How to grow white orchid (Michelia alba)? Keep this propagation and care guide handy
White orchid (Michelia alba), pure white and elegant, yet with a unique fragrance, is deeply loved by flower enthusiasts, but nowadays the number of white orchids is relatively small, and not many people grow them
White orchid (Michelia alba), pure white and elegant, yet with a unique fragrance, is deeply loved by flower enthusiasts, but nowadays the number of white orchids is relatively small, and not many people grow them. I wonder if the flower enthusiasts out there have ever grown this flower. In the season when white orchids bloom, there are even elderly people who come out to sell the flowers, stringing them together with wire, which can be hung on the body and looks very beautiful. Since white orchids cannot be propagated from cuttings, we generally use grafting or layering to propagate them. Although these operations are complex, flower enthusiasts who have the conditions can give them a try.
The grafting method uses rootstock, generally 2 to 3-year-old Michelia figo or magnolia trees. In May and June, we can graft white orchid branches onto the rootstock, wrap them with plastic film and provide normal care. For the layering method, it is best to use a white orchid that is more than 3 years old, selecting a thick, strong branch 1 to 2 years old from the upper part. The branch should be longer than 15 cm; at that point, at the end of about 5 cm, cut 3/4 of the bark. After cutting, spray with carbendazim solution to disinfect, then wrap with slightly moist soil, fix it at the peeled position, spray water to keep the soil moist. After about 10 days, you can cut the branch below.
Score a little each week. After continuing for 2 months, sever the branch; at this point it should basically have rooted and can be planted directly. Following the two propagation methods above, if it is too troublesome, you can also directly buy white orchid seedlings. Nowadays white orchid seedlings are not too expensive, but you must distinguish the real from the fake. White orchids grow relatively slowly. Some flower enthusiasts buy seedlings that have grown for more than a year to grow. Everyone says white orchids are rather delicate, but once you establish a routine, you can grow them for decades. What soil should be used for white orchids? For a flower that grows like a tree, it is best to use relatively firm native soil, or mix in leaf mold for planting.
For the flower pot, use a clay pot or ceramic pot with good air permeability. White orchid is quite sensitive to water quality. We had best use clean tap water, let it settle, and then water. It likes water but fears waterlogging, so do not water too much each time. Spray-style watering is recommended; this can both clean the white orchid leaves and let the leaves and branches drink their fill. Can white orchid be exposed to the sun? White orchid quite likes sunlight, but it is best to place it in a spot at home with good light; however, in summer you must be sure to provide shade.
Before 10 a.m. it can get light; after that time it must be moved to a shady place. Regarding the problems of yellow leaves and dropped buds in white orchid, the white orchids at flower markets generally use southern clay soil. This kind of soil is very sticky. After flower enthusiasts buy them and generally place them indoors without ventilation, plus the potting soil is not breathable and watering causes waterlogging, and so on, the flowers and leaves develop root rot, and the white orchid will not live long this way. Growing a white orchid at home is simple and easy to care for, and can make the whole house fragrant.
But when we generally buy white orchids in clay soil, we must first wash the roots after bringing them home, but be careful not to damage the roots. After drying, replant them in breathable garden soil mixed with leaf mold, and then they can be grown at home. If we do not want to wash the roots and change the soil, it is best to place the newly bought white orchid in a ventilated yard or balcony to grow.
White orchid mainly blooms in summer and autumn. It is not cold-tolerant in winter and must be kept warm. If we grow it well, it can also bloom in a heated room. Grafted white orchids can bloom only after growing to about 50 cm, while layered ones will bloom a bit earlier. The buds can be picked, threaded with string, and hung at the bedside, which has a calming effect.
February Flower Cultivation and Care Guide
The temperature begins to rise, but very slowly, and cold waves still often strike; the weather is cold, overcast, and rainy.1. Continue doing a good job of protecting flowers from the cold.
