How to propagate Cymbidium eburneum? Mastering these propagation key points is crucial
Cymbidium eburneum is an epiphytic plant. Because its flowers closely resemble two swallows in flight when blooming, it is also called "Double Flying Swallows" in Guangzhou. The flowering period of Cymbidium eburneum can last as long as one month, so it is loved by many flower enthusiasts.
Cymbidium eburneum
I. Division
This can be done in both spring and autumn, generally once every three years. Any plant with robust growth and densely clustered pseudobulbs can be divided; after division, each clump must retain at least 5 connected pseudobulbs. Before division, reduce watering to make the potting soil relatively dry. When repotting after division, first cover the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot with broken tile pieces, then spread coarse gravel to occupy 1/5 to 1/4 of the pot depth, then add coarse-grained soil and a small amount of fine soil, and finally plant in humus-rich sandy loam. The planting depth should be such that the pseudobulbs are just buried in the soil; leave a 2 cm rim at the edge of the pot, top with Selaginella uncinata or fine gravel, and finally water thoroughly. Place in a shaded area for 10-15 days, keep the soil moist, gradually reduce watering, and carry out normal maintenance.
II. Sowing
Cymbidium eburneum seeds are extremely fine, containing only one incompletely developed embryo, with very low germination capacity. In addition, the seed coat does not readily absorb water, so sowing by conventional methods will not germinate. Orchid mycorrhizal fungi or artificial culture media are needed to supply nutrients for germination to occur. For sowing, it is best to select fruit that has not yet split open. After sterilizing the surface with 75% alcohol, remove the seeds, soak them in 10% sodium hypochlorite for 5-10 minutes, remove and rinse 3 times with sterile water, then sow in culture bottles containing medium, and place in a dark culture room, maintaining a temperature of about 25C. After germination begins, move them into the light and protocorms will form. From sowing to transplanting takes half a year to one year. Tissue culture has already been successful, and this method can be used for propagation where conditions permit.
Cultivation habits and key growing points of Cymbidium hookerianum
Cymbidium hookerianum has a graceful posture and rich, gorgeous colors; it blooms easily, usually with two or three flower spikes per mother plant, like clustered brocade, enhancing each other's beauty, lively and bustling, and the flowering period is long-lasting, up to 1~2 months.Cymbidium hookerianum is produced in China's Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Tibet and other places, as well as Nepal, Bhutan, India and other places, which are the main distribution areas of this important original species. Hybridization of Cymbidium hookerianum began more than 100 years ago. The British horticulturist John Seden used the variety "Ivory White" of "Cymbidium eburneum," native to China and subtropical regions, to cross with "Cymbidium giganteum," breeding "Cymbidium eburneum-ivory," which pioneered the hybridization and breeding of Cymbidium hookerianum. To date, compared with the original species, hybridized and improved Cymbidium hookerianum has good commercial traits and blooms easily; the colors are brilliant and rich, including white, pink, red, purple, yellow, green and various transitional and compound colors. At present, hybrid varieties have reached several thousand, with new varieties emerging endlessly, and early-flowering strains, autumn-winter strains that can bloom from mid-autumn to winter, mid-flowering strains, winter-spring strains that bloom after Spring Festival, and late-flowering strains, late-spring flowering and many other types have already formed.
Ecological habits
Cymbidium hookerianum is an epiphytic orchid. The leaves are leathery, long like belts, extending upward and bending midway, with drooping leaf tips. Some leaves are only 1 cm wide, others reach 3 cm; leaf length is 50~100 cm, even more than 100 cm. Leaf color is affected by light, ranging from yellow-green to dark green. Pseudobulbs are either oval or flattened spherical. Leaf buds sprout from the base of the pseudobulbs and grow into new plants. One to three leaf buds can sprout at a time, and each formed pseudobulb will send out 1~4 flower buds. Cymbidium hookerianum has no aerial roots; new roots are thick and pure white, old roots are pale yellow, and broken roots can regenerate. Many new roots can be produced each year, and after years they turn tea-colored and break off naturally.
It prefers a warm and humid environment, but is not heat-tolerant. It likes shade, but needs sufficient scattered light. It likes fertilizer.
