Introduction to the Propagation Methods of the Chinese Yew (Taxus wallichiana var. mairei)

Select a suitable nursery site: choose a fertile, loose, neutral or slightly acidic soil plot with good drainage, preferably a plot within woodland or a semi-shaded fertile plot. Apply sufficient base fertilizer, rake level, and prepare the beds ready for planting.

Seed propagation

The seeds mature in October. After timely harvesting, place them in a mixture of water and fine sand (water-to-sand ratio 2:1). Rub the seeds on a washboard to remove the outer seed coat and wear down the hard fleshy seed coat. Choose a shady, dry plot that does not accumulate water, dig a pit, and store the seeds in the pit mixed with damp river sand at a 1:2 ratio. Take them out in March of the following year, clean the seeds, soak them for 20 minutes in 50-degree baijiu and 40°C warm water (1:1), then remove them and soak them in 0.05% gibberellin (920) for 20-24 hours to break dormancy and increase the germination rate. At the end of March, move them into a greenhouse to force germination, with a temperature requirement of 20-25°C. When the seeds "show white" (begin to sprout), they can be sown in spots.

Sowing and transplanting

Make the beds 1 m wide, with a suitable length. Sow the seeds in the beds, cover with 2.5 cm of soil, water thoroughly, and cover with film. Germinated seeds can also be spot-sown in beds covered with plastic film, with a row spacing of 20 cm and a plant spacing of 10 cm. Generally, seedlings emerge in 20-30 days. When the seedlings have grown 3-4 leaves, thin and transplant them on a cloudy day, with a row spacing of 20 cm and a plant spacing of 10 cm. After planting, water, cultivate, and weed to promote growth. Because the Chinese yew grows slowly and is most afraid of strong light, appropriate shading is beneficial for growth. Generally, current-year seedlings can reach 10-15 cm, with the tallest reaching 20 cm; 2-year-old seedlings reach 50-90 cm; and 4-year-old seedlings reach 1.5-2 m in height.

Cutting propagation

From May to June each year, cut semi-lignified branches of the current year as cuttings; select mother trees under 10 years of age. The length is 15-20 cm. Cut off the lower small branches, cut the needles into a horseshoe shape, and soak them in ABT No. 7 rooting powder at a concentration of 30×10-6 to 50×10-6 for 3-12 hours. Then insert the cuttings into a seedling bed with river sand as the substrate. The bed should be 1 m wide, with a suitable length, and the cutting depth is 3-5 cm. The row-to-plant spacing is 10 cm × 8 cm, and water should be sprayed immediately. Build a frame over the bed, cover it with plastic sheeting, spray water 2-3 times daily, and after half a month spray water once daily. Generally, keep the ground temperature at 20-30°C, avoid strong light, and roots will form in 30-40 days. During this period, foliar fertilizers such as brassinosteroid can be sprayed to promote growth.

After the seedlings have rooted, manage them carefully to promote vigorous growth, and provide appropriate ventilation and light to harden the seedlings and increase stress resistance. After hardening, they can be transplanted into a large seedling bed.

The seedlings generally grow in the seedling bed for 2-3 years, with regular spraying of auxin and foliar fertilizer and careful management each year. When the seedlings are 50-100 cm tall, they can be planted in mountain afforestation in continuous stands. The planting time can be either late autumn or spring, with a plant-to-row spacing of 3 m × 4 m. They can also be planted along streets and in parks as ornamental trees.