The Latest Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial for the Pencil Tree
The pencil tree, also known as the green jade tree or the dragon bone tree, is a succulent plant with a peculiar shape. The whole plant has few flowers and few leaves, and once it matures the flowers and leaves fall off, leaving only densely growing branches and stems, like a tree stuck full of sticks. Below, let us take a look at its cultivation techniques.
Growth Habits
The pencil tree prefers a warm environment and tolerates drought and dry conditions, but it needs well-drained soil. It is native to the African continent, where the climate is arid and hot with no rain year-round. In such an environment, in order to adapt and avoid dying of drought due to water evaporation from its leaves, the pencil tree evolved over a long period of growth so that its leaves became fewer and fewer until they disappeared, which is how it came to look the way it does today.
Cultivation Techniques
The pencil tree tolerates drought and dry conditions. If grown in a warm climate, it will grow extremely quickly. It can be planted outdoors in warm southern regions, while in the north it needs to be moved to a greenhouse in winter. During cultivation, we mainly manage it in terms of light, watering, fertilizing, pruning, and pest and disease control.
1. Light: The pencil tree has a relatively high demand for light. Its branches contain a large amount of chlorophyll, which carries out photosynthesis in place of leaves. A lack of light will cause poor growth and may even lead to death.
2. Watering: The pencil tree is very drought-tolerant, and it should not be watered too much normally. Overwatering easily causes root rot, so water only when the soil is dry, and water again only after it has dried out completely. In summer, the weather is hot and temperatures are high, so be careful to prevent the plant from being heavily drenched by rainstorms after exposure to the sun during the day, which can cause leaf drop. When the temperature reaches above 30°C, the plant enters a semi-dormant state, and watering should be controlled at this time.
3. Fertilizing: The pencil tree has a low demand for nutrients. During its growing period, applying 1 round of well-rotted, thin liquid fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is sufficient, and it must not be too concentrated. Never fertilize when the temperature is too low, as this can easily cause root rot.
4. Repotting: When growing in pots, repot once a year and replace the soil with fresh, loose, sandy soil. At the same time, as it grows, it needs to be moved to a larger pot, generally once every two or three years.
5. Diseases: The main diseases are anthracnose and leaf spot, which can be controlled by spraying with a 1000-fold dilution of thiophanate-methyl wettable powder. When indoor ventilation is poor, the stems and leaves are prone to damage by scale insects, which can be killed by spraying with a 1000-fold dilution of omethoate emulsifiable concentrate. Overwatering easily leads to root rot, so pay attention to drainage and ventilation.
6. Pruning: You can start by pruning the root system, cutting away some dead, rotten, and weak roots. If the roots are relatively dense, you can trim and tidy them yourself. Next are the stems and branches: cut away some diseased, weak, and damaged branches, and then prune for overall appearance. You can also cut off some side branches and replant them.
During pruning, be sure to prevent the sap from contacting the skin, especially the face and eyes. Protective measures should be taken when pruning, and a face veil and gloves can be worn.
The above are the cultivation techniques for the pencil tree. Through the content above, I believe everyone has gained some understanding of how to grow the pencil tree. The pencil tree has a wide range of uses; it can not only be enjoyed as an ornamental plant, but can also be used for petroleum production.