How to propagate Anisodontea capensis? A comprehensive analysis of common propagation methods

Anisodontea capensis

When Anisodontea capensis reaches its flowering season, it shows people flower branches swaying in the wind, a light and graceful posture, and bright and gorgeous flower colors. Most importantly, its flowering period is relatively long, allowing more flower viewers to see its most beautiful side. In recent years, it has entered thousands of households and become the best choice for indoor potted plants. Now that spring is approaching, do flower lovers know the propagation methods of Anisodontea capensis?

1. One propagation method of Anisodontea capensis: sowing

1. Sowing time

For the sowing time of Anisodontea capensis, generally speaking, spring is the time for sowing, but the author has also seen flower lovers sowing in June and September, and they all bloomed as well, so here it can be boldly suggested to flower lovers that, first, flower lovers are not doing commercial propagation, and second, the ability to control temperature is now very good, so the sowing time can be appropriately relaxed.

2. Sowing sequence

Next is the germination time of Anisodontea capensis. Generally speaking, after sowing, it will gradually germinate after two weeks, but it is also possible that due to different sowing times and different temperatures, the germination time may be earlier or later, so you can wait patiently.

Now let's talk about the specific sowing method. In fact, it is very simple. Just treat it the same as conventional sowing. For the sowing soil, it is best to choose peat, or other more professional sowing media, which will relatively have a higher germination rate. However, if there is really none, you can also relax a little and use conventional sowing media.

After sowing, cover with soil appropriately, then water thoroughly, and that's it. Some flower lovers ask how thick the soil cover should be; about 1 cm is enough. When watering, be careful not to wash away the covering soil. If flower lovers sow in early spring when the temperature is relatively low, then film covering is needed. If it is summer or autumn when the temperature is relatively high, film covering can also be used, but it is best to make a few holes. The benefit of film covering is that it can retain moisture, and higher temperature helps germination.

Anisodontea capensis

2. One propagation method of Anisodontea capensis: cuttings

1. Seedbed cuttings

Choose vigorous 1-2 year old branches that have not yet sprouted. If the hibiscus branches have sprouted and grown leaves at the time of cutting, the newly grown leaves should be removed. Cut them into small sections 15-20 cm long. When cutting, prepare a small stick, insert small holes in the seedbed according to plant and row spacing, then insert the hibiscus branches, compact the soil, with the buried depth of the small sections being 10-20 cm, that is, the buried depth should preferably reach 2/3 of the cutting. Water thoroughly immediately after insertion. No base fertilizer needs to be applied when cutting.

2. Softwood cuttings

The most suitable time for softwood cuttings should be June to July, during the plant's vigorous growth period. Select healthy mother plants free of pests and diseases, and cut vigorous, well-developed, pest- and disease-free one-year-old branches from the outer part of the plant as cuttings. Using different growth positions or different branch sections of the same branch as cuttings will produce certain differences in rooting rate and rooting quality. Generally speaking, sprouting branches from the base of the mother plant are easier to survive and have better rooting quality than upper branches, and the upper branch sections of the same branch root better than the lower branch sections. Cuttings need to be inserted immediately after cutting to prevent water loss and wilting. When preparing cuttings, the branches should be cut into small sections 10-15 cm long, each cutting retaining 2 plump buds and two small leaves, with the lower cut made into a horseshoe shape, the cut near the bud, and the upper cut flat, with the cut about 1 cm away from the lateral bud.

3. Potted cuttings

For indoor potted cuttings, choose vigorous 1-2 year old branches about 10 cm long, remove the lower leaves, cut the upper leaves in half, and insert them into small pots with coarse sand as the substrate. Use a plastic cover to retain moisture and maintain relatively high humidity. Under conditions of 18-25°C, roots can form in about 20 days.

Editor's tip:If you are a novice flower lover, then when propagating Anisodontea capensis, it is recommended to sow more seeds and insert more branches when taking cuttings, so you do not need to worry about a low survival rate. Of course, if you propagate Anisodontea capensis according to the methods above, it will certainly not disappoint you.

What are the propagation methods of hibiscus?

Image: Hibiscus flower

[Common question] What are the propagation methods of hibiscus?

[Expert answer]

1. Hibiscus division propagation

Before sprouting in early spring, dig up vigorous adult clumps, take 3 main branches as 1 clump, and plant them at a plant and row spacing of 50×60 cm.

2. Hibiscus cutting propagation

Method 1: Generally, spring cutting propagation is used, and it blooms in summer and autumn of the same year. The cutting method is: after the local temperature steadily passes 15°C, choose vigorous 1-2 year old branches that have not yet sprouted (if the hibiscus branches have already sprouted and grown leaves at the time of cutting, the newly grown leaves should be removed), and cut them into small sections 15-20 cm long. When cutting, prepare a small stick, pre-insert small holes according to plant and row spacing, then insert the hibiscus branches. The buried depth is preferably 10-15 cm, that is, the buried depth is 2/3 of the cutting. Compact the soil and water thoroughly immediately after insertion. Note that no base fertilizer needs to be applied when cutting.

