A Detailed Guide to Grafting Propagation of the Honghua Yangtijia (Bauhinia × blakeana)

The flower shape of the Honghua Yangtijia (Bauhinia × blakeana) closely resembles a butterfly, and it is also the city flower of Hong Kong, China, known as the "Zijing Flower" (Redbud). Since the Honghua Yangtijia does not easily produce seeds, asexual propagation is mostly used for reproduction. The most commonly used propagation method is grafting, so how should grafting propagation of the Honghua Yangtijia be carried out?

Zijing Flower

Propagation of the Honghua Yangtijia generally uses the grafting method, with Bauhinia purpurea (Yangtijia) as the rootstock and the Honghua Yangtijia as the scion for grafting; for air layering, the Honghua Yangtijia is used as the mother plant for "ring grafting," but mass propagation is limited.

The Honghua Yangtijia is mainly propagated for pot cultivation by cuttings. Around Qingming Festival each year, branches of the Honghua Yangtijia are cut into cuttings about 20 cm long for rooting, and the substrate is sterilized half a month before cutting. Shade with rice straw, water frequently, and strengthen management; in about a little over a month, new buds sprout and the cuttings survive.

In May, transplant into pots, first place in a shady spot, then gradually move to a sunny location for normal cultivation. Apply compound fertilizer. According to the different growth conditions of the potted plants, carry out tip pruning and dwarfing treatment to prevent leggy growth, promote the sprouting of side branches, and do a good job of shaping and pruning to keep the crown shape beautiful and attractive.

In August and September, water and fertilizer should be controlled to harden the seedlings, making the branches short and the leaves small, which is beneficial for flower bud differentiation. After October, pruning must not be done, otherwise flowering will be affected. In November, potted Honghua Yangtijia bloom one after another, with a flowering period lasting as long as three months.

Cultivation Methods and Propagation Methods of the Honghua Yangtijia

The Honghua Yangtijia is a beautiful ornamental plant, with large, brightly colored flowers and a fragrant scent, offering a good ornamental effect, and it is widely cultivated around the world. So how do you cultivate the Honghua Yangtijia? What are the propagation methods? Let's find out together.

I. Cultivation Methods of the Honghua Yangtijia

The Honghua Yangtijia prefers a warm and humid climate and likes sunlight, growing well in well-drained acidic sandy loam. The Honghua Yangtijia is very popular in the Lingnan region. Cultivation of the Honghua Yangtijia generally uses the grafting method, with Bauhinia purpurea (Yangtijia) as the rootstock and the Honghua Yangtijia as the scion for grafting; for air layering, the Honghua Yangtijia is used as the mother plant for "ring grafting," but mass cultivation is limited.

Mainly, cuttings are still used for pot cultivation. Around Qingming Festival each year, branches of the Honghua Yangtijia are cut into cuttings about 20 cm long for rooting, and the substrate is sterilized half a month before cutting. Shade with rice straw, water frequently, and strengthen management; in about a little over a month, new buds sprout and the cuttings survive. In May, transplant into pots, first place in a shady spot, then gradually move to a sunny location for normal cultivation. Apply compound fertilizer. According to the different growth conditions of the potted plants, carry out tip pruning and dwarfing treatment to prevent leggy growth, promote the sprouting of side branches, and do a good job of shaping and pruning to keep the crown shape beautiful and attractive.

In August and September, water and fertilizer should be controlled to harden the seedlings, making the branches short and the leaves small, which is beneficial for flower bud differentiation. After October, pruning must not be done, otherwise flowering will be affected. In November, potted Honghua Yangtijia bloom one after another, with a flowering period lasting as long as three months. The wood of the Honghua Yangtijia can be used for farming tools, the leaves can be used as feed, and the flower buds are edible; the bark also has medicinal value, serving as a wash for burns and purulent sores, but the underground root bark is highly toxic.

II. Propagation Methods of the Honghua Yangtijia

1. Cutting propagation: Between March and April, select robust one-year-old branches and cut them into 10 cm-12 cm lengths with 3-4 nodes. Remove the lower leaves of the cuttings, leaving only the top two leaves, and insert them into a sand bed. After inserting, spray water promptly and cover with plastic film. At a temperature of 18°C to 25°C, callus tissue can grow in about 10 days, and in about 50 days they can take root and sprout. After about 1 year of survival, the seedlings can reach about 1 m, and in the following spring they are transplanted to the nursery for cultivation.

