Introduction to the New Tree-form Honeysuckle Variety

I. Characteristics and Advantages

(1) Wide adaptability. It is drought-tolerant and waterlogging-tolerant, cold-tolerant and not afraid of heat, tolerant of poor soil, and fond of fertilizer and water. It performs well in slightly acidic, slightly alkaline, and neutral soils.

(2) High flower-setting rate and many flower needles. The flower needles are thick and long. Compared with traditional honeysuckle, a traditional honeysuckle generally grows 2 flower needles at one node, called "double flowers," while the tree-form honeysuckle can grow 20-50 flower needles at one node, and up to more than 100 in some cases, and they are 1.5 times the length of traditional flower needles.

(3) Long flowering period, concentrated flowering. After the flower needles mature, they do not open or drop within 15 days, allowing a single concentrated harvest, saving labor and time, reducing the number of drying sessions, reducing pollen loss, unaffected by weather, ensuring quality, and allowing avoidance of rainy weather and busy farming seasons.

(4) Fast growth speed and good stem and leaf luxuriance. It can be directionally cultivated into a "honeysuckle tree" up to 2 m tall, shaped like a weeping willow, 5-10 times that of a crown of the same age, with annual branches reaching 1 m, and the branches are as thick as chopsticks. The leaves are twice those of traditional flowers and leaves, and it does not shed leaves in winter, maintaining a emerald green color. A 3-4 year old crown can occupy 4 sq m.

(5) Good flower quality and high medicinal content. The flower needles are uniform in size, with bright and pure color, shaped like silver bars and chrysanthemums. According to testing by the drug inspection department, the comprehensive index of medicinal content is 1.5 times higher than that of traditional silver flowers.

II. Cultivation Points

(1) Planting method. Deeply plow and loosen the soil, apply sufficient farmyard manure, and plant at a row spacing of 2 m x 2 m. Plant 1 tree-form honeysuckle in each pit, water thoroughly, and cover with soil and tread firm. Use about 170 seedlings per mu.

(2) Shaping management. In early winter or early spring, prune off the senescent dry branches and overly dense excessive vegetative branches, so as to facilitate nutrient concentration and the growth of flowering branches.

(3) Pest and disease control. For rust disease, spray with 200-250 times diluted original powder of dinocap sodium; for aphids, use 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1000-2000 times dilution for control. Note: Toxic pesticides are strictly prohibited during the silver flower bud stage.