What causes the leaves of the Chinese yew (Taxus chinensis) to drop?
The Chinese yew (Taxus chinensis) is a shallow-rooted plant with fairly well-developed lateral roots. It has a very long history in China, holds high ornamental value, and has a strong anti-cancer effect. Nowadays, quite a lot of people grow the Chinese yew as a potted plant. However, when caring for the Chinese yew, it may drop its leaves, which affects its growth. So what causes the Chinese yew to drop its leaves? Let's take a look below!
1. Improper watering
When growing the Chinese yew, watering is of course indispensable. However, if you water too often and in too large an amount, the soil will become waterlogged, and if the water is not drained in time, the soil will become overly moist. The roots gradually rot from the water, the leaves do not get sufficient nutrients, and the leaves will slowly drop. So when watering, we should decide based on the condition of the soil. If it is grown indoors, then watering about once every three weeks is enough; outdoors, this can be shortened to about two weeks. If the soil is overly moist, then drain it in time.
2. Improper fertilizing
During the growth of the Chinese yew, nutrition is of course also very important. So fertilizing work should be done well, but when fertilizing, you must also pay attention to controlling the amount. Too much or too little fertilizer will have a great impact on the Chinese yew. If too little fertilizer is applied, the leaves lack sufficient nutrients, such as iron and magnesium, causing the Chinese yew to drop leaves, while too much fertilizer will cause fertilizer damage to the Chinese yew. Therefore, when fertilizing, we must pay attention to controlling the amount and frequency of fertilization. It is best to mainly use fertilizer specially formulated for the Chinese yew, to ensure its normal growth.
3. No pruning for a long time
After long-term growth, the number of leaves on the Chinese yew will keep increasing. If the Chinese yew is not pruned during its growth, then the lower branches and trunk of the plant will grow stronger and stronger, causing excessive nutrient consumption and the phenomenon of leaf drop. Therefore, during the growing process, we should pay attention to doing the pruning work well and cut off the excess branches and leaves on the plant. Properly removing the terminal buds and some lateral branches of the plant can not only prevent the branches and leaves from consuming too many nutrients, but also promote root growth and reduce leaf drop.
4. Unsuitable light
Light is also one of the main causes of leaf drop in the Chinese yew. In many cases, the leaf drop of the Chinese yew is mostly caused by unsuitable light. The Chinese yew should not grow in an environment with overly strong light; overly strong light easily scorches its leaves, causing them to yellow and wither. However, a certain amount of light should also be maintained; with insufficient light, the leaves cannot carry out photosynthesis, which likewise causes the leaves to shrivel and drop. Therefore, we should pay attention to controlling light intensity, mainly using scattered light, and do a good job of shading in summer to reduce light intensity.
The above is a brief introduction to what causes the leaves of the Chinese yew to drop. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and we hope it can help everyone!