How to propagate osmanthus? Detailed explanation of daily care and management methods
How to plant osmanthus? The following article introduces osmanthus one by one, from its growing environment, varieties (variants) and propagation methods. Let us take a look together at how this fragrant and charming flower, osmanthus, is grown.
1 Morphological characteristics, distribution and habitat of osmanthus
1.1 Morphological characteristics of osmanthus
Osmanthus is an evergreen tree or shrub, reaching a maximum height of 18 m, with grayish-brown bark and superimposed buds. The simple leaves are leathery and opposite, oblong, 7-14 cm long, with acuminate tips, wedge-shaped bases, entire margins or serrations on the upper half, and hairless on both sides. Cymes are clustered in the leaf axils; the flowers are small, yellow-white or orange, and highly fragrant. The drupe is purple-black and obliquely elliptical. The flowering period is from September to early October, and the fruiting period is March of the following year.
1.2 Origin and distribution of osmanthus
Osmanthus belongs to the genus Osmanthus in the family Oleaceae, and ranges from evergreen shrubs to small trees. It is distributed in the Yangtze River basin and areas to its south, the northern subtropical deciduous and evergreen broad-leaved mixed forest zone, the mid-subtropical evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forest zone, and the southern subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest zone. China is the homeland of osmanthus, with a cultivation history of more than 2,500 years. Wild species grow in Sichuan, Yunnan, Hunan, Jiangsu and other places, and it is now widely planted in the Huai River basin and areas to its south. Its suitable growing area can reach as far north as the lower reaches of the Yellow River and as far south as Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and other places.
1.3 Suitable growing environment for osmanthus
Osmanthus prefers warmth and humidity, and dislikes waterlogging; it likes light and is slightly shade-tolerant, with 6-8 h of sunlight per day, has strong stress resistance but is not cold-tolerant; it prefers deep, well-drained, humus-rich, slightly acidic sandy loam, and dislikes alkaline soil; it is resistant to HF, Cl2 and others and has adsorption capacity.
2 Varieties (variants) and ornamental value of osmanthus
2.1 Common cultivar groups
At present, 32 osmanthus cultivars have been preliminarily organized and identified, divided into 4 cultivar groups.
① Cultivar group. The characteristic is that the angle between the main vein and lateral veins of the leaf is large, nearly perpendicular. It includes Daye Sijigui and Xiaoye Sijigui.
② Cultivar group. Evergreen shrub, dioecious, with a round spherical crown. The bark is light gray and relatively smooth, with sparse lenticels. It includes Dahua Dangui, Zhusha Dangui, Kuanyehong and others.
③ Cultivar group. Evergreen small tree, vigorous tree vigor, gray bark, with round or elliptical lenticels. It includes Dahua Jingui, Liuyesugui, Boyejingui and others.
④ Cultivar group. The crown is round spherical, with dense branches and leaves and good growth. The bark is light gray, with many large lenticels resembling snowflakes. It includes Baijie, Chunbai Yingui, Qingshan Yingui and others.
2.2 Variants of osmanthus
The variants of osmanthus are as follows.
① Sijigui group, 18 kinds. Flowers are white or yellow, with a very long flowering period, opening continuously several times from May to September;
② Dangui group, 37 kinds. Flowers are orange-red or orange-red, blooming in autumn;
③ Jingui group, 43 kinds. Flowers are yellow, blooming in autumn;
④ Yingui group, 56 kinds. Flowers are nearly white, blooming in autumn.
2.3 Ornamental value of osmanthus
Osmanthus stays evergreen all year round, and its flowering period falls in mid-autumn, with fragrance spreading for miles and filling the air. As a famous ornamental plant, osmanthus is often planted in courtyards, parks or temples. In modern landscaping, it is often planted on lawns and open spaces, and can also be used as a street tree or hedge; when arranged with rocks and pines and cypresses, the effect is good. There are many excellent places in China for enjoying osmanthus, such as the Guilin landscape, known as "the finest under heaven," where there is a saying, "Guilin, Guilin, osmanthus trees form forests"; the ancient capital Jinling has a total of 6 osmanthus-viewing spots: Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Xuanwu Lake, Zhenzhu Spring, Yuhuatai, Nanjing Forestry University (the global osmanthus research center) and Nanjing Normal University. The first is the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, where more than 20,000 osmanthus trees of more than 40 cultivars are planted in the scenic area, and an osmanthus exhibition is held every year, attracting many people to come and view them.