2. According to the development of narcissus, take corresponding measures in time to regulate the growth process, so that the narcissus blooms on time during the Spring Festival. When the narcissus is started in water too late or the weather is too cold, causing growth to be too slow, measures to increase temperature and force flowering should be taken, such as placing it on a windowsill with ample sunlight during the day (at night it should be moved indoors to a warm place), adding warm water to the basin, and wrapping it with a plastic bag, etc.; when the narcissus grows too fast, the temperature should be lowered to slow its growth, such as providing appropriate shade and opening windows for ventilation, etc. 3. Continue the shaping and repotting of coniferous and deciduous broadleaf tree stump bonsai.
4. Field collection of tree stump material. After late February, when the weather turns warm and there are no longer major cold waves, field collection of coniferous and deciduous broadleaf trees can be carried out. Wild-dug tree stumps should carry more lateral roots, be pruned according to their form, stored properly, and planted as soon as they are transported, to ensure the survival rate of planting.
5. The sap of pines such as five-needle pine and Japanese black pine begins to flow, and side grafting propagation can be carried out in late February. Use 2-month-old robust black pine as rootstock, and cut off part of the rootstock's branches and leaves before grafting. Select 1-2-year-old thick, strong branches as scions. When grafting, first cut one side of the lower end of the scion into a slant about 1.5 cm long, and cut the other side into a slant about half a cm long. Then make a slant-shaped cut on the rootstock slightly longer than the long slant surface of the scion, with a depth reaching 1/3 to 1/2 of the thickness of the grafting site; the cut should be as close to the root as possible. Finally, insert the scion into the cut on the rootstock, align the cambium layers of both so they fit completely, and bind with plastic film.
6. Repot azaleas, elms, plum yew, heavenly bamboo, Chinese roses, kumquats, etc., and prune dead branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, weak branches, overly dense branches, overlapping branches, forked branches, and water sprouts, etc. For stump bonsai such as elm and plum yew, thin out and shorten the branches within the branch pads, so that the small branches within the pads are moderately dense, do not overlap vertically, and do not fork left and right; at the same time, make the branches within the pads twist like dragon claws and bent iron, revealing an ancient and weathered appearance, thereby increasing the aesthetic value of the stump tree; if the branches and trunk of heavenly bamboo bonsai grow too tall and affect the compositional needs, the branches and trunk should be shortened to an appropriately proportioned point. Because heavenly bamboo has strong sprouting ability, no matter where it is shortened, new buds can sprout below the cut.
Weather characteristics of February: This month is the last month of winter, and also the cold period second only to January in the year. By the end of February, the weather begins to gradually warm and transition toward spring, and quite a number of flowers also begin to shift from winter dormancy to the recovery stage.
The main flower tasks this month are as follows: first, continue doing a good job of cold protection and heat preservation for potted flowers within protective facilities; second, do a good job of pruning and repotting some woody flowers after blooming; third, do the preliminary preparation work for cuttings, grafting propagation, and sowing propagation of some flower species.
I. Flower Cultivation
1. Sowing. Flower species that can be sown in greenhouses or plastic tunnels in February include: pot marigold, cyclamen, dwarf sunflower, asparagus fern, gloxinia, tuberous begonia, red and blue flower, cornflower, blanket flower, strawflower, scarlet sage, marigold, peacock flower, dwarf petunia, California poppy, phlox, pocketbook flower, butterfly flower, snapdragon, globeflower, pansy, etc.
At the end of February, those that can be sown outdoors in open ground include: magnolia, Michelia, photinia, maple, and crabapple (Rosaceae) seeds that have already cracked and shown white after sand storage treatment, as well as camphor, Chinese tulip tree, privet, Ardisia crenata, firethorn, palm, goldenrain tree, soapberry, horse chestnut, lilac, etc.; seeds of wintersweet, summersweet, wisteria, etc. should be soaked for 24 to 48 hours, and sown after the seeds have absorbed enough water. Tuberose bulbs and amaryllis bulbs can also be potted in greenhouses or plastic tunnels in February.
