What kind of succulent plant is Rhodiola quadrifida?

Rhodiola quadrifida is a plant in the genus Rhodiola of the family Crassulaceae. It is distributed in Russia, India, Nepal, Sikkim, Pakistan, Mongolia, and in China's Tibet, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and other places, growing in areas at altitudes of 2,900 m to 5,100 m, mostly in ditch banks or rock crevices on mountain slopes. The roots and flowers of Rhodiola quadrifida can be used to clear heat and reduce fever, and to benefit the lungs.

Rhodiola quadrifida

Perennial herb, the main root up to 18 cm long. Root crown 1-3 cm in diameter, branched, dark brown, the tip covered with scales; old stems persistent, often more than 100. Flowering stems slender, 0.5-1 mm in diameter, 4-10 (-15) cm tall, straw-colored, upright, densely leafy. Leaves alternate, sessile, linear, 4-8 (-12) mm long, 1 mm wide. Inflorescence few-flowered, 1.2-1.5 cm wide, pedicels as long as the flowers or shorter; sepals 4, linear-lanceolate, 3 mm long, 0.7 mm wide, obtuse; petals 4, purplish red, oblong-obovate, 4 mm long, 1 mm wide, obtuse; stamens 8, as long as the petals or slightly longer, filaments and anthers yellow; scales 4, nearly rectangular, 1.5-1.8 mm long, 0.7 mm wide. Follicles 4, lanceolate, 3-5 mm long, upright, with a short beak recurved at the tip, dark red when mature; seeds oblong, brown, winged. Flowering period May-June, fruiting period July-August.

Rhodiola quadrifida

Cutting propagation: In order to expand the propagation coefficient and increase the number of female plants, Rhodiola can be propagated not only by dividing the rhizomes, but also by taking cuttings from the above-ground flowering stems. Here is a brief introduction to the specific conditions required and the method.

Cutting bed: For small-scale cuttings, cut off robust flowering stems without flower buds, and use a sharp blade to cut the base of the flowering stem into a 45-degree slant. The cuttings are 5-7 cm long. To promote rooting of the cuttings, before inserting them, soak the cuttings in naphthaleneacetic acid at a mass fraction of (10-20) x 10-6 or in indolebutyric acid at a mass fraction of 50 x 10-6 for 5-8 minutes. After taking them out, let them dry slightly to remove surface moisture, and then they can be inserted.

Rhodiola quadrifida

Cuttings and management: The cutting time is mostly from mid-May to early June. Before inserting the cuttings, first level the bed surface, use a small wooden stick or tree branch slightly thicker than the cutting, 3 cm, then place the treated cuttings into the holes, and then water thoroughly with a fine-hole watering can, so that the cuttings come into close contact with the substrate. Then cover the plastic sheeting on top of the arched shed, and press firmly the lower part of the plastic sheeting where it meets the bed surface, so as to help keep the shed warm and moist.

After cutting, keep the temperature inside the bed at 17-20°C and the humidity above 85%. When the sunlight is too strong at noon, properly cover the plastic sheeting with grass for shade, and water the bed surface 2-3 times a day to keep the bed soil moist. Rooting begins 20-30 days after cutting. When the new roots are 3-4 cm long, gently dig out the cuttings, first move them into a flower bed or nursery bed, and after the root system has fully formed, transplant them into the field. This method is not very suitable for large-scale cultivation; the cuttings root relatively slowly, and after transplanting the above-ground part also grows slowly, the root system is relatively small, and some plants are affected in overwintering because the new rhizomes have not fully formed.