How to grow Farfugium japonicum? Planting methods for shade-tolerant ground cover plants
Farfugium japonicum belongs to the genus Farfugium in the Asteraceae family and is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant. The leaves are bright green and glossy, blooming in late autumn with yellow flowers. It prefers semi-shade and humid environments, is afraid of direct sunlight, and is cold-tolerant, able to overwinter outdoors in the Jiangnan region.
It is commonly propagated by division, combined with spring repotting and soil changing; after removing from the pot, shake off the old soil, divide the clump into 3 to 4 parts, and pot them separately. It can also be cultivated in the open field, and after planting, management can be relatively extensive; the aboveground parts die in winter, and in the following spring it will sprout and unfold leaves on its own. Farfugium japonicum can also be propagated by seed sowing, sown in a seedbed in early spring each year, and transplanted into pots after emergence.
Farfugium japonicum seedlings must not be too wet, otherwise they are prone to disease.
It is suitable for large-scale planting as ground cover under forests or under overpasses, in shady wet areas at forest edges, beside streams and gullies, and next to rocks. Several application methods are specifically introduced: planted on the north side of buildings, especially the north side of high-rise buildings; planted in moso bamboo forests, sweetgum forests, or deciduous-evergreen mixed forests as ground cover for scenic forests; planted on the north side of rock walls, or in the shaded corners of building walls; planted under elevated roads and overpasses to form shade-tolerant flowering ground cover.
Shade-tolerant ground cover plant -- Planting methods for Farfugium japonicum
Shade-tolerant ground cover plant -- Planting methods for Farfugium japonicum -- Farfugium japonicum belongs to the genus Farfugium in the Asteraceae family and is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant. The leaves are bright green and glossy, blooming in late autumn with yellow flowers. It prefers semi-shade and humid environments, is afraid of direct sunlight, and is cold-tolerant, able to overwinter outdoors in the Jiangnan region.
It is commonly propagated by division, combined with spring repotting and soil changing; after removing from the pot, shake off the old soil, divide the clump into 3 to 4 parts, and pot them separately. It can also be cultivated in the open field, and after planting, management can be relatively extensive; the aboveground parts die in winter, and in the following spring it will sprout and unfold leaves on its own. Farfugium japonicum can also be propagated by seed sowing, sown in a seedbed in early spring each year, and transplanted into pots after emergence.
Farfugium japonicum seedlings must not be too wet, otherwise they are prone to disease.
It is suitable for large-scale planting as ground cover under forests or under overpasses, in shady wet areas at forest edges, beside streams and gullies, and next to rocks. Several application methods are specifically introduced: planted on the north side of buildings, especially the north side of high-rise buildings; planted in moso bamboo forests, sweetgum forests, or deciduous-evergreen mixed forests as ground cover for scenic forests; planted on the north side of rock walls, or in the shaded corners of building walls; planted under elevated roads and overpasses to form shade-tolerant flowering ground cover.
Common planting methods for shade-tolerant ground cover plants
Like other plants, shade-tolerant ground cover plants have multiple functions such as regulating environmental temperature and humidity, absorbing and decomposing harmful gases and dust, purifying air, and balancing the oxygen and carbon dioxide content in the air; at the same time, they make up for the shortcomings of other plants, can grow well in areas with little sunlight and in shady humid environments, and play a good role in soil and water conservation. Using shade-tolerant plants for shade greening is an important measure to increase green area, beautify and add fragrance, and improve the ecological environment. Several common shade-tolerant ground cover plants are introduced here:
1. Ardisia japonica: an evergreen small shrub in the genus Ardisia of the Myrsinaceae family, also called laowuda, dijuzi, pingdimu, etc. among the people, and is a Chinese herbal medicine. The plant height is 10 to 30 cm, the leaves are nearly leathery, bright green above and light green below. It blooms from June to September, with small white or pink flowers. The fruiting period is from August to December, and when ripe the fruit is red and remains for a long time, quite beautiful.
Ardisia japonica can be propagated by sowing, division, and cuttings. According to records, the seeds of Ardisia japonica in the same year do not germinate and can only germinate in May to June of the following year, and the natural germination rate is very poor, generally only 3% to 5%, requiring treatment with sulfuric acid. Division propagation is usually carried out in spring and autumn; cut and divide the rhizomes, ensuring that each section of rhizome has one branch, then plant them in prepared containers or on leveled land, keep moist, and they can survive in about 20 days. If cutting propagation is used, branches can be cut from May to June, about 5 to 8 cm high, remove part of the old leaves, insert them into a prepared cutting bed, keep the leaf surface moist and the medium moist, and they can take root in about 1 month.
Because it mostly grows in shady and humid environments such as under forests, in valleys, and beside streams, it is extremely shade-tolerant and is an excellent foliage ground cover plant for shady and humid environments. It is mostly used in shady and humid places under patch forests and in shrublands, and is a new favorite ground cover under urban overpasses and elevated bridges. It can also be used for potted ornamental display and in rock gardens, flower beds, and flower borders.
