Fujian Tea, also known as Carmona, let us get to know this plant

Scientific name: Carmona microphylla

Aliases: Carmona

Family and genus: Boraginaceae, Carmona genus

Phylum: Angiosperms

Class: Dicotyledons

Subclass: Sympetalae

Morphological characteristics:

A shrub, 1-3 m tall, much branched; young branches cylindrical, with minute stiff hairs.

Leaves alternate on long shoots, clustered on short shoots, leathery, obovate or spoon-shaped obovate, 0.9-5 cm long, 0.6-2.3 cm wide, base gradually narrowed into a short petiole, margin with a few teeth in the upper part, veins sunken on the upper surface of the leaf and slightly raised beneath. Cymes axillary or on short shoots, with slender pedicels; calyx about 4 mm long, lobes 5, longer than the calyx tube, spoon-shaped linear; corolla white, bell-shaped, about 6 mm long, lobes 5, lanceolate; stamens 5, slightly exserted beyond the corolla; style deeply 2-cleft. Drupe spherical.

Distribution:

In Guangdong, Fujian and Taiwan, China and other provinces. Also found in other tropical regions of Asia.

Growth habits:

Fairly shade-tolerant, it prefers a warm and humid climate, is not very cold-hardy, and thrives in loose, fertile, well-drained slightly acidic loam. Highly adaptable and extremely tolerant of pruning.

For cultivation, pond mud rich in humus is mostly used; after being air-dried in the wind and sun, an appropriate amount of sand is mixed in to increase its permeability.

Management is relatively extensive; plant in early summer and repot once every 2-3 years.

Propagation methods:

Mostly propagated by cuttings; both stem cuttings and root cuttings work, and they root very easily.

Uses:

Fujian Tea has a short tree form, dense branches, green leaves and white flowers, emerald leaves and red fruit, and a peculiar elegant posture. Its flowering period is also long: flowers in spring and fruit in summer, flowers in summer and fruit in autumn, creating a contrast of green leaves and white flowers, green fruit and red fruit.

Bonsai grown from old tree stumps is even more quaint and elegant. It is suitable for viewing in all four seasons, and is at its best in summer when the tender new leaves emerge. In the production of Lingnan-style bonsai in our country, it is one of the main varieties.

It can also be planted in courtyards for viewing. Because of its strong growth and tolerance of pruning, it is also often planted as a hedge in the Fujian and Guangdong areas.