Propagation Methods and Key Cultivation and Management Techniques for Nandina
How to grow Nandina bonsai? Nandina typically blooms from May to June, and the fruit ripening period is around October to November. It prefers a warm growing environment and is suitable for growing in sandy loam rich in humus. Let's learn the key cultivation and care points for Nandina together.
1 Propagation Methods
Nandina is mainly propagated by sowing and division. Sowing is done in autumn when the fruit ripens, sowing immediately after harvesting. Cover with grass in winter; seedlings can emerge before Qingming. Build a shade frame in summer, water frequently, and keep the soil moist. It takes 3-4 years to bloom and bear fruit. Division is done before the buds sprout, and this method is mostly used for home propagation.
1.1 Division Method
In spring and autumn, dig out the clustered plants, shake off the old soil, and cut apart at the weak points where the roots join. Each division should have 2-3 stems and a portion of the root system. At the same time, cut off some of the larger pinnate compound leaves. Plant in the ground or in pots. After 1-2 years of cultivation, they will bloom and bear fruit.
1.2 Cutting Method
Spring cuttings are mostly used, from February to March. Select 1-2 year old stems, cut into sections 20-25cm long, remove most of the leaves (it is best to retain the terminal bud), treat with rooting powder, and insert into a sandy loam seedbed. The insertion depth is about 1/2 to 2/3 of the cutting length, with a spacing of about 5cm and row spacing of 10-15cm. Water thoroughly after insertion. After summer begins, a shade frame is needed. Roots generally form after 1 month. Cuttings can also be taken during the plum rain season or in autumn using the same method as spring cuttings, but the cutting medium should be yellow subsoil, or alternatively a mixture of alkaline-leached rice husk ash and fine sand at a 1:1 ratio. Current-year branches can be used as cuttings, covered with plastic film to retain moisture, and a shade frame should be built in time. Roots will form after 1 month.
1.3 Sowing Method
Collect seeds in autumn and sow immediately after collection; after sowing, cover with plant ash and fine soil, and press firmly. In the second year, seedling growth is relatively slow, so frequent weeding and loosening of the soil are needed, along with application of dilute human and animal manure. In subsequent years, pay attention to intertillage, weeding, and topdressing each year. After 3 years of cultivation, they can be lifted for field planting. Transplanting is best done in spring after rain. Before planting, dig up the seedlings with soil; if soil cannot be retained, the roots must be dipped in thin mud slurry, so they are more likely to survive after planting. In the first year after planting, carry out intertillage, weeding, and topdressing once each in spring, summer, and winter, and also replant any missing seedlings. In subsequent years, only carry out intertillage, weeding, and topdressing once in spring or winter each year. When digging roots in winter, cut off and plant the small seedlings that have roots at the base of old plants; the cultivation method is the same as for seed propagation. After 4-5 years of planting, some old stems can be cut and harvested in winter. After 6-7 years, the whole plant can be dug up, the soil shaken off, the leaves removed, and the stems and roots split into thin slices and sun-dried for later use. When the fruit turns red or yellowish-white in October-November, harvest and sun-dry for later use.
2 Key Points of Cultivation and Management
2.1 Planting
It has strict soil requirements and prefers deep, fertile, and well-drained loam. For pot cultivation, repot in early spring each year. When repotting, remove part of the old soil and old roots, apply base fertilizer, and fill in new potting soil. For pot cultivation, divide and repot in spring, appropriately thinning out old branches, using fertile, loose sandy loam. If the plum rain season occurs during flowering, artificial pollination can be done to improve fruiting. Nandina has an elegant tree form, and both the red fruit and roots have ornamental value. Old stumps can be dug up, potted with soil, and made into bonsai, which can be trained into clumping or single-trunk forms. Because flowering and fruiting both occur on new shoots, pruning should be done before spring bud break to promote the sprouting of new branches.