Key growing points
(1) Potting soil
Do not use garden soil for potting. Sphagnum moss, coconut coir, crushed tree fern, charcoal pieces, broken bricks, gravel, bark, peat, etc. can be selected; after cleaning, mix them according to the needs of different varieties into mixed growing media with different water-holding degrees, with a pH between 5.6~6. Pots should be narrow and deep with good aeration, preferably unglazed clay pots. Because the roots of most varieties need relatively high humidity, the pot walls should not have too many large holes.
(2) Watering
If planting newly cultivated small seedlings, since the growing medium is moist at planting time, spray water on the leaves several times after planting. Increase water quantity after 5 days; new roots begin to grow at 10 days; after about 2 weeks the leaf color turns dark green, indicating that the plant has established, but temperature and survival conditions still need to be checked frequently.
If transplanting large seedlings, immediately flush out mud, sand and impurities in the pot after planting, and water should quickly flow out from the drainage holes until the water runs clear. If drainage is poor, replant. One week after planting, only foliar misting can be done. After division, sufficient water is needed all year round. In winter and early spring, water once every morning; from early summer to late autumn, water once before 8 a.m. and once after 5 p.m. each day.
(3) Fertilizing
Cymbidium hookerianum likes fertilizer more than other Cymbidium orchids. The inorganic fertilizer used is mainly compound fertilizer, at a concentration of about 0.1%~0.2%, once a week, applied year-round. Organic fertilizer can be fermented oil cake mixed with bone meal or superphosphate, made into pills about 2 cm in diameter and placed on the pot surface, slowly releasing fertility as moisture permeates. Each pill is effective for 1 month, and seven or eight applications are made throughout the year. During the peak growth period, decomposed cake fertilizer should also be applied as a top dressing. In addition, potassium fertilizer should be applied in early summer, before Cymbidium hookerianum begins its 8-month flower-bud differentiation period.
(4) Light
The growth process of Cymbidium hookerianum requires sufficient scattered light. When light is insufficient, the pseudobulbs are thin and weak, making it difficult to send out flower buds. A 50% shade net can be placed over it, with sunlight duration of more than 6 hours; on cloudy days or in winter, open the shade net to receive direct light. However, orchid plants in the flowering period need weaker light; direct light will cause small flower buds to yellow and drop, and flowers produced under weak light have better color.
(5) Temperature
Cymbidium hookerianum prefers cool climatic conditions. It grows most vigorously at 15~25°C. However, one-year-old seedlings cannot overwinter outdoors below 5°C, and the maximum temperature they can tolerate in summer is 35°C.
Propagation
Cymbidium hookerianum is often propagated by division. The suitable time for division is after the plant blooms and before new shoots grow out. Before division, let the potting soil dry appropriately until the roots are slightly whitish and show inconspicuous shrinkage, so the roots are softer and less likely to break during operation. When dividing, first use the five fingers to firmly support the potting soil and plant, turn the pot upside down, then gently tap around the pot to separate the pot from the roots and potting soil. Be careful to hold the pseudobulbs without young shoots so as not to injure new shoots, and at the same time cut off withered yellow leaves, overly old pseudobulbs and rotten old roots. Finally, use a sharp knife to divide the overly connected pseudobulbs. Each divided orchid clump should carry 2~3 pseudobulbs, one of which must have been newly formed in the previous year. To avoid wound infection, sulfur powder or charcoal powder can be applied. Place in a dry place for 1~2 days, then pot separately to form new plants.
After division and planting, place in semi-shade and do not water immediately. If it becomes too dry, spray a small amount of water on the leaf surface and pot surface to prevent leaf withering, dropping and severe shrinkage of pseudobulbs.
What is the flower language of campanula?
Campanula, also used to refer to Campanula of the Campanulaceae family, contains about 100 species, mostly herbaceous, some woody shrubs, produced in warm regions, distributed and cultivated in Guangzhou, Guangdong.
Native to Mexico and Colombia. Cultivated in Jiangsu, Hubei, Fujian, Taiwan, China, and Yunnan. Because its flower shape closely resembles a bell, it is very popular among the public.