2. Cuttings. Woody ornamental plant species that can be propagated by open-field cuttings or by cuttings covered with plastic film for moisture retention in February include: plum blossom (after flowering, cut 1-year-old branches of cultivars such as Gongfen and Lü'e), heavenly bamboo, cotton rose (southern regions), crape myrtle, Daphne odora (southern regions), edgeworthia, pomegranate, forsythia, winter jasmine, jasmine orange, Japanese serissa, hibiscus, hypericum (plum), spiraea, mahonia, boxwood, and Lespedeza, etc. Sand-stored branches of lilac and Chinese trumpet creeper can also be cuttings at this time. In early February, branches of Weigela, deutzia, hydrangea, tamarisk, plane tree, grape, fig, etc. can also continue to be cut for storage treatment, so as to be cuttings at the end of March. Ornamental plant species that can be cuttings indoors in February include: Chinese hibiscus, bougainvillea, African violet (leaf cuttings), begonia, red-back hibiscus, scarlet sage, geranium, jasmine, chloranthus, finger citron, jade plant, jade leaf, stone lotus, jewel plant, night-blooming cereus, epiphyllum, artillery plant, mother of thousands, kalanchoe, Rieger begonia, bleeding heart vine, Schefflera, Chinese evergreen, and Cordyline, etc.
3. Grafting. Indoors, use 1-year-old thick, strong black pine seedlings as rootstock to graft Japanese five-needle pine, Japanese black pine, lacebark pine, etc., then plant in the ground and cover with film to keep warm and moist. Use 1-year-old seedlings such as apricot and wild peach as rootstock, and use cut grafting to propagate red-leaf plum, plum blossom, ornamental peach, longevity peach, purple-leaf peach, etc. In areas south of the Yangtze River, when the leaf buds on wintersweet branches grow to the size of wheat grains, use wintersweet seedlings about 0.8 to 1.2 cm in diameter as rootstock, and use cut grafting to propagate excellent wintersweet cultivars such as "Suxin", "Xinkou", and "Huti"; adopting bagging and air inflation for moisture retention, the survival rate is relatively high. Use thick, strong branches of the rose cultivar "Elizabeth" as rootstock scions, and use cut grafting or cleft grafting for scions of excellent rose cultivars; adopting the measures of grafting first, then cuttings, and then covering with plastic film to retain moisture and protect against cold, the grafting survival rate can be greatly increased.
4. Layering. Ornamental plant species that can be propagated by layering in February include: plum blossom, wintersweet, spreading apple, osmanthus, purple magnolia, gardenia, weigela, Buddhist pine, Sabina, snowball, Viburnum macrocephalum, winter jasmine, forsythia, hypericum, hydrangea, snow wreath, Spiraea thunbergii, red maple, Michelia, etc.
5. Division. Herbaceous flower species that can be propagated by division in February include: iris, blackberry lily, autumn zephyr lily, dwarf lilyturf, big-leaf lilyturf, variegated lilyturf, Reineckea carnea, Rohdea japonica, bleeding heart, hosta, purple hosta, small tulip, bromeliads, purple-backed oyster plant, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, sword fern, spider plant, mother of thousands, canna, arrowroot, monstera, syngonium, bird of paradise, clivia, aloe, etc. Woody flower species that can be propagated by division in February include: heavenly bamboo, cotton rose, hypericum, mahonia, hydrangea, spreading apple, edgeworthia, winter jasmine, forsythia, Caragana, Spiraea thunbergii, red-flowered spiraea, jasmine, chloranthus, tiger thorn, purple magnolia, four-season osmanthus, bamboo, and Pleioblastus, etc.
II. Harvesting Seeds and Transplanting and Establishing
1. Harvesting seeds. In February, seeds such as heavenly bamboo, holly, Ardisia crenata, and winter cherry can be picked, treated, and then sand-stored to promote germination; sowing can be done only after the seeds have cracked and shown white. For clivia plants blooming in the greenhouse, artificial supplementary pollination can be given in order to obtain clivia seeds with better genetic quality. In February, pay attention to checking various sand-stored flower and tree seeds to see whether any seeds have become moldy; if mold occurs, clean them promptly; if the seeds are found to be drying out, appropriately supplement with spraying water to maintain a certain humidity in the sand and seeds; if a small number of seeds have already cracked and shown white, sow them in a relatively short time. Once the radicle extends too long before sowing, it is very easy to break the radicle and affect the seedling emergence rate of the seeds. Large sand-stored seeds can be sown in holes, while small seeds can be sown in drills or rows. After sowing, pay attention to covering with grass or plastic film to retain moisture and protect against cold.