3 Propagation methods of osmanthus
Osmanthus is mainly propagated asexually, including grafting, sowing, layering, cutting and other methods. The relevant details differ slightly depending on the cultivar, as follows.
3.1 Grafting method for osmanthus
Rootstocks can use glossy privet, white wax and others. It is suitable for spring and summer, and the survival rate is higher when grafting on cloudy or rainy days. Before budding in early spring, cut off the rootstock 5 cm above the ground, select a robust 1- to 2-year-old branch 10-12 cm long as the scion, and cut both sides of the base into 45° slopes. Make a vertical cut about 1/3 of the way along one side of the rootstock, 2-3 cm deep. Insert the scion into the cut, align the cambium, tie tightly, and bury in soil for cultivation. The disadvantage is poor compatibility and relatively slow healing of the graft union.
3.2 Layering method for osmanthus
There are 2 types: low layering and air layering. ① Low layering. It is necessary to choose a low-branching or clustered mother osmanthus plant, and from spring to early summer, cut or girdle to the xylem a 1- to 2-year-old easily bent branch on the lower part, press it into a 3-5 cm deep trench and fix it. ② Air layering. In spring, select a 1- to 2-year-old branch from the mother tree, girdle it, then wrap the wound with a culture medium and tie a plastic bag tightly. During cultivation, always keep the medium moist, and after roots form in autumn, cut it away from the mother plant. The disadvantage is that it has certain limitations, being restricted by season, mother plant and so on.
3.3 Cutting method for osmanthus
Before sprouting in spring, select 1-year-old, fully developed branches and cut them into 5-10 cm lengths. Keep 2-3 leaves on the upper part, insert them into a river sand or yellow soil seedbed, with a plant-row spacing of 3 cm × 20 cm. Water and shade promptly, maintain a temperature of 20-25°C and a relative humidity of 85%-90%, and roots can form in 2 months. The disadvantage is the same as the layering method.
4 Cutting management
At present, field production mainly uses softwood short-cuttage propagation, because this method is convenient for material collection, simple to operate and has a high survival rate. A brief summary is as follows.
4.1 Cutting time
It is suitable from mid-May to mid-July or from mid-September to mid-October each year. This is because at this time the new shoots have completed vegetative growth, stored more nutrients, have strong tissue meristematic ability, and the external temperature is suitable, making rooting easy.
4.2 Nursery site selection
The nursery should choose deep, loose and fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic sandy loam. The seedbed should be leveled to the specification of width × height × path width = 0.90 m × 0.15 m × 0.40 m, and the soil should be disinfected with FeSO4 at 75 kg/hm2. The bed surface can be covered with a shade net with a shed height of 2 m and 50% shading rate.
4.3 Selection and treatment of cuttings
Use vigorous, pest-free, excellent osmanthus plants as mother trees. Cut current-year semi-lignified softwood shoots from the upper outer periphery of the crown as cuttings, with those on the sunny side of the middle and upper parts being the best. Cut each cutting into 8-10 cm, keep 2 leaves on the upper part, cut the top flat and the base obliquely, tie into small bundles by grade, soak for 1 h in 1/10000 No. 1 ABT rooting powder, and insert into beds separately by diameter class. The insertion depth is 2/3 of the cutting, with a plant-row spacing of 3 cm × 20 cm, and 1.5 million plants/hm2 can be inserted.
4.4 Management after cutting
After cutting, water or spray promptly, and shade, maintaining a temperature of 20-25°C, soil moisture of about 50%, and air relative humidity of 85%-90%. After 7 d, sterilize the seedbed with an aqueous CuSO4 solution. Depending on how dry the weather is, spray water once every 2-4 h during the day to keep the leaves moist. In the early stage of cutting, keep the shade shed shading degree at about 80%; after 10 d, spray once with 0.2% monopotassium phosphate or 0.5% superphosphate and 0.1% urea solution, and weed frequently; after 1 month, the young seedlings have basically rooted, so the film can be removed to increase light, keep watering 1-2 times per month, and apply 0.05% foliar fertilizer Yemianbao as a top dressing; after 4 months, remove the shade net in due course to harden the seedlings. When the seedlings are 6-8 cm tall, promptly add 5% top dressing CO(NH2)2, spraying and watering once every 15 d for 3 consecutive times. They can be transplanted and potted in September-October or the following spring.