2.2 Water and Fertilizer
Nandina likes moisture but fears waterlogging. During the growing period, the frequency of watering should be adjusted according to weather changes. Generally, water once a day in spring and autumn. In summer, place it in a well-ventilated shady spot, water twice a day, and spray water on the leaves and nearby ground 1-2 times to increase air humidity and lower the temperature. During flowering, the timing and amount of watering need to remain stable, preventing sudden increases or decreases, or alternating wet and dry conditions. In winter, the plant is in a semi-dormant state, so watering should be controlled. Nandina likes fertilizer. From May to September, apply dilute cake fertilizer water once every 15-20 days, and water with 0.2% ferrous sulfate solution about once every 2 months. Move it indoors in early to mid-October. After bringing it indoors, place it in a spot with direct sunlight; it is sufficient as long as the room temperature does not freeze.
2.3 Sunlight
It is best maintained in semi-shade, cool, and humid places. Under strong light, the stems become thick and short and turn dark red, and young leaves become "burned" while mature leaves turn red; in very shady places, the stems are thin and the leaves are long, and the plant clump is loose, which damages its ornamental value and is also unfavorable for fruiting.
2.4 Temperature
The suitable growth temperature is around 20°C, and the suitable temperature for flowering and fruiting is 24-25°C. The winter temperature requirements are very strict. When the ambient temperature is below 8°C, growth stops, so it must be moved into a greenhouse in winter.
2.5 Pruning
Nandina requires attention to pruning. During the growing period, cut off root suckers and densely growing branches, cut off stems with longer fruit clusters, and keep 1 or 2 lower stems to maintain a beautiful plant shape and promote flowering and fruiting.
3 Control of Major Diseases
3.1 Stem Blight
If diseased branches are found, remove and destroy them promptly. In winter, spray Daconil suspension concentrate at 500 times dilution.
3.2 Liu's flat mite
Spray in early spring with 3°Be lime sulfur mixture + 0.3% synthetic washing powder; be sure to spray the branches, trunk, bark cracks, and other areas. When outbreaks are severe, spray 40.7% chlorpyrifos EC at 1500 times dilution, or 73% propargite EC at 2000 times dilution, and be sure to spray the undersides of leaves, petioles, and other areas.
The above are all the key points for growing Nandina. If you have Nandina at home, you can come and learn!
Cultivation and Planting Methods for Nandina
Nandina is also known as Tianzhu. Berberidaceae, Nandina genus. Native to China and Japan.Morphological characteristics: Nandina is an evergreen erect shrub with clustered stems that rarely branch, brown in color, with young branches red. Leaves are opposite, 2-3 times pinnately compound, mostly pinnately compound. The leaf sheath clasps the stem, and the leaflets are leathery, entire, elliptical, with acuminate tips. The panicle is terminal, with white flowers, blooming from May to June. The berry is spherical and red when mature. The root is yellow, hard in texture. The fruiting period is October to November.
Habits: Nandina prefers warm and humid environments and is relatively shade-tolerant. It is also cold-tolerant. Easy to care for. The cultivation soil should be fertile, well-drained sandy loam. It is not very strict about water requirements and can tolerate both moisture and drought. It relatively likes fertilizer and can be given more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. During the growing period, apply liquid fertilizer 1-2 times a month. After several years of ornamental display, potted plants may have aging and shedding branches and leaves, so shaping and pruning can be done. Generally, the main stem can be left at about 15cm, pruned in April, and by autumn it can recover to 1m in height with a full crown.
Key points of propagation and planting: Nandina is mainly propagated by sowing and division. Division is generally carried out in spring. Sowing can be done immediately after seed collection in early winter or in spring. It takes 3-4 years to grow 50cm tall and begin to bloom. In addition, cuttings can also be used for propagation. Select 1-year-old branches as cuttings, 10-15cm long, and insert them into a sand-soil mixed seedbed. Take cuttings from May to June before new buds sprout or when new shoots stop growing in summer. Roots can form in 40-50 days. Division of seedlings can be done in both spring and autumn. The cultivation soil should be kept somewhat moist. Do not water too much during the flowering period, to avoid flower drop.
