How to Grow Yulan Magnolia (Xinyi)? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Planting Methods

Xinyi belongs to the Magnoliaceae family. It is a commonly used Chinese medicinal herb, and some people also call it Wangchunhua (spring-welcoming flower). It is mainly used to treat headaches, nasal congestion, rhinitis and other symptoms, and can also dispel wind and disperse cold and soothe the lungs. At present, it is mostly found in Sichuan, Hubei, Henan, Hebei and other places in China. Its main medicinal value lies in its flower buds, so how exactly should Xinyi be planted? Let us take a look together below.

1. Planting Environment

Xinyi likes to grow in a warm, moist environment with plenty of sunlight. It has a certain ability to resist cold and drought, is not tolerant of waterlogging, and is suitable for planting in slightly acidic soil. The planting site is generally low, gentle mountain land with sufficient water sources, sandy soil, loose and fertile, with good drainage and irrigation. Deeply plow at least 30 cm, spread base fertilizer well, prepare the beds properly, and the bed surface should be level, with a bed width of about 1.5 to 2 m, with the furrows interconnected, and then you can wait to plant.

2. Planting Methods

There are many planting methods for Xinyi. At present, the four most commonly used methods are seed sowing, grafting, layering and cuttings. Layering is divided into high layering and low layering. Seed sowing is generally carried out around September each autumn. Before sowing, the seeds need to be treated, and sowing can also be chosen in spring. Grafting is generally carried out around May, which greatly increases the survival rate of the plants. Layering begins around February each year, while cuttings are carried out after rain in summer or autumn, as this gives a higher survival rate.

3. Cultivation Management

In the first one to two years of planting Xinyi, in order to make full use of land resources, other crops are generally intercropped in the field, such as beans, herbaceous medicinal materials, short-stemmed plants and so on. This not only brings higher economic benefits, but also improves soil fertility. In the years after planting, two or more rounds of intertillage and weeding are generally needed, respectively in summer and autumn. At the same time, appropriate topdressing is also needed. In spring, ammonium fertilizer is mainly used, while in winter, compost is mainly used.

4. Dwarfing Xinyi

In order to make the flower buds of Xinyi more abundant and to make harvesting easier for us, we generally adopt the methods of pruning and shaping and dwarfing the trunk. When Xinyi grows to about 1.5 m, we need to pinch off the top to promote the growth of branches, and mainly use pruning techniques to avoid overlapping growth so that sunlight can be fully utilized. At the same time, the growth of the main trunk also needs to be controlled to achieve the purpose of dwarfing.

5. Pest and Disease Control

The peak period for Xinyi diseases is between April and June each year, among which the most important disease is damping-off. We need to do a good job of prevention, avoid waterlogging in the field, treat the seeds with chemicals before sowing to enhance the resistance of the plants, and finally apply chemicals promptly for control after the disease occurs. The main pests are underground pests such as mole crickets, golden chafer beetles and cutworms, which can be killed with trichlorfon.

Xinyi is not commonly seen in many places, so many people are also often unclear about the planting techniques for Xinyi. We believe that by reading the above, everyone has gained a certain understanding of Xinyi's growing environment, planting methods and management, and other aspects. If you encounter any other problems during the planting process later, remember to contact the editor.