The above is all the content on osmanthus varieties (variants), ornamental value and propagation methods. Friends interested in osmanthus cultivation, please read it carefully.
Osmanthus cultivation techniques: daily management precautions for growing osmanthus at home
Osmanthus has luxuriant branches and leaves, stays evergreen through the four seasons, has twisted roots and elegant posture, brilliant flowers and fruit, and rich floral fragrance. It also has biological characteristics such as strong sprouting ability, tolerance to pruning and long lifespan, making it a good tree species for processing into tree bonsai. Osmanthus is a flower that many flower lovers like to grow. What are the osmanthus cultivation techniques? Let us take a look below at osmanthus cultivation techniques.
I. External characteristics
Osmanthus has an extremely strong fragrance. The flowers are axillary and form cymes; the flowers are small but strongly fragrant, and flower color varies by cultivar. There is Dangui, with strong growth vigor, thick branches and trunks, relatively large leaves, rough leaf surface, dark green leaf color and orange-red flowers; Yingui, with medium growth, smooth leaf surface, serrated leaf margins and milky white flowers, with dense flowers and a sweet, rich fragrance; and Sijigui, with relatively strong growth, smooth leaf surface, sparse serrations or entire margins, pale yellow flowers, sparse flowers and light fragrance, which, in addition to blooming at the same time as the above cultivars from September to October in autumn, can also bloom once every 2 or 3 months. Dangui and Sijigui have purple-black drupes, commonly known as guizi. Osmanthus seedlings have an obvious taproot, and the root system is developed and deep. Young roots are light yellow-brown, and old roots are yellow-brown. The root system of grafted seedlings varies with the rootstock; cuttings buried in soil tend to produce adventitious roots in various places, but without an obvious taproot. Osmanthus has strong branching ability and low branching points, especially obvious in youth, and because of this it often appears shrub-like. After dense planting or pruning, it can form an obvious trunk. The bark is rough, gray-brown or gray-white, sometimes showing lenticels. The leaf surface is smooth, leathery, dark bright green on the adaxial side and lighter in color on the abaxial side; elliptical, oblong, ovate, obovate, lanceolate, oblanceolate, long-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate.
II. Living environment
Osmanthus prefers a warm environment and is suitable for growing in deep, well-drained, fertile, humus-rich, slightly acidic sandy soil. It is not tolerant of drought and barrenness. On shallow, compacted and poor soil, it grows especially slowly, with sparse branches and leaves, small thin leaves, yellowed leaf color, no flowering or very little flowering, and even periodic dieback of the top, and in severe cases the entire osmanthus plant dies; it likes sunlight, but has a certain shade tolerance. Young trees need some shade, and after maturity they require relatively sufficient light to ensure normal growth of osmanthus. According to observation, when one side of a single osmanthus crown is close to a wall, or when the crowns of two osmanthus trees overlap each other, the side close to the wall or the overlapping part of the crown quickly becomes sparse, affecting the overall shape and beauty of the crown. It can be seen that osmanthus is suitable for planting in ventilated and light-transmitting places; osmanthus likes a clean and ventilated environment and is not tolerant of smoke and dust damage, and after being damaged it often cannot bloom; it fears waterlogging and standing water. If harmed by waterlogging, the root system turns black and rots, the leaves first have scorched leaf tips, then the whole leaf turns yellow and falls off, eventually leading to the death of the whole plant; it is not very cold-tolerant, but compared with other evergreen broad-leaved tree species, it is still a relatively cold-tolerant tree species, which provides more possibilities for potted osmanthus in the north. Whether osmanthus bears fruit also depends on the cultivar, and many do not bear fruit.