Brief history of cultivation and flower culture: Nandina's stems are upright like bamboo, and its pinnate leaves spread out beautifully. In autumn and winter, they turn red, exceptionally brilliant. On the spike-like fruit clusters, red fruits are abundant and dazzling. In the Song Dynasty, Yang Xunzhai wrote in a poem: "Flowers bloom after the summer rain, forming red beads even lighter and rounder. Who in the world can cure the heat and vexation? Only the light fragrance purifies karmic ties." This describes the small white flowers blooming after summer rain, with lovely small round fruits covering the branches, making people forget the summer heat. The delicate fragrance of the small flowers dispels worries and brings joy.
Landscape uses: Nandina offers delicate leaves in spring, white flowers in summer, and fruit in autumn and winter, combining red, white, and green. It is a very rare indoor plant for foliage, flowers, and fruit. Planted in courtyards or grown as potted plants, placed outside the entrance hall or beside an indoor pool, it appears striking. Nandina fruit branches are often arranged in vases together with blooming wintersweet and pine branches, symbolizing the Three Friends of Winter: pine, bamboo, and plum. In gardens, it is often planted together with rocks, liriope, and azaleas as clustered plantings in front of courtyard houses, at the edges of lawns, or at garden path corners.
Cultivation Techniques for Nandina
Nandina (Nandina domestica), Tianzhu, Berberidaceae Nandina genus.
I. Overview:
The branches and leaves are elegant. In autumn and winter, the leaf color turns red, and red fruits hang in abundance, lasting a long time without falling, bright and lovely. It has been cultivated in China since ancient times. It is both a common foliage and fruit ornamental plant and a traditional cut flower material.
II. Ecological Characteristics:
Native to China and Japan. It likes warm, humid, and semi-shady environments. It is relatively cold-tolerant, fears strong sunlight and drought, is not tolerant of waterlogging, and has strong sprouting ability. The suitable growth temperature is 15-25°C, and in winter it can tolerate a low temperature of -5°C. The soil should preferably be fertile, well-drained sandy loam.
III. Propagation Techniques:
1. Sowing: Sow immediately after collecting seeds in November. After sowing, leave them outdoors to overwinter. They germinate in April of the following spring, and seedlings need shade for care.
2. Division: Can be done in early spring or autumn. Separate dense mother plants from the roots and soak them in mud slurry before planting.
3. Cuttings: Carry out during the plum rain season. Cut 1-2 year old branches, 15-20cm long, insert into a sand bed, and roots form 40-50 days after insertion.
IV. Cultivation Points:
Seedling transplanting is best done in February to March when buds sprout. After fruit drop each year, cut off the dried inflorescences to keep the plant tidy. Generally, divide once every 3-4 years. If divided too often, it affects growth and fruiting. After autumn, thin-prune to the ground or cut off the trunk; new branches will sprout more vigorously the following spring. Potted soil should not be too dry, nor should the amount of watering be too much. In midsummer, spray water on the leaves more often to increase air humidity. If watered too much or exposed to strong sunlight during the flowering period, flowers easily drop. Apply fertilizer once a month during the growing period, and stop fertilizing in autumn.
V. Pest and Disease Control:
Rust, leaf spot, and anthracnose damage commonly occur, and can be sprayed with 70% mancozeb wettable powder at 600 times dilution. Pests include noctuid moths, scale insects, and aphids, which can be killed by spraying 50% fenitrothion EC at 1500 times dilution.
VI. Green Decoration Applications:
The leaves and fruit of Nandina both have high ornamental value. In classical gardens of Jiangnan, it is often planted in front of and behind courtyards, in shady corners of walls, and beside rockeries and ponds, appearing even more quaint and elegant. In Chinese folk custom, Nandina, wintersweet, and pine branches are often arranged in vases to decorate halls and studies, carrying a rich cultural atmosphere. It is widely used for potted plants or bonsai making, and is also an excellent material for decorating windowsills, in front of mirrors, and entrance halls.