2. Transplanting and establishing. In February, in southern regions the soil does not freeze and the temperature is relatively high. Herbaceous flower species that can be transplanted and established include: dianthus, snapdragon, hollyhock, variegated holly, daisy, pot marigold, etc. In February, the vast majority of deciduous flowering shrubs and some evergreen tree species can all be established. Among them, deciduous types such as hibiscus, pomegranate, redbud, crabapple, ginkgo, sweetgum, maple, wisteria, crape myrtle, wintersweet, plum blossom (carried out before budding and leafing), magnolia, soapberry, silk tree, horse chestnut, red-leaf plum, cherry blossom, papaya, Chinese trumpet creeper, linden, Chinese tulip tree, ornamental peach, Chinese tallow, spiraea, Triadica sebifera, deutzia, Chinese scholartree, dragon-claw scholartree, dwarf cherry, elm-leaved spirea, hypericum (plum), weeping willow, golden weeping willow, cotton rose, smoke tree, persimmon, apricot, etc.; evergreen tree species such as Michelia, camphor, Elaeocarpus, Pittosporum, Machilus, and purple nanmu can be delayed until late February to early March for planting; osmanthus, privet, Sabina chinensis, dragon juniper, oriental arborvitae, black pine, etc., should be given moderate pruning when planted.
III. Flower Management
1. Cold protection. The weather in February is still cold. After two consecutive months of indoor (in-tunnel) care, potted ornamental plants consume relatively more nutrients in their bodies, and the resistance of the plants greatly declines, so we should continue to carefully do a good job of moisture retention and cold protection. If greenhouses or plastic tunnels have heating facilities, continue to provide heating, and prevent harmful gases or smoke from entering the tunnel or greenhouse; if straw curtains are hung on the top or around the tunnel, continue to hang the straw curtains; when sudden temperature drops occur after snow, even more care should be taken. Overwintering potted flowers placed within protective facilities should continue to have good ventilation and air exchange. Especially by the end of February, the ventilation and air exchange time can be extended during the time period with the highest temperature of the day. It is worth noting that when indoor potted flowers are placed in the sun, it is best to place them on the inner side of a south-facing window without opening the window. For the small number of cold-sensitive flowers grown in homes, such as Milan, Phalaenopsis, peacock arrowroot, Syngonium, iron cross begonia, croton, and pink taro, etc., in particularly cold weather, plastic bags can be put over them at night, or they can be placed in the bathroom and heating appliances such as "bath heaters" can be turned on to raise the temperature, ensuring they can overwinter safely.
