Meiren Mei (Prunus mume 'Meiren') blooms profusely and has high ornamental value

Meiren Mei is a cultivar of the Yinglimei type in the Yinglimei series of Mei (Japanese apricot), bred in the 1980s by the French from a cross between the red-leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea') and a Gongfen-type cultivar, and later introduced to China.

Compared with other Mei cultivars, Meiren Mei differs in its morphological features: the small branches are grayish dark purple, the large branches grayish brown-purple, and the foliage tinged with dark purplish red. The flower buds are broadly elliptical, pale purple-pink. The normal flowering period is March in the Yangtze River basin, and somewhat later in the north. The petals number 25 to 28, arranged radially, with the flower center exposed. The flower diameter is 29 to 34 mm, and the flower form is roughly saucer-shaped, with the petal edges appearing as if dancing. The color of both the upper and lower surfaces of the petals is about pale purple, with the flower center darker. There are 5 sepals, recurved, dark purple, and the pedicel is 0.4 to 0.9 cm long. For potted plants, the following three points must be noted:

I. Pots and soil There is no restriction on the material of the container used for cultivation, but a clay pot or ceramic pot with good permeability is preferable. A pot diameter of about half the crown diameter is more suitable. A loose, fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.5 to 6.8 is best. The growing medium is generally prepared from 50% garden soil, 30% leaf mold, 10% fine sand, and 10% barnyard manure, or 30% cake fertilizer. Young plants can be repotted once a year, while mature plants are repotted once every 2 to 3 years. Repotting must be done after flowering or in late autumn.

II. Watering and fertilizing Meiren Mei is fairly sensitive to water, especially in summer and autumn; too much watering readily causes green leaves to drop, while too little water causes the tips to scorch and the leaves to curl. The principle of watering is not to water unless the soil is dry, and to water thoroughly when watering. From late June to mid-July is the critical period for flower bud differentiation in Mei, and water must be withheld appropriately, generally watering only a small amount once the leaves begin to curl. For fertilizing potted plants: first, when potting or repotting, apply sufficient base fertilizer using farmyard manure, bone meal, or phosphate fertilizer. Second, from spring to autumn, apply liquid fertilizer once every half month or a complete-element compound fertilizer once a month. Third, before flower bud differentiation and when the buds are ready to open, apply an additional quick-acting fertilizer to promote budding and flowering.

III. Shaping and pruning Meiren Mei is vigorous by nature and has strong sprouting ability, so it must be shaped once a year and pruned several times. Shaping is best done after flowering, with heavy pruning according to ornamental needs, so as to maintain a graceful plant shape and good ventilation and light penetration. Routine pruning mainly removes dead branches, diseased branches, upright branches, and crossing branches, and shortens water sprouts.