2. Hosta ventricosa: a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus Hosta of the Liliaceae family, mainly distributed in wild mountain gullies and shady humid places under forests in East China and Southwest China. It prefers warm and humid climates, likes shade, and avoids long-term direct sunlight; its tillering ability and cold resistance are extremely strong, and it is not strict about soil requirements. It can grow well in general soil. It turns green in early to mid-April, blooms from June to July; when blooming, the scape emerges from between the leaves, the flowers are relatively small and light purple, and the fruiting period is August. It enters the withering period from late September to early October.
Hosta ventricosa is mainly propagated by division, with pot division and transplanting in spring and autumn. After transplanting, Hosta ventricosa survives very easily and takes effect quickly.
Hosta ventricosa has strong adaptability to the environment, requires extensive management, and has great ornamental value and greening function. It can be widely used in shady places such as under overpasses and elevated bridges, in courtyards, residential communities, parks, and open spaces under greening forests.
3. Hosta: a perennial herbaceous plant with persistent roots in the genus Hosta of the Liliaceae family. The leaves are thick and unusual, glossy and emerald green on the surface, and the scape stands upright above the leaf clump; both flowers and leaves are beautiful. It blooms from July to September, with flowers as white as jasper and fragrant, making it a beautiful and elegantly simple summer ornamental flower. At present, there are many horticultural cultivars, and more variegated-leaf cultivars have enriched the visual appeal.
Hosta can be propagated by sowing and division, and some new horticultural cultivars are also propagated by tissue culture. Hosta produces very few seeds; harvest them after autumn when the seeds mature but before the seed pods split, then dry and store them. They can be sown in early spring of the following year from February to March, and seedlings grow slowly. Division propagation is the main method of Hosta propagation. It can be done in both spring and autumn; in early spring before growth starts from March to April, or in autumn preferably after the leaves turn yellow, take out the roots and cut them with sharp scissors at places where the root nodes are relatively sparse, keeping 3 to 4 buds per piece, and at least 2 buds. Division propagation can preserve the excellent traits of the cultivar, and growth is fast, with flowering in the same year.
Hosta especially likes shady and humid environments; strong sunlight radiation will damage chlorophyll, causing the leaves to turn yellow and the leaf edges to dry and scorch. In gardens, it is most suitable for planting under patch forests, or in shaded places of buildings (north side) to set off the architecture, or planted beside rocks; it can also be potted.
4. Ferns: most ferns have relatively strong shade tolerance, as well as strong adaptability and resistance, and can survive in poor environments, especially in places where the soil is relatively barren, hidden, and unsuitable for cultivating plants. In these places, using ferns for landscaping and greening is the best choice, and ferns grow quickly and have strong reproductive capacity, so they can quickly show a green belt landscape. South of the Yangtze River, Dryopteris, Pteris, Matteuccia, Humata, Diplopterygium, and Pteris multifida can be planted simply, managed extensively, and quickly form a landscape.
At present, ferns used in commercial landscape applications mainly rely on wild collection and sporophyte division propagation. Wild collection causes serious damage to wild fern resources and the ecological environment, and division propagation has a relatively low propagation coefficient and poor ornamental quality, while ferns produce a large amount of spores, which is an effective way to rapidly breed seedlings.
Several terrestrial ferns such as Pteris multifida and Cyrtomium have strong alkaline tolerance, strong resistance, and extensive management, and can adapt to almost all soil types. Cyrtomium can be used as ground cover plants on greenbelt roadsides, at forest edges, and under forests. Pteris multifida has a delicate and soft posture, and when appropriately combined with stone landscapes, it can achieve a unique landscape effect; Cyclosorus and Parathelypteris are especially suitable for planting in patches in greenbelts, with a fresh and pleasant green color.
5. Indocalamus: Indocalamus latifolius is a shrub-type bamboo in the genus Indocalamus of the Poaceae family, with a plant height of 0.5 to 1 m. Indocalamus is native to East China, Central China, and other places, with abundant wild resources and wide distribution, and is also cultivated in Beijing and areas to the south. It has strong adaptability, is relatively cold-tolerant, likes moisture and is drought-tolerant, is not strict about soil requirements, and can grow normally in mildly saline-alkali soil; it likes light and tolerates semi-shade.
Indocalamus can be propagated by sowing, division, or burying rhizomes. Among these methods, burying rhizomes is the most commonly used, and the survival rate is also relatively high.
In gardens, it is mostly planted under open forests, and can also be planted along riverbanks for bank protection. The culms can be used as brush handles and bamboo chopsticks, and the leaves can be used for bamboo hats, boat awnings, and wrapping zongzi.