III. Pay attention to the following five points in daily management:
1. Avoid excessive watering. Water management for potted osmanthus is relatively difficult. Too much watering often causes leggy growth, and poor drainage and water accumulation in the pot easily cause root rot. Therefore, daily care must be careful not to water too much, and even in the pre-flowering stage when more water is needed, overly wet potting soil should be avoided. After rain, drain accumulated water in the pot promptly, and watering should be properly controlled during the flowering period, otherwise serious flower drop will occur. In autumn rainy weather, the flower pot should immediately be moved to a balcony or a sheltered place under the corridor away from rain and wind, and as far as possible use the gaps between two rainy periods to let the plant receive more light.
2. Do not shade excessively. Osmanthus is a long-day plant and likes strong light. If the plant cannot get sufficient light during the growth period, its branches and leaves will grow leggy, affecting flower bud formation and causing failure to bloom.
3. Keep nutrients sufficient. If potted osmanthus is not repotted or given fresh soil for years, the plant will suffer from insufficient nutrition, and the root system will become root-bound and unable to spread, affecting flowering. For this reason, potted osmanthus should be repotted once every 1 to 2 years, and a small amount of hoof pieces should be applied as base fertilizer; throughout the growth period, more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied.
4. Strengthen winter care. After being brought indoors in winter, it should be placed in a low-temperature place to let it go dormant, so that it can grow vigorously the next year with abundant flowers and luxuriant leaves. If the room temperature is relatively high, osmanthus cannot get sufficient dormancy, which will cause it to sprout and unfold leaves early, leading to weak branches and consumption of large amounts of nutrients, and after being taken outdoors in spring, it is prone to shrinking and dying when encountering dry wind.
Too much watering in winter or insufficient light at the placement site can easily cause the plant to shed large numbers of leaves, affecting flowering the next year.
5. Prevent smoke and dust pollution. Osmanthus is not tolerant of smoke and dust. If it is allowed to grow in a place with polluted air, it will grow poorly, with smaller leaves that fall off easily, and fewer flowers or no flowers.
IV. Osmanthus cultivation techniques
1. Cultivar selection
Different osmanthus cultivars do not all bloom at the same time. For example, Yueyuegui, Sijigui and others are early-flowering cultivars with the characteristic of blooming several times a year. Some cultivars require a relatively long vegetative growth period from seedling raising to flowering, such as Jingui, Yingui, Dangui and others, which often take several years to bloom. Therefore, try to choose short, sturdy early-flowering plants for planting.
2. Potting soil preparation
Osmanthus likes to grow in slightly acidic soil rich in humus (with a pH of 5.6-6 as suitable), and must not be planted in alkaline soil or heavy clay soil. The culture soil can be made by mixing 4 parts humus soil, 3 parts sandy soil and 3 parts decomposed dry manure powder, with a small amount of fish scales, bone meal and so on, or by mixing 5 parts mountain soil, 3 parts leaf mold and 2 parts sandy soil. In order to overcome the alkalinity of the soil and water quality, during the growth period, spray once about every half month with a 0.1%-0.2% ferrous sulfate solution, making the branches and leaves dark green and also benefiting growth.
3. Timely watering
The number of times to water osmanthus depends on the weather at the time and the growth condition of the plant. Generally, water once every 2-3 days in spring; in summer, when temperatures are high and evaporation is large, and it is exactly the stage of osmanthus development and flower bud differentiation, water once a day; in early to mid-September, the potting soil needs to remain moist, otherwise it is not easy to bloom. However, during the flowering period, do not water heavily, to prevent flower drop. On cloudy and rainy days, drain promptly to prevent root rot from water accumulation. At ordinary times, it is suitable to maintain a water content of about 50% in the potting soil. Before bringing it indoors in early winter, water thoroughly once. During the maintenance period, water once about every 10 days at noon on sunny days, but the water temperature should preferably be close to room temperature.
4. Skillfully apply top dressing
Osmanthus likes fertilizer, so top dressing should be strengthened. From April to May, apply once about every half month; from June to July, apply once every 7-10 days. Apply the last time in early August. In this way, osmanthus will not only grow luxuriantly, but also bloom more and be fragrant. Decomposed cake fertilizer water, chicken, duck and pigeon manure, fish scale water, superphosphate and bone meal, etc. can be used. If fertilizer is insufficient, there will be fewer branches, fewer flowers, and no fragrance.
