A Complete Guide to the Latest Methods for Growing Rohdea japonica

Rohdea japonica is also known as red-fruited Rohdea, kaihoujian, jiujielian, dongbudiao, tiebiandan, and so on. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Rohdea in the Liliaceae family, a traditional ornamental flower in our country and Japan, symbolizing health and longevity, happiness and good fortune, and since ancient times it has been the preferred plant for courtyard and home cultivation. Let us take a look below at the cultivation methods and precautions for Rohdea japonica!

Propagation Methods for Rohdea japonica

1. Division propagation: This is carried out when repotting in spring. Take the plant out of the pot, cut off the rhizome at the base of the stem, coat it with plant ash to prevent rot, or leave it for half a day until the cut surface dries before potting. After planting, do not water too much. For natural bulbil propagation, dig up the bulbs in August-September, grade them by size, and plant them. After one planting, wait several years until the bulbs become crowded before dividing them again.

2. Cutting propagation: Spring and summer are suitable. Select a sturdy young stem 12-15 cm long as the cutting, keep the top 2 leaves, insert it into a sand bed, and maintain high air humidity at a room temperature of 25-30 degrees C. Roots will form 20-28 days after insertion. Water propagation can also be used; the cutting can be slightly longer, preferably 15-20 cm, inserted directly into a glass bottle filled with clear water, with the water changed once every 2 days. New roots will grow in about 15-20 days, and when the roots are 3-4 cm long, pot them up.

3. Seed propagation: Sowing is generally carried out between March and April, sown in flower pots filled with potting soil. After watering, place them temporarily in a shaded place and keep them moist. At 25-30 degrees C, they will germinate in about 25 days.

Cultivation Methods for Rohdea japonica

1. Soil selection: The cultivation soil for Rohdea japonica can be made by mixing humus soil, leaf mold, sandy soil, and furnace cinders together with fertilizer. All five soil materials should be prepared in advance, exposed to strong sunlight, then finely crushed and sieved for later use.

2. Reasonable fertilization: Rohdea japonica has thick and emerald-green leaves, so it must be fertilized once every 15 days. After normal outdoor cultivation in spring, apply a top dressing about once every 7 days. Stop top dressing before flowering, and after fruiting give a large amount of fertilizer. Apply top dressing frequently to make the fruit fuller.

3. Watering management: Rohdea japonica likes moisture but fears waterlogging, so it should not be watered too much, otherwise the roots are prone to rot. Water once every 2-3 days. It is best to place a water tray under the flower pot so that water can seep into the soil through the small holes, keeping the potting soil often moist.

4. Temperature management: Rohdea japonica has strong vitality and can survive in both northern and southern regions. A temperature of 20-30 degrees C is best, and in winter it is enough to keep it at around 7 degrees C to ensure its safety.

5. Light control: Rohdea japonica likes moist soil and also likes to grow in an environment with weak light. In summer, place it in a place without sunlight. As an ornamental flower at home, it can be placed under the balcony to avoid strong sunlight. If cultivated outdoors in summer, a shed needs to be built for shade. Under sunlight, the leaves easily turn greenish-white, and the leaf edges also easily become scorched.

6. Timely pruning: Rohdea japonica should be pruned in time, completed before the Start of Summer. When pruning, check front and back, and cut off leaves that are aged, insect-damaged, or cracked. In spring, old useless leaves should be cut off, which can concentrate nutrients, promote new shoots, and promote flower bud differentiation. Pruning is an important task, otherwise it is difficult for it to bloom.

Precautions for Growing Rohdea japonica

1. Do not water too much: Note that when loosening the soil, pay attention that in the early stage just after transplanting, water must not be given too much, otherwise the roots will die from too much water. For potting, it is best to use soil rich in humus, which is suitable for cultivation. Be sure to remember that the potting soil can be changed once every 2 years.

2. Light should not be too strong: Rohdea japonica is a semi-shade plant and does not have a high light requirement, but it cannot be without light. Especially in summer, there should not be too much or too strong light. In winter, pay attention to often taking it out into the sun to dry, but the temperature must not be lower than 10 degrees C, otherwise the flowers are easily frostbitten.

3. Watch for yellowing leaves: If the leaves of Rohdea japonica turn yellow or the leaf edges curl, it may be caused by lack of water, or it may be caused by lack of light.

4. Timely prevention and control of diseases

1) Leaf spot disease: When leaf spot disease occurs, remove diseased and residual leaves in time. Both in the early and late stages of the disease, spray with 0.5%-1% Bordeaux mixture (or 50% carbendazim 1000-fold solution).

2) Anthracnose: The main cause of anthracnose is poor ventilation. The presence of scale insect damage favors the occurrence of the disease. Maintenance should be strengthened, and phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be applied more. In the early stage of the disease, spray with 0.3%-0.5% equal-amount Bordeaux mixture (or 60% zineb 800-900-fold solution, or 70% thiophanate 1500-fold solution).

3) Brown soft scale: If there are few affected plants or not many insects, generally use a bamboo strip or similar object to scrape off the insect bodies. During the nymph hatching period, spray with 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate 1000-fold solution (or 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate 1000-fold solution). You can also spray 5% phosmet emulsifiable concentrate 1000-fold solution to kill them.