6. Duchesnea indica: a perennial herbaceous plant with persistent roots in the genus Duchesnea of the Rosaceae family, growing on hillsides, roadsides, in grass clumps, and in shady humid places. Duchesnea indica grows rapidly and has strong ground-covering ability. Its leaves, flowers, and fruits all have relatively high ornamental value. The flowering period is from April to May. When blooming, small yellow flowers dot the plant one after another, breaking the monotony of green and giving people a sense of vitality. After the flowering period, red fruits like small strawberries cover it, quite attractive. It has strong stress resistance, requires extensive and simple management, and needs no pruning, making it a rare new and superior ground cover plant.
The seed germination rate of Duchesnea indica is very low, usually not exceeding 10%, but its asexual reproduction ability is very strong. Artificial lawn establishment can adopt whole-plant transplanting or separate the entire stolon branches, or cut them into stem segments 20 to 35 cm long, bury them in soil 3 to 5 cm deep, keep the soil moist, and a lawn can be formed in about 3 months.
Duchesnea indica has relatively strong vitality, is evergreen, fast-growing, has fresh flowers and beautiful fruits, is short in stature, grows prostrate, and is relatively tolerant of trampling. It is suitable for planting on slopes, under forests, in courtyards, and other places, forming a rather distinctive greening landscape and enhancing urban wildness, making it a rare excellent ground cover plant. At present, one place where it has been used in large quantities is Shanghu Park in Changshu, Jiangsu.
7. Farfugium japonicum belongs to the genus Farfugium in the Asteraceae family and is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant. The leaves are bright green and glossy, blooming in late autumn with yellow flowers. It prefers semi-shade and humid environments, is afraid of direct sunlight, and is cold-tolerant, able to overwinter outdoors in the Jiangnan region.
It is commonly propagated by division, combined with spring repotting and soil changing; after removing from the pot, shake off the old soil, divide the clump into 3 to 4 parts, and pot them separately. It can also be cultivated in the open field, and after planting, management can be relatively extensive; the aboveground parts die in winter, and in the following spring it will sprout and unfold leaves on its own. Farfugium japonicum can also be propagated by seed sowing, sown in a seedbed in early spring each year, and transplanted into pots after emergence.
Farfugium japonicum seedlings must not be too wet, otherwise they are prone to disease.
It is suitable for large-scale planting as ground cover under forests or under overpasses, in shady wet areas at forest edges, beside streams and gullies, and next to rocks. Several application methods are specifically introduced: planted on the north side of buildings, especially the north side of high-rise buildings; planted in moso bamboo forests, sweetgum forests, or deciduous-evergreen mixed forests as ground cover for scenic forests; planted on the north side of rock walls, or in the shaded corners of building walls; planted under elevated roads and overpasses to form shade-tolerant flowering ground cover.
8. Glechoma hederacea: also known as fo'er cao, jinqian cao, etc., a perennial prostrate herb in the Lamiaceae family. The leaves are opposite, with long petioles, the leaf margins have rounded teeth, and both sides have short soft hairs on the veins. The flowers are borne in leaf axils, 2 to 6 in whorls, labiate, light purple or pink, with a flowering period from March to April. Glechoma hederacea is scattered under trees, beside roads, and beside streams, and likes shady and humid environments. The current horticultural cultivar variegated Glechoma hederacea has the same growth habit as Glechoma hederacea, with white edges on the leaves.
Glechoma hederacea relies on insect pollination, and the seeds can fall naturally after maturing, but because its stolons take root at each node, asexual reproduction is relatively easy. During artificial lawn establishment, the stolons can be cut into segments for cuttings, generally 2 to 3 nodes per segment, not fewer than 2 nodes. Ensure soil moisture in summer, and they can take root in about 10 days and form a good landscape effect in about 1 month.
In early spring, the small purple or pink flowers of Glechoma hederacea dot the green leaves, filling the gap during this period when most grass species have not yet turned green, adding a bit of color to early spring.
The several plants above all have wild resource distribution in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region, and this is also one of the main source methods for materials currently used in garden green spaces, but this method cannot be used for a long time, and ultimately artificial cultivation and propagation are still needed. Moreover, excellent shade-tolerant ground cover cultivars are still very lacking. Therefore, researching rapid and effective propagation methods for shade-tolerant plants and continuing to develop native shade-tolerant ground cover are important tasks for the next stage. With the intensification of urbanization, urban building density increases, a large number of shade environments appear, and the requirements for urban greening coverage are also becoming higher and higher. Whether it is rooftop greening of high-rise buildings or greening and leisure plazas in city centers, or under overpasses and elevated bridges, these places all need greening. Patch forests are also one of the major directions of today's greening, with significant ecological benefits. Greening under patch forests, overpasses, and elevated bridges is an important part of urban greening, and the important material for greening these areas is shade-tolerant ground cover plants.