5. Proper pruning
Osmanthus has a developed root system and strong sprouting ability. Adult osmanthus trees send out shoots twice a year. Therefore, to make it bloom abundantly and have luxuriant leaves, and to maintain the physiological balance between reproductive growth and vegetative growth, proper shaping and pruning must be carried out. After mid-autumn, cut off all the leggy branches produced in summer and autumn, leaving robust spring-grown branches. Before sprouting the following spring, cut off weak branches, densely growing branches, pest- and disease-damaged branches and so on. In this way, it not only helps ventilation and light transmission, but also concentrates nutrients completely on the spring-grown branches and flower buds, creating good prerequisites for autumn flowering, achieving the effect of "one action, multiple gains."
The above is the relevant introduction in this article. I believe that after reading it, you also have a simple understanding of it. If needed, you can continue to follow No. 1 Home Network to learn more information.
Osmanthus cultivation methods and precautions
Osmanthus is the common name for many trees in the genus Osmanthus in China, also known as Yangui, Muxi, Jinsu and so on. It is an excellent garden tree species that combines greening, beautification and fragrance and has both ornamental and practical uses. It can be pure and clean when light, and its fragrance can spread far when strong, worthy of being called superb. Since ancient times it has been deeply loved by Chinese people and regarded as a traditional famous flower. Now let us take a look at osmanthus cultivation methods and precautions!
Growth habits of osmanthus
1. Osmanthus likes warmth and has strong stress resistance. It is both tolerant of high temperatures and relatively cold-tolerant. In areas south of the Qinling Mountains and Huai River in China, it can overwinter in the open field.
2. Osmanthus relatively likes sunlight and can also tolerate shade. Under full light, its branches and leaves grow luxuriantly and it blooms densely; in shady places, it grows sparse branches and leaves and has few flowers.
3. Osmanthus likes moisture and fears waterlogging and standing water, but it also has a certain drought tolerance. If harmed by waterlogging, it may lead to the death of the whole plant.
4. Osmanthus does not have strict soil requirements. Except for alkaline soil and low-lying land or overly heavy, poorly drained soil, it can generally grow.
Propagation methods of osmanthus
1. Sowing: Osmanthus fruit usually matures from April to May. After harvesting, sprinkle water and pile it for composting, remove the flesh, place it in a cool place to let the seeds dry naturally in the wind, store mixed with sand, and after sand storage it can be sown in autumn or spring. Before sowing, prepare the land well and apply sufficient base fertilizer; it can also be sown in indoor seedbeds. When sowing, place the seed hilum sideways to avoid bending of the radicle and young stem, which would affect seedling growth in the future.
2. Grafting: Before osmanthus sprouts in spring, cut off the rootstock 5 cm above the ground, cut a robust 1- to 2-year-old osmanthus branch 10-12 cm long, cut one side of the base into a 2-3 cm long cut surface, and cut the opposite side into a small 45-degree slope. Make a vertical cut about 1/3 of the way along one side of the rootstock, about 2-3 cm deep, insert the scion into the cut, align the cambium, tie tightly with a plastic bag, and then bury in soil for cultivation.
3. Cutting: Osmanthus cutting is usually carried out before sprouting in spring using 1-year-old fully developed branches, cut into 5-10 cm lengths, remove the lower leaves, keep 2-3 green leaves on the upper part, insert into a river sand or yellow soil seedbed, with a plant-row spacing of 3*20 cm. After cutting, water or spray promptly and shade, maintaining a temperature of 20-25°C and a relative humidity of 85-90%. After 2 months, they can root and be transplanted.
4. Layering: The low layering method for osmanthus is to select from spring to early summer a relatively robust 1- to 2-year-old branch on the lower part of a low-trunk mother tree, choose an easily bent part, cut or girdle it with a sharp knife, press it into a 3-5 cm deep trench, and fix the layered branch with a wooden stick. The air layering method is to select a robust 1- to 2-year-old branch from the mother tree in spring, cut a ring or girdle it in the same way as the low layering method, then smear the wound with a culture medium, tie plastic bags tightly above and below, and after rooting in autumn cut it away from the mother plant for maintenance.
