How to grow Chinese lantern (flowering maple)? A detailed guide to cultivation methods
1. Growth habits
To grow Chinese lantern, you should first understand its growth habits. Chinese lantern likes sunlight and can also tolerate a little shade, but it is not cold-tolerant and prefers a warm, humid environment. However, its vitality is quite strong, so its requirements for soil are not high, but if you want it to bloom more and grow densely, soil that is fairly fertile and slightly acidic is still best.
2. Planting methods
Chinese lantern is mostly propagated by cuttings. This is generally done from June to August. When taking cuttings, choose vigorous 1- to 2-year-old branches or semi-lignified young shoots of the current year as cuttings. The cuttings should be about 10 cm long; remove the lower leaves and insert them half or 1/3 deep into the soil.
3. Water and fertilizer
Chinese lantern likes warmth and humidity, so after cuttings are taken, water thoroughly in time to keep the soil moist. During the growing period, ensure sufficient watering, but do not overwater; as long as the soil is not dry, it is fine. During the budding and growing periods, Chinese lantern has fairly high fertilizer requirements, so fertilize once or twice a month, which ensures vigorous growth.
The above is an introduction to the cultivation methods for Chinese lantern. Although Chinese lantern has strong growth power, as long as watering and fertilizing are controlled well, it can generally grow normally and vigorously. However, during cultivation and care, some points should also be noted to ensure it grows more vigorously and blooms more abundantly.
Cultivation methods for Chinese lantern
Chinese lantern is propagated by cuttings. Use vigorous 1—2-year-old branches or semi-lignified young shoots of the current year as cuttings. Pruning the plant promotes branching and is beneficial for flowering. In areas of China north of the Yangtze River, it is grown in greenhouses. Young plants can be tip-pruned to improve light conditions, increase side branches, expand the crown, and promote flowering.
A 2-year-old Chinese lantern propagated by cuttings can reach a height of about 2 m, with a main stem diameter of 2-3 cm. The stem is grayish green, and the stems of perennial plants are gray or grayish brown. Its ability to sprout new shoots in spring is very strong; branches sprout from the leaf axils, and the current-year branches are emerald green, with a relatively low degree of lignification and soft branches.
Chinese lantern has two types of leaves. One is ovate, 10 cm long, with a long petiole, and the entire petiole is uniform in thickness; the other is palmate, 12-18 cm. The leaves are arranged in whorls, with 4-9 leaves per whorl. In places with good light or on vigorous plants, the leaves are generally palmate; in places with poor light or on slightly weaker plants, the leaves are ovate.
Precautions for growing Chinese lantern
1. Avoid strong light
Although Chinese lantern likes sunlight, the intense sunlight of summer can also make its leaves turn yellow and dry up, so in summer be sure to provide appropriate shade. If it is grown in a pot, you can move it indoors to a semi-shaded place for cultivation, which ensures light while avoiding strong light.
2. Avoid waterlogging
Chinese lantern is not drought-tolerant and not waterlogging-tolerant. During care, pay attention both to watering in time and to preventing water from accumulating at the roots, so as to avoid root rot.
3. Avoid low temperatures
Winters in northern regions are cold, so in winter move Chinese lantern to a warm indoor place and make sure the indoor temperature does not fall below 5 degrees. When the temperature is high at noon, you can move it outdoors to receive two or three hours of light, which can also increase its cold resistance.
Chinese lantern will take root about one month after cuttings are taken. At this time, in addition to watering, fertilizing, and improving light, also pay attention to pinching to encourage more side branches. During care, for ornamental purposes, timely pruning should also be done, which can promote a full crown and large, beautiful flowers.