What are the latest cultivation methods and precautions for the Peace Tree?

The Peace Tree is an elegant name for Cinnamomum kotoense. It can emit a fragrance that corrects odors and purifies the air. People in the flower planting and business industries gave it an auspicious name, “Peace Tree”. The Peace Tree symbolizes good fortune, signifying peace and wishes fulfilled, and a happy life. Below, the editor will give you a detailed introduction to the cultivation methods and precautions for the Peace Tree.

Cultivation Methods for the Peace Tree

1. Temperature. The suitable growth temperature for the Peace Tree is 20°C to 30°C. Young trees are not tolerant of low temperatures. If they encounter more than 5 days of frost, plants maintained or cultivated in the open ground are prone to bark frost cracking, withered branches and leaves, and may even die entirely from freezing. Whether it is a small number of household potted plants or large-scale commercial cultivation, in winter the greenhouse temperature should be maintained at no lower than 5°C so that the leaves can always maintain their beautiful green appearance. Larger plants can endure short periods of low temperatures around 0°C in a greenhouse without cold wind. For potted plants in the Yangtze River basin, it is advisable to move them into a greenhouse before the arrival of Frost's Descent, and move them out after Qingming the following year, taking care to prevent cold damage that may be caused by late frost or a late spring cold snap. In midsummer, after the temperature exceeds 32°C, shade nets should be set up and water should be sprayed on the leaves to increase humidity and lower temperature, so that they can maintain vigorous growth.

2. Light. The Peace Tree needs relatively good light, but it is also fairly shade-tolerant. Its light requirements change with age: young trees are shade-tolerant, and 3-year-old to 5-year-old plants grow taller quickly under shaded conditions, while 6-year-old to 10-year-old plants require relatively sufficient light. After potted plants enter summer, they can be moved under tree shade or under a shade frame with 40% to 50% shading, where growth will be relatively ideal. If the light is too strong, it easily causes the leaves to turn yellow and lose their vitality, reducing their ornamental value. Especially for potted plants that have been displayed indoors for a relatively long time, when they are moved outdoors in summer for restorative care, one must be very careful and should first place them in an environment with 40% to 50% shading for care. Do not rush, otherwise it is very easy to cause leaf scorch. In addition, in late spring and early summer, when encountering weather with a big sun after a long period of rain, shading work should also be done in time, otherwise it will likewise cause leaf scorch, and it will be very difficult to restore the spirit of lush green leaves in a short time.

3. Moisture. The Peace Tree requires an environment with moist potting soil. For this reason, potted plants should always keep the potting soil moist, but there must be no water accumulation, and the relative humidity of the environment is best maintained above 80%. In the high-temperature summer season or in autumn when the air is relatively dry, including during the period when placed indoors in winter, water should often be sprayed on the leaves and the surrounding environment to create a relatively humid local micro-environment for it and promote robust growth. After autumn begins, watering should be controlled; in winter, more water should be sprayed and less watering should be done. If there is water accumulation in the potting soil, it easily leads to plant yellowing, and after the lower leaves turn yellow they fall off; in severe cases it can cause root rot and plant death. Special attention should be paid during the plum rain season.

4. Soil. For potted or bag-cultivated Peace Trees, it is advisable to use loose, breathable, well-drained, fertile acidic culture soil or leaf mold rich in organic matter. If the potting soil is compacted or the pH value is above 7.5, it will also cause plant leaves to turn yellow, seriously poor growth, and reduced sprouting ability, and will affect sprout renewal and even shorten its cultivation lifespan. For this reason, small plants should be repotted once a year, large plants can have their soil changed once every 2 years, and during the growing season the soil should be loosened once a month. Especially after heavy rain, flower pots should be checked in time; if water accumulation is found in the pot, it should be poured out as soon as possible and the loose potting soil should be replaced. For potted plants, the annual repotting and soil-changing time is best arranged after they are moved out in spring and before sprouting.

5. Fertilizer. Peace Tree plants are full and have large leaves and relatively vigorous growth, so their fertilizer requirement is also relatively large. In addition to requiring fertile culture soil, potted Peace Trees from mid-spring to early autumn can be given a topdressing once a month of dilute cake fertilizer water or alum fertilizer water, etc. After autumn begins, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be applied continuously 2 times, such as a 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, so as to increase the plant's cold resistance, promote early lignification of tender shoots, and enable it to pass the winter safely. In winter, all forms of topdressing should be stopped to prevent fertilizer damage to the roots, which could cause leaves to turn yellow or scorch and fall off; otherwise it will be very difficult to restore the plant's original appearance.

6. Disease control

① Anthracnose: mainly harms leaves at the seedling stage and in mature plants. When leaves are infected, it mostly occurs on the leaf surface, leaf tip, and leaf margin, appearing brown and irregular in shape, later often expanding or merging into large grayish-brown spots with brown, wavy edges. On the spots there are many small black grains, which are its acervuli. Conidia spread by wind and rain, and when humidity is high the spores germinate and invade leaves or seedlings to cause damage. It is prone to occur during continuous rainy weather, insufficient sunlight, heavy clay soil, or when moisture stagnates in greenhouses, and it is most prevalent from February to April. Control methods: when a small number of diseased leaves are found, remove and destroy them in time; during the growing season, apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to improve plant resistance; in the early stage of the disease, alternately spray with 25% carbendazim? wettable powder 500 times solution, or 60% carbendazim wettable powder 700 times solution, or 75% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 600 times solution, once every 10 days to 15 days, for 3 to 4 consecutive times.

② Brown spot disease: occurs on new leaves of plants from April to May. At first, oval yellowish-brown spots appear on the leaf surface, then they continuously expand, and more small black grains appear within the spots on the front of the leaves. The back of the spots is purple, so that the entire leaf turns yellow and wilts, causing the plant to shed many leaves. Control methods: 1% Bordeaux mixture can be used for prevention; when a small number of diseased leaves appear, remove and burn them in time; in the early stage of the disease, use 50% carbendazim wettable powder 500 times solution, or 50% benomyl wettable powder 1000 times solution, or 50% Shajunwang aqueous solution 1000 times solution, alternately spraying once every 10 days, for 3 to 4 consecutive times.

③ Brown root rot: the leaves of diseased trees gradually turn yellow and droop, and in severe cases turn brown and dry up, the stems lose water and shrink, the root system turns brown and rots, and the diseased plant dies within a short period. Diseased roots, diseased soil, and remaining diseased plant residues are the primary infection sources of this disease. It is transmitted by wind and rain or contact, and generally occurs in single plants. Control methods: for severely diseased plants and plants that have died from the disease, pull them out by the root and burn them, and disinfect with 50% carbendazim wettable powder 600 times solution; in the early stage of the disease, spray 50% thiophanate-methyl? sulfur suspension concentrate 800 times solution, or 50% root rot spirit wettable powder 800 times solution, for control.

7. Pest control

① Leaf roller: mostly occurs in summer and autumn. It rolls several new leaves into a nest, and the larvae hide inside and feed on the leaves. It can be sprayed and killed with 90% trichlorfon crystal 800 times solution, or 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate 1000 times solution.

② Aphids: aphids are prone to occur on the tender leaves and new buds of the Peace Tree, piercing and sucking to cause damage, causing the leaves to become covered with grease and then inducing sooty mold, affecting plant growth and display ornamental value. Control methods: after spreading plant ash on the plant, rinse it clean with clear water; spraying chinaberry leaf juice can effectively kill insects; spray and kill with 10% imidacloprid wettable powder 2000 times solution.