Method 2: Cutting density differs depending on seedling transplanting or direct planting. Seedling transplanting: for ease of operation, make beds with a continuous bed plus ditch width of 130 cm and a height of 25 cm, and insert cuttings at a plant and row spacing of 15 cm×30 cm. Direct planting: beds can be made with a bed plus ditch width of 60 cm and a height of 25 cm, with a plant spacing of 50 cm, single bed single row planting; or beds can be made with a bed plus ditch width of 90 cm and a height of 25 cm, with a plant spacing of 60 cm, single bed double row “pin”-shaped planting. In cultivation, the characteristic that cutting seedlings bloom in the same year can be used, and cuttings can be inserted according to the density for seedling transplanting. After the 2nd year, in each spring before sprouting, thin the seedlings according to a certain density to ensure that the hibiscus has enough nutritional area for growth that year and to achieve high flower yield.

Method 3: Cutting requires a ditch depth of 15 cm, ditch spacing of 20-30 cm, and plant spacing of 8-10 cm. The upper end of the cutting is exposed 3-5 cm above the soil surface, or the buried depth is 2/3 of the cutting. After insertion, cultivate soil and compact it, and water in time. Cutting seedlings generally take root and sprout in about 1 month. Using plastic greenhouses and other heat-preserving and warming facilities, cutting propagation can also be carried out after leaf fall in autumn. Soak the prepared cuttings in a 100-200 mg/L NAA solution for 18-24 hours, insert them into a sand bed, water in time, cover with agricultural film, maintain a temperature of 18-25°C and a relative humidity above 85%, and move them to the nursery for cultivation after rooting.

3. Hibiscus layering propagation

Image: Layering

Layering propagation is a propagation method in which branches still attached to the mother plant form adventitious roots, and are then cut away from the mother plant to become a new individual. When layering, in order to interrupt the downward transport of organic substances such as sugars, auxins and other substances from the leaves and the upper end of the branch, so that these substances accumulate in the upper part of the treated area for use during rooting, girdling can be carried out. Applying 1BA-type auxin to the girdled part can promote rooting.
For families or individuals, the number of hibiscus needed is not large. At this time, air layering can be used. The branch-forming rate of hibiscus is basically full, and it also grows quickly.

4. Hibiscus seed propagation

For Anisodontea capensis, generally when sowing in spring, just treat it the same as conventional sowing. For the sowing soil, it is best to choose peat, or other more professional sowing media, which will relatively have a higher germination rate. However, if there is really none, you can also relax a little; using conventional sowing media is also OK.

After sowing, cover with soil appropriately, then water thoroughly, and that's it. Some flower lovers ask how thick the soil cover should be; about 1 cm is enough. When watering, be careful not to wash away the covering soil. If flower lovers sow in early spring when the temperature is relatively low, then film covering is needed. If it is summer or autumn when the temperature is relatively high, film covering can also be used, but it is best to make a few holes. The benefit of film covering is that it can retain moisture, and higher temperature helps germination.

[Editor's review] The above are the four propagation methods of hibiscus: sowing, layering, cutting and division, but in fact hibiscus is mainly propagated by cutting and division in production. I hope this article is helpful to you. For more related materials, please pay attention to the relevant columns or special topics of First Agricultural Economics. Your support and attention are the driving force for us to move forward!!

Anisodontea capensis cultivation methods, 7 cultivation points

Anisodontea capensis likes light. According to observation, many flower lovers place their Anisodontea capensis on a south balcony, where light is sufficient, and they all grow very well.

For the cultivation substrate, it is advisable to choose soil with good permeability and drainage. Generally, commercially available nutrient soil is fine. You can also use mountain soil (leaf mold) plus a small amount of river sand and organic fertilizer to prepare nutrient soil. Avoid using clayey soil (some flower lovers have also been seen using ordinary garden soil). In summary, if conditions allow, you can choose nutrient soil with good air and water permeability; if conditions do not allow, you can also try ordinary garden soil.

Anisodontea capensis grows very fast, so flower lovers need to buy slightly larger flower pots, such as clay pots with good permeability. In late autumn, Anisodontea capensis needs to be pruned in time. Long branches, diseased branches, dead branches and residual branches should be shortened and cut off, and too much nutrients must not be consumed, affecting growth and development the following year.

Anisodontea capensis is a flower that likes sunlight and warmth, so it has high requirements for sunlight. During care, Anisodontea capensis must be constantly moved to prevent long-term restriction to one direction from causing growth deviation. In summer, when the weather is too hot, it needs to be placed in a balcony spot with sufficient scattered light and kept ventilated, so it can safely pass through the hot summer.

In summer, during the care of Anisodontea capensis, attention must be paid to watering, because water is the key to Anisodontea capensis getting through summer. When the weather is too hot and the temperature rises, it needs to be watered once a day. If you forget to water, large patches of yellow, withered fallen leaves will appear.

When direct sunlight makes the temperature too high, it must be watered once a day, and watering must be thorough. If Anisodontea capensis lacks water, it will easily wither and die. During the winter dormant period, watering should be stopped.

Anisodontea capensis likes plenty of water and fertilizer. According to observation, this is indeed the case, so flower lovers should ensure sufficient water and fertilizer when growing Anisodontea capensis. Flower lovers ask what fertilizer to apply; various slow-release fertilizers, flowering fertilizers, etc. are all fine. In winter, it enters the dormant period, so stop fertilizing.

When pruning Anisodontea capensis, flower lovers dare not start pruning it. Looking at the lush Anisodontea capensis, they cannot bring themselves to do it. In fact, Anisodontea capensis is very tolerant of pruning. Generally, light pruning or heavy pruning can be carried out. Light pruning can cut off 1/3 of the branches, and heavy pruning can cut off all branches more than 10 cm above the ground. Pruning can promote plant renewal and rejuvenation.