparation, plowing the soil about 30 cm deep, disinfecting it, and eliminating pathogens in the soil to prevent them from affecting the growth of Michelia alba. And because Michelia alba has a relatively large demand for nutrients, when preparing the soil we must also apply sufficient base fertilizer to meet the nutritional needs of Michelia alba's growth.
2. Propagation methods
The propagation methods for Michelia alba include cuttings, grafting, and so on. However, the rooting rate of cutting propagation is relatively low, and China's climate is not suitable for Michelia alba cuttings, so it is basically impossible to harvest seeds. Therefore, grafting is generally the main method, and the rootstock for grafting Michelia alba can be Yulan magnolia. The rootstock is planted in spring, as close as possible to the scion, to facilitate the scion work. Moreover, if the rootstock and scion are close, the grafting site can be lowered and the grafting survival rate can be improved. The grafting time is generally during the peak growth period of Michelia alba. If the propagation quantity is not large, layering propagation can be used; although the propagation speed is slow, the survival rate is high.
3. Water and fertilizer management
Michelia alba blooms relatively many times, and each bloom increases its demand for nutrients. Therefore, we must topdress fertilizer in time, otherwise the flowering rate of Michelia alba will decrease. The topdressing fertilizer is mainly decomposed farmyard manure, and the concentration should be controlled according to the time. In spring, mainly use dilute liquid fertilizer, then gradually increase the concentration. In summer, fertilization should avoid noon, to prevent excessively high temperatures from burning the plant, and stop topdressing in September-October. Then pay attention to watering. Especially during high summer temperatures, watering should soak the soil thoroughly to prevent root rot. Insufficient water will cause the leaves to turn yellow and wither, but too much is also inadvisable, as it easily causes root rot and leads to pests and diseases.
4. Daily management
Michelia alba sprouts twice a year, and when it sprouts, the branches generally stop growing. It does not resume growth until the second sprouting, when it generally grows branches while sprouting, and the number of flowers per sprouting is about 5-6, with the flowering period in June-August. Therefore, when Michelia alba is growing, we should do a good job of pruning, removing pests and diseases, old dead branches, and excessively vigorous branches from the plant. Then remove old and dead leaves to prevent excessive nutrient consumption and control the growth speed of Michelia alba. Promote the growth of flower buds, improve flower quantity and flower quality, and increase ornamental value.
The above is a brief introduction to the cultivation methods for Michelia alba. The cultivation methods for Michelia alba are relatively simple, but attention should be paid to management work. Create a good growing environment for Michelia alba, enhance its growth ability, and expand the economic benefits of planting. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and we hope it can help everyone!