The plant is sturdy, with bell-shaped flowers resembling wind chimes, bright and elegantly simple in color, petals closed, orange-yellow, drooping; its branches are soft, green leaves dance, flowers shaped like wind chimes, brightly colored, swaying in the wind, beautiful and lovely. It is very popular in Europe and is a common herbaceous flower in small courtyards from late spring to early summer, often used to express healthy, gentle love.
Several species have 5 petals, with flowers from white to deep orange; flowers drooping, often cultivated for ornamental purposes. In China it is still in the introduction stage, but it can be seen in flower markets and artistic flower arrangements.
It likes a warm, humid and sunny environment, and also tolerates semi-shade. It is suitable for growing in sandy soil rich in humus, loose and breathable.
Campanula is mainly used as a potted flower, suitable for courtyard cultivation or as medium to large potted plants, arranged in living rooms, balconies and other places. It can also be used outdoors in flower borders. Campanula is suitable for arranging in small courtyards as flower bed and flower border material.
If campanula and ornamental sunflower are used as the main materials, paired with ivy, Lygodium japonicum, and Gypsophila in basket arrangement, it expresses a joyful atmosphere of vigorous vitality and prosperity. If purple campanula is used as the main flower, paired with white lily, delphinium, and asparagus fern for flower arrangement, it will appear serene and softly beautiful. Suitable as a flower hedge and for potted ornamental display.
Key growing points of campanula: the suitable growth temperature is generally about 5 to 20 degrees. Plant out from early to mid-September, with a bed planting width of 50 cm and a plant spacing of 25 cm in a single row. Or use 6-7 inch pots for pot cultivation and overwinter in a cold frame. Fertile neutral soil is best. Apply the three major elements appropriately when buds sprout the following spring. Apply complete compound fertilizer 3-5 times.
Sowing time for campanula: generally it can be sown all year round. The suitable germination temperature for campanula is 18-25°C. The seeds are very fine and can be sown in peat trays or pots. The soil covering the seed surface should be about 2-3 times the seed diameter.
After sowing, seedlings emerge in 10-20 days. When the true leaves unfold, thin the seedlings until they do not touch each other. Sunlight must be sufficient and the temperature not too high. Apply fertilizer 2-4 times as it grows. Prick out when there are 3-4 true leaves. For pot cultivation, repot once every spring, shorten the branches to promote side branches and make it bloom more.
It likes a warm, humid and sunny environment, and also tolerates semi-shade. It is suitable for growing in sandy soil rich in humus, loose and breathable.
Key growing points: suitable growth temperature: 5-20°C. Plant out from early to mid-September, with a bed planting width of 50 cm and a plant spacing of 25 cm in a single row. Or use 6-7 inch pots for pot cultivation and overwinter in a cold frame. Fertile neutral soil is best. Apply the three major elements appropriately when buds sprout the following spring. Apply complete compound fertilizer 3-5 times.
During the growing period, keep the potting soil moist and apply a decomposed dilute liquid fertilizer once a month. For potted plants, repot once every spring and shorten all branches to promote side branches and make them bloom more. Propagation can be done by cuttings or air layering, mostly in spring and autumn.
Flower language
Commemorates St. Paulinus, Archbishop of Nola in 5th-century Italy, whose artistic talent created many beautiful poems for people. Therefore, the flower language of this flower is creativity.
Those born under the blessing of this flower inherently possess outstanding creativity, and therefore have an attractive artistic temperament. They are independent and self-reliant, and do not like depending on others.
Blessings from afar
Gratitude: If you like this flower, you are a person who knows how to repay kindness; the favors others give you will be remembered in your heart.
Gentle love
Jealousy: The campanula that appears in Greek mythology was loved by the sun god Apollo. The jealous west wind threw a disc at the head of the campanula, and the blood that flowed out splashed on the ground, and from it bloomed the campanula flower.
Therefore, its flower language is jealousy. Anyone born under the blessing of this flower has a relatively strong desire for exclusivity, hoping that their lover belongs to them twenty-four hours a day. However, this mostly produces the opposite effect!