How to grow Chinese fringetree (Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum)? A detailed guide to care and management

The care and management of Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum bonsai is more meticulous than that of potted flowers. Because there is little soil and thin fertilizer, it is easily affected by the outside environment and attacked by pests and diseases, and the growth must also be controlled to maintain a certain shape. So in addition to doing a good job of watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil, weeding, repotting and pest and disease control, more effort must also be put into shaping and pruning, so that the Loropetalum stump bonsai maintains a beautiful artistic image.

1. Watering:After the Loropetalum bonsai is potted or repotted, water until it flows out from the bottom of the pot, and also spray more water on the stump, branches and leaves; on the second day after fertilizing, water thoroughly once. Loropetalum bonsai in shallow or small pots should be watered frequently; for large or deep pots, master the rule of not watering until the soil is dry. In general, take care not to make the potting soil too wet or too dry. Usually, the amount of watering and spraying during the growing season is greatest in summer; winter is the dormant period for Loropetalum, so water less, but do not let the potting soil become too dry. When it is windy or the weather is too dry, spray more water on the trunk, branches and leaves.

2. Fertilizing:For Loropetalum bonsai, you can use 7 parts cake fertilizer (bean cake, peanut cake, rapeseed cake, etc.), 2 parts chicken manure and 1 part bone meal, add 10 times the amount of water, put it in a jar and seal it. After complete fermentation, add another 10 times the amount of water to dilute it and apply it; or use various kitchen scraps (eggshells, fish heads, chicken heads, crushed bones, intestines and stomach, fish scales, blood water, rice-washing water, etc.), put them in a jar, seal and ferment, then take the upper layer of fertilizer water and add 4-5 times the amount of water to dilute it and apply. Fertilizing should be done on cloudy days or in the evening on sunny days. Generally, apply once every 15 days during the growing season; apply less or not at all during the dormant period; apply 1-2 times before sprouting in spring; fertilizing can only be done 3 months after potting or repotting. When fertilizing, if the liquid fertilizer touches the leaves and tender buds, spray with clean water to avoid affecting the growth of the leaves and tender buds. Loropetalum is an acid-loving plant, so 1% ferrous sulfate (500 g added to 50 kg of water) should be added to the fermented fertilizer water for application, or a 0.2%-0.3% ferrous sulfate solution can be sprayed on the leaves, 3-5 times a year. When Loropetalum sprouts, spray 1-2 times with a 0.1% urea solution; before and after flowering, spray once each with a 0.1%-0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, etc.

3. Pruning:After the Loropetalum bonsai has taken shape, methods such as pinching the growing tips, removing leaves, removing buds and pruning branches should also be used to keep it in a beautiful shape. Proper density of branches and leaves can improve ventilation and light transmission, reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases, and prevent the lower branches and leaves from dying.

4. Repotting:There is little soil in the pot, and nutrients are also limited. After several years, the soil quality will become hard, affecting air permeability and drainage. In addition, the pot is densely filled with old roots, which affects the germination and growth of new roots, significantly weakens the absorption capacity, and prevents the branches and leaves from growing normally. Therefore, repotting and changing the soil should be done regularly. Generally, small bonsai should be repotted about once every 2 years, medium bonsai about once every 3 years, and large bonsai about once every 4 years. Some time before repotting, watering and fertilizing should be stopped. After the potting soil dries, take the Loropetalum out of the pot with the soil, remove half or 2/3 of the old soil, and cut off rotten roots, dead roots and some old roots; place broken pot pieces or tiles over the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot, then place a layer of coarse-grained soil at the bottom of the pot, then plant the Loropetalum back into the pot (be careful to maintain its original posture and shape), fill new soil (that is, leaf mold) around it, press it firm and water thoroughly once, then keep to the rule of not watering until the soil is dry, provide shade and spray more water on the trunk, branches and leaves, and after one month resume normal care.

5. Shading:Loropetalum bonsai has little soil and shallow roots, so exposure to the scorching sun can easily make the soil dry and hard, and tender buds, tender shoots and tender leaves can be sunburned or killed, affecting its ornamental value. Therefore, shading is necessary in summer. Set up a shade shed or place it indoors, under the eaves, in tree shade, or in other places without direct sunlight.

6. Cold protection:Loropetalum bonsai has little soil, shallow roots and relatively poor cold resistance, and is easily frozen, dried up and even killed. Therefore, in winter it should not overwinter outdoors. It should be placed indoors, with attention to ventilation, and the room temperature should be kept above 5 degrees; when the room temperature exceeds 25 degrees, windows can be opened to avoid leggy growth caused by high temperatures; when the room temperature is below 5 degrees, a plastic bag can be placed over it for insulation (when the room temperature is above 5 degrees, the plastic bag should be removed immediately); when the room temperature is below 0 degrees, warming methods such as raising the temperature with hot water should be used to protect the Loropetalum bonsai through the winter safely.

7. Pest and disease control:Attention should be paid to pest and disease control for Loropetalum bonsai. Because there is little soil, its growth is relatively weak, and it is susceptible to pests and diseases, which damage its normal physiological functions, thereby harming local branches and leaves, affecting its ornamental value, and even causing the plant to die.

（1）Pest and disease control: The main diseases of Loropetalum bonsai are: root rot, which can be treated by drenching the roots with a 1000-fold dilution of 12% copper abietate emulsifiable concentrate; sooty mold, which can be treated by spraying with 0.3-0.5 degree Baume lime sulfur mixture; chlorosis, which can be treated by spraying with a 0.1%-0.2% ferrous sulfate solution; powdery mildew, leaf spot disease, etc., which can be prevented and treated by spraying with thiophanate-methyl, carbendazim, etc.

（2）Pest control: The main pests of Loropetalum bonsai include red spider mites, aphids, inchworms, etc. They should be caught promptly or killed with pesticides such as fenvalerate, trichlorfon, dicofol, etc.