A detailed guide to Bletilla striata cultivation techniques, teaching you to grow this fine hemostatic herb well
Do you know the cultivation techniques for the hemostatic herb Bletilla striata?
Bletilla striata, also known as Lianjicao, Gangen, Baigei, Ruolan, Zhulan, Zilan, Zihui, and Baili. It is a perennial herbaceous bulbous plant (tuberous root), with plants 18-60 cm tall. It is mainly distributed in China, Japan, and northern Myanmar. Its main flowering period is in spring, but depending on local climate differences, it may bloom from late winter to early summer.
Bletilla striata has broad medicinal value and garden value. It is mainly used to astringe and stop bleeding, reduce swelling, and promote tissue regeneration. The flowers come in colors such as purple-red, white, blue, yellow, and pink. It can be grown in pots for indoor viewing, and can also be used as a accent in relatively shady flower platforms, flower borders, or a corner of a courtyard.
The growing environment for Bletilla striata must be warm, shady, and humid, such as under forest in wild valleys. It is slightly cold-tolerant and can be cultivated outdoors in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It has strong shade tolerance and avoids direct strong light; in summer, during high temperatures and drought, the leaves easily turn yellow and wither. It is suitable for sandy loam with good drainage and rich in humus.
Introduction to Bletilla striata cultivation techniques
1. Site selection and land preparation
Choose loose, fertile sandy loam and humus loam, in a warm, slightly shady and humid environment; it is not cold-tolerant. When planting on well-drained mountainous land, it is best to choose a shady slope of virgin wasteland for planting. Plow the soil more than 20 cm deep, apply barnyard manure and compost; apply 1000 kg of farmyard manure per mu. If there is no farmyard manure, you can broadcast 50 kg of ternary compound fertilizer, or apply 100 kg of organic fertilizer. Then plow again to mix the soil and fertilizer evenly. Before planting, shallow-plow once, break the soil up finely, rake it level, and make high beds 130--150 cm wide.
2. Propagation methods ⟧11⟧Bletilla striata is relatively difficult to grow from seed, but easier to propagate by dividing tubers. From early September to early November, dig out the Bletilla striata, select medium-sized tubers with many buds and no disease, each with 1-2 buds, dip them in plant ash, and then plant them. Open furrows 20-25 cm apart and 5-6 cm deep, place one tuber every 10-12 cm in row spacing, with the buds facing upward, cover with soil, press firm, water, and cover with grass, keeping it moist regularly; seedlings emerge in March-April. Use 100 kg of planting stock per mu.
Growing Bletilla striata from seed is relatively difficult, while propagating it by dividing the tubers is relatively easy. From early September to November, dig up the Bletilla striata tubers and select medium-sized, disease-free tubers with many buds, each piece bearing 1 to 2 buds, dip them in plant ash, and then plant them. Open furrows 20 to 25 cm apart and 5 to 6 cm deep, place one tuber every 10 to 12 cm along the row with the buds facing upward, cover with soil, firm it down, water, and mulch with grass, keeping it constantly moist; shoots emerge in March to April. Use 100 kg of planting stock per mu.
3. Pest and disease control
1. Root rot: In the south, it mostly occurs in the rainy seasons of spring and summer. Control method: pay attention to drainage and waterproofing, and dig drainage ditches deeply.
2. Cutworms and wireworms: manual capture and trapping, or mixing poisonous soil, can be used; apply Dichongjue into the seedbed. Irrigate the seedbed with 50% zinc phoxim emulsifiable concentrate at 700 times dilution.
Bletilla striatais a flowering ornamental plant. Its flowers come in colors such as purple-red, white, blue, yellow, and pink. It can be used to arrange flower beds, is often planted in clusters under sparse forest or in gaps at the forest edge, and is suitable for clustered planting along flower paths and beside rocks, as well as potted indoor viewing. It can also be used as a accent in relatively shady flower platforms, flower borders, or a corner of a courtyard. Bletilla striata is not only an ornamental plant, but also has particularly high medicinal value. For an introduction to the medicinal value of Bletilla striata, please refer to"The Efficacy and Effects of the Hemostatic Medicine Bletilla striata"article.
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The efficacy and effects of the hemostatic herb Bletilla striata
Methods for identifying true and false Chinese medicinal Bletilla striata