2. Grafting propagation: Use Bauhinia ampla, Bauhinia acuminata, Bauhinia viridescens var. hainanensis, etc. as rootstocks for high-bud grafting. The grafting period is from April to May in spring or from August to September in autumn, before the seedlings sprout new buds.

The above isCultivation Methods of the Honghua YangtijiaandPropagation Methods of the Honghua Yangtijia. Friends who want to cultivate the Honghua Yangtijia may wish to learn about it, and we hope it is helpful to everyone.

Cultivation Methods of Yangtijia and the Differences Between Yangtijia and Yangzijing

Yangtijia flowers are bisexual, rarely unisexual, forming racemes, corymbs, or panicles. Yangtijia, also known as Lingjia Flower, is divided into Yangzijing, Honghua Yangtijia, Gongfen Yangtijia, and Baihua Yangtijia. Next, Xiao Qi will share the cultivation methods of Yangtijia and the differences between Yangtijia and Yangzijing.

I. Cultivation Methods of Yangtijia

The Yangtijia tree likes sunlight and a warm, greenhouse environment, and is not cold-tolerant. As for soil, it requires fertile and well-drained sandy soil. The Yangtijia tree has a very strong natural regeneration ability and can self-sow and propagate. In various parts of South China, it can be cultivated in the open field. When seedlings are young, promptly move them into nutrient bags, or plant them at a certain spacing, which can increase the survival rate of the Yangtijia tree.

The cultivation and transplanting time of the Yangtijia tree is also very particular, and it is best carried out in early spring from February to March. In the central and northern parts of China, pot cultivation is suitable in greenhouses. In spring and summer, the Yangtijia tree should be given sufficient water, and the humidity should also be high, so that the Yangtijia tree can survive better. But during high summer temperatures, avoid direct sunlight; in winter, it should be kept slightly dry. The Yangtijia tree needs fertilization during its growth period; liquid fertilizer is best, just 1-2 times. The minimum winter temperature needs to be kept above 5°C.

After planting the Yangtijia tree, do not forget to take care of it. Although the Yangtijia tree requires extensive management, if you want a beautiful tree shape, you still need to manage it regularly. If the Yangtijia tree grows crooked, stakes should be set up promptly to straighten it, and during the young tree stage, pruning and shaping should be done. Seeds often do not develop, so propagation should mostly use cuttings, layering, or grafting, with cuttings done in summer and autumn. When there are pests, spray insecticide in appropriate amounts.

II. Differences Between Yangtijia and Yangzijing

Zijing Flower is also called Honghua Zijing, Yangzijing, or Honghua Yangtijia. It is an evergreen medium-sized tree of the Fabaceae (Caesalpiniaceae) family. Its leaves are round, broadly ovate, or kidney-shaped, but the tip is split into two halves, resembling a sheep's hoof, hence the name. The flowering period is between winter and spring, with flowers as large as a palm, slightly fragrant, and five petals evenly arranged in a whorl, red or pink, very beautiful. The Zijing Flower is evergreen and lush all year round, quite tolerant of smoke and dust, and especially suitable as a street tree; the bark contains tannins and can be used as tanning material and dye; the roots, bark, and flowers can also be used medicinally.

Zijing Flower picture

The best general name for the Yangtijia tree flower is Jing Flower. The Gongfen Yangtijia tree flower is not the city flower of Hong Kong, China - Yangzijing. The correct information is that they all belong to the genus Bauhinia. There are many varieties of plants in the genus Bauhinia, and the leaf tip of all varieties is split into two, with leaf veins on the underside of the leaf, and the leaf is broadly heart-shaped or round, closely resembling a sheep's hoof. The Yangtijia flower is not spiral-shaped, while the Zijing flower is slightly spiral-shaped.

Honghua Yangtijia picture

The flower color of Yangzijing is the most brilliant, with five petals in deep purple-red, five stamens, and a flowering period from November to March of the following year; the Honghua Yangtijia has five light pink petals, with more wrinkles at the petal tips, three to four stamens, and a flowering period from September to November; the Gongfen Yangtijia has five pink petals, one of which has deep red stripes, and a flowering period from March to May; the Baihua Yangtijia has five white petals, one of which has yellow-green stripes, five stamens, and a flowering period from March to May.

The above isCultivation Methods of YangtijiaandDifferences Between Yangtijia and Yangzijingintroduced, and we hope it is helpful to everyone.