Osmanthus cultivation methods
1. Potting soil: Osmanthus does not have high soil requirements. The potting soil can be mixed with humus soil or peat, garden soil, sandy soil or river sand (ratio 5:3:2). After preparation, the pH should remain at 5.5-6.5. Before potting, disinfect the culture soil with a 0.1% potassium permanganate solution.
2. Watering: For watering osmanthus, master the principle of not watering until dry, and watering thoroughly when watering. Spray clean water on the leaf surface once a day. After Qingming Festival, move the osmanthus outdoors and water thoroughly once. In summer, water in the morning and evening; in winter, water around noon. Be careful not to let water accumulate.
3. Fertilizing: Osmanthus is mainly grown for its flowers, so it should be supplied with sufficient fertilizer. During shoot growth, nitrogen fertilizer can be applied 1-2 times; before flower bud differentiation and flowering, phosphorus fertilizer should be the main application. Before fertilizing, the potting soil should be slightly dry, and it is best to loosen the soil first; on the second day after fertilizing, water once.
3. Repotting: Osmanthus usually needs to be repotted and given fresh soil once every 2-3 years. Cut off part of the old roots and dead roots, place a layer of river sand or vermiculite at the bottom of the pot to facilitate aeration and drainage, and place decomposed cake fertilizer as base fertilizer. When filling with soil, it must be compacted firmly.
4. Pruning: Shaping of osmanthus is best done after autumn. For plants with very poor tree shape, the entire top branches can be cut off at 2/3 or 3/4. For plants with overly dense branches, thinning pruning should be carried out. After flowering, leggy branches, dead branches, pest- and disease-damaged branches, and densely growing weak branches should also be cut off.
5. Overwintering: The suitable room temperature for overwintering osmanthus is 0-5°C, with a relative humidity of 50-80%. In winter, the light in a cold room should be good, especially before buds begin to sprout in early spring, when sufficient sunlight is even more required. The following year, after Grain Rain, arrange to move them outdoors; after moving out, first place them together in a wind-sheltered, sunny place outdoors.
6. Diseases: Common diseases of osmanthus include leaf spot, sooty mold, algal leaf spot, root rot, iron deficiency and so on. Leaf spot, sooty mold and algal leaf spot can be controlled by spraying Bordeaux mixture or carbendazim. For root rot, care should be taken to keep the soil loose and aerated, and avoid water accumulation.
7. Pests: Common pests of osmanthus include sawflies, whiteflies, mites, long white scale insects, yellow stinging caterpillars and so on. Sawflies, whiteflies and mites can be killed by spraying dimethoate. For long white scale insects, in addition to manual brushing off, first- and second-generation nymphs can be killed by spraying omethoate or fenitrothion.
Precautions for osmanthus
1. Water management for potted osmanthus is relatively difficult. Too much watering often causes leggy growth, and poor drainage and water accumulation in the pot easily cause root rot. Therefore, daily care must be careful not to water too much, and even in the pre-flowering stage when more water is needed, overly wet potting soil should be avoided.
2. Osmanthus is a long-day plant and likes strong light. If the plant cannot get sufficient light during the growth period, its branches and leaves will grow leggy, affecting flower bud formation and causing failure to bloom. Therefore, do not shade excessively during cultivation.
3. If potted osmanthus is not repotted or given fresh soil for years, the plant will suffer from insufficient nutrition, and the root system will become root-bound and unable to spread, affecting flowering. For this reason, potted osmanthus should be repotted once every 1 to 2 years, and a small amount of hoof pieces should be applied as base fertilizer; throughout the growth period, more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied.
4. After potted osmanthus is brought indoors in winter, it should be placed in a low-temperature place to let it go dormant. If the room temperature is relatively high, osmanthus cannot get sufficient dormancy, which will cause it to sprout and unfold leaves early, leading to weak branches and consumption of large amounts of nutrients, and after being taken outdoors in spring, it is prone to shrinking and dying when encountering dry wind.
5. Potted osmanthus is not tolerant of smoke and dust. If it is allowed to grow in a place with polluted air, it will grow poorly, with smaller leaves that fall off easily, and fewer flowers or no flowers. Therefore, during cultivation, prevent osmanthus from being polluted by smoke and dust.