2. Watering. Because the temperature in February is relatively low, for the vast majority of potted flowers, it is enough to keep the potting soil moist so they can overwinter safely, because at this time root growth has stopped and metabolism is at a relatively low level, so water demand is low. Once water accumulates in the potting soil, it is very easy to cause root rot and plant death. For relatively dry indoors, frequently spray water and mist on the plant leaves to increase the air humidity of the local environment. If the indoor air is excessively dry, in mild cases it causes leaves to lose green color and luster and flower buds to stop growing; in severe cases, leaves shrink and wrinkle, and flower buds shrink and fall off. For example, camellia, sasanqua, azalea, plum blossom, bitter orange, kumquat, winter cherry, etc., may all show bud and fruit drop, or even death. In addition, the water temperature for watering or spraying should be basically consistent with the indoor and in-tunnel air temperature and soil temperature. For those potted plant species placed indoors that will bloom around the Spring Festival, such as cineraria, primrose, kalanchoe, camellia, sasanqua, Belgian azalea, pot marigold, etc., and fruit-viewing plants such as firethorn, heavenly bamboo, bitter orange, finger citron, lemon, Ardisia crenata, four-season tangerine, winter cherry, etc., not only should the potting soil be kept moist, but the leaves, flower buds, and fruits must also be sprayed with water. Only in this way can the leaves be emerald green, the flower buds rapidly expand, and the fruits be brightly colored. In particular, for tree peonies, plum blossoms, spreading apple, and Malus halliana placed in tunnels for forcing, the branches must also be sprayed with water 1 to 2 times a day to accelerate the expansion of their flower buds so they can emit fragrance and present auspiciousness as scheduled. For large-flowered Cymbidium purchased and cultivated in greenhouses or tunnels, because the temperature and humidity in the original greenhouse or tunnel differ greatly from those in the home, if their leaves are not frequently sprayed with water, the leaves often shrink and dry out. For potted plants and bonsai placed in air-conditioned rooms, especially Japanese five-needle pine bonsai, etc., it must be ensured that the potting soil is moist, and the plants must be sprayed with water 1 to 2 times a day; otherwise, the plants may very likely die. Although in February most potted flowers do not need much water, inspection should be strengthened, especially when the temperature rises continuously for several days, and supplementary watering and spraying should be strengthened in time. In February, for greening trees and flowering shrubs transplanted in autumn and winter, supplementary watering should be carried out in time, especially for those evergreen trees and flowering shrubs; around noon on clear days, leaf spraying should also be appropriately given to prevent the leaves from shrinking and falling off afterward and affecting the resumption of growth in spring.
3. Fertilizing. In February, base fertilizer can continue to be buried for most ground-planted greening trees and flowering shrubs. Fertilizer types include: cake fertilizer, barnyard manure, chicken and pigeon manure, pond mud, and septic tank cleanings, etc. They can be applied by digging ring-shaped trenches around the outer perimeter of the plant root system and then covering with soil, to meet the needs of plant growth and flowering and fruiting in spring and summer. In February, for potted flowers placed in 10°C to 15°C greenhouses (tunnels), such as camellia, sasanqua, cineraria, primrose, cyclamen, Belgian azalea, shrimp plant, golden shrimp plant, Daphne odora, plum blossom, European narcissus, hyacinth, tulip, Christmas cactus, epiphyllum, bromeliads, Tillandsia, Guzmania, clivia, etc., low-concentration potassium dihydrogen phosphate can continue to be applied as topdressing, to facilitate plant growth and bud formation and flowering. For most potted flowers and trees, foliage plants, and stump bonsai placed in tunnels, including small and miniature bonsai, because they are still in a dormant state, fertilization should be stopped; otherwise, it is very easy to cause root rot and plant death.
4. Pruning. In February, for ground-planted or potted plum blossoms, wintersweet, forsythia, winter jasmine, etc. after flowering, strong renewal pruning can be carried out. For branches that have bloomed, except for retaining 2 to 3 buds at the base, all the rest should be cut off, to encourage many new shoots that year and even denser branches and buds the next year. In addition, water sprouts, dead branches, and misshapen branches should also be pruned at the same time. For stump bonsai types mainly pruned by cutting, such as Chinese elm, plum yew, banyan, trident maple, Fukien tea, oak, Chinese fringe tree, water poplar, Elaeagnus, holly, wintergreen, Japanese serissa, juniper, and Chinese juniper, etc., continue pruning; for stumps that have not been repotted for 1 to 2 years, repotting can be given at the same time as pruning.
5. Repotting. Late February to early March is a favorable time for repotting the vast majority of potted ornamental plants. Generally, repotting is best done when the plant is about to end winter dormancy, the root system is resuming growth, and the leaf buds have not yet sprouted. Flower species that can be repotted by the end of February include: Chinese hibiscus, geranium, Milan, white orchid, jasmine, chloranthus, two-color jasmine, red-back hibiscus, sword fern, monstera, rubber tree, fuchsia, begonia, wax begonia, painted-leaf begonia, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, sago palm, clivia, Haworthia, aloe, Christmas cactus, epiphyllum, sedum, jade plant, jade leaf, kalanchoe, amaryllis, asparagus fern, spider plant, Norfolk Island pine, Schefflera, Rohdea japonica, bird of paradise, shrimp plant, golden shrimp plant, coral flower, bleeding heart vine, camellia, sasanqua, spreading apple, hydrangea, heavenly bamboo, croton, Syngonium, arrowroot, Ardisia crenata, firethorn, bitter orange, kumquat, finger citron, etc.
6. Pest and disease control. For powdery mildew appearing on the leaves of potted cineraria in greenhouses, and gray mold appearing on primrose leaves, etc., at the early stage of disease, choose 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 1500-fold solution for spraying, once every 10 days, and 2 to 3 consecutive sprays are enough. For gray mold appearing on the leaves and flower crowns of potted cyclamen in tunnels, 50% iprodione (main ingredient iprodione) wettable powder 1000 to 1500-fold solution can be sprayed. For potted Belgian azaleas in tunnels, stop foliar spraying of foliar fertilizers such as "Duoxiaohao", because at this time the temperature is low and the humidity in the tunnel is high, so foliar fertilizer sprayed on the plants is difficult to absorb and instead easily breeds mold on the leaf surface; in severe cases, it forms unsightly disease spots. For aphids, scale insects, ants, and sooty mold appearing on potted flowers in greenhouses (such as bitter orange and kumquat), when there are few insects, they can be brushed off with a brush; when there are many insects, 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate 2000-fold can be sprayed to kill them. After aphids, scale insects, and ants are killed, sooty mold will also be eliminated accordingly. For insect bodies such as mealybugs, white scale, oyster-shell scale, and black-brown round scale appearing on potted flower plants in tunnels, they can be brushed off with a hard brush, or killed by dipping a cotton swab in alcohol, or sprayed with 2.5% cyhalothrin emulsifiable concentrate 2500-fold solution, or controlled by burying 3% carbofuran or 20% fenamiphos granules in the flower pot. Continue to clean up dead branches and fallen leaves under flowers and trees, and pest-infested branches and diseased leaves on potted flower plants, and burn them in a concentrated manner, which can significantly reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases the next year.
7. Composting fertilizer. Pour tea seed cake, rapeseed cake, soybean cake, etc. into a water tank or water vat, inject clean water, and carry out sealed fermentation, so that in the growing season it can be diluted and used to water potted flowers. Or pile and ferment cake fertilizer, etc.; after about 2 months, spread it out to dry in the sun, and after fully drying, package it well in plastic bags. The thoroughly composted and sun-dried cake fertilizer in granular powder form can be spread in flower pots as topdressing. For Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense, large-flowered Cymbidium, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, and other potted flower types, it is more convenient than watering with liquid cake fertilizer; especially when growing flowers on a balcony, it is both convenient and hygienic, and can also reduce the occurrence of leaf diseases. In addition, it can also be used for mixing culture soil.
8. Turning and freezing soil. In early February, continue turning and cultivating garden land that has not yet been completely plowed. After overwintering and freezing, when spring returns and the weather warms, then dig trenches and make beds for raising seedlings or transplanting flowers and trees. Plant species that can be trained and shaped by wiring in February include Sabina, Buddhist pine, Chinese juniper, juniper, oriental arborvitae, true juniper, ginkgo, Japanese serissa, procumbent juniper, five-needle pine, Huangshan pine, black pine, thousand-head red pine, water poplar, Caragana, small golden coin plum, wintersweet, spreading apple, crape myrtle, banyan, Chinese elm, trident maple, etc. Continue to re-wire and adjust plants that were shaped 1 to 2 years ago. If plants are found to have sunken binding constriction marks, first remove the metal wire or non-metal wire, then replace it with new binding material for wiring and fixing. For shallow-pot stump bonsai, landscape bonsai, small and miniature bonsai, stone-attached bonsai, etc., continue to do a good job of heat preservation and cold protection so that they are always in an environment not lower than 0°C, in case the plants freeze to death or the artificially cemented rocks freeze and crack apart, causing losses that should not occur.