How to grow Aglaia odorata? Detailed guide to cultivation methods and precautions

Aglaia odorata, also known as Chinese rice flower, tree orchid, fragmented rice flower, fish roe orchid, woody pearl orchid, wood pearl orchid, orchid wood, Sailanxiang, four-season rice flower, and tree pearl orchid, is an evergreen shrub or small tree of the genus Aglaia in the Meliaceae family.

Aglaia odorata flower meaning: With love, life will bloom.

Growing region: Native to southern Asia. Widely cultivated throughout the tropical regions of the world. In China, it is distributed in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan and other places, and is mostly grown as a potted plant in the north.

Benefits of growing it: The leaves are lush and green, the tree form is graceful, and the flowers are golden and shining, giving it ornamental value; the flowers can be used to extract essence; the stems are fine-grained and can be used for carving and making furniture; Aglaia odorata can absorb sulfur dioxide and gas from the air, and it also releases volatile oils with bactericidal effects, purifying the air and benefiting human health.

Flowers and leaves: Odd-pinnate compound leaves, alternate, with dark green leaflets. Panicle-shaped flowers, borne at the leaf axils at the ends of the tree, yellow, with a rich fragrance.

Variety selection: There are four commonly cultivated types of Aglaia odorata, namely Aglaia odorata, Taiwan Aglaia odorata, large-leaf Aglaia odorata, and four-season

Plant selection: A healthy plant has glossy leaves and golden-yellow flowers.

Choosing a flower pot: A tall clay pot.

Preparation of growing soil: Aglaia odorata likes loose, fertile, slightly acidic soil, so the growing soil can be a mix based mainly on leaf mold.

Preparation method 1: Mix compost, leaf mold, and river sand in a 1:2:1 ratio.

Preparation method 2: Mix leaf mold, manure, and river sand in a 4:3:3 ratio.

Planting: Place about 3~5 cm of coarse sand or charcoal crumbs at the bottom of the pot as a drainage layer, then spread a small amount of growing soil on top, put the plant in the center of the pot, and firm the soil while filling so the roots are in close contact with the soil. After potting, water thoroughly once, then water sparingly over the next half month and keep it in partial shade to encourage new roots; afterward, water promptly when the potting soil becomes slightly dry.

If it is a seedling, wait until it grows new leaves before gradually exposing it to light, and keep the environment moist. Note that after potting, the temperature should be kept above 15°C.

Fertilizing: After temperatures rise in spring, once Aglaia odorata has been moved outdoors for a week, loosen the soil and apply some dilute nitrogen fertilizer; you can use 10%~20% decomposed cake fertilizer water, and afterward apply liquid fertilizer about once every 10 days to promote the growth of branches and leaves.

Starting in June, Aglaia odorata enters its vigorous growth and flowering period, lasting until mid-October. During this time, apply a stronger fertilizer based mainly on phosphorus fertilizer about once every 15 days, or spray a 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution once every 15~20 days; this can also appropriately ensure more abundant flowering.

During the flowering period, phosphorus fertilizer must be the main nutrient, otherwise the plant will only grow leaves and not bloom. From June to October, if fertilization is insufficient, buds may easily wither without opening, the number of flowerings may decrease, and the flowers may lack fragrance.

Watering: Aglaia odorata likes moisture but not excessive wetness. Generally, water again when the surface of the potting soil dries and turns pale; be sure to water thoroughly, indicated by water flowing out from the bottom of the pot. At the same time, watering Aglaia odorata should vary according to the growth stage and seasonal climate changes.

Generally after Qingming, Aglaia odorata is moved out of the room. The amount of watering should begin to increase. Water less on cloudy days, do not water on rainy days, and on sunny days generally water once every 2~3 days.

In the high-temperature seasons of summer and autumn, Aglaia odorata is in its vigorous growth period and needs a lot of water, so it is generally watered once a day. On hot sunny days, it may sometimes need watering once in the morning and once in the evening. But on rainy days, promptly pour out any accumulated water in the pot to prevent root rot.

In late autumn, as the weather gradually turns cooler, the growth of Aglaia odorata slows down, so watering should gradually be reduced to prevent excessive moisture causing leaf drop and root rot; generally watering once every 3~4 days is sufficient.

In winter, as temperatures drop, Aglaia odorata enters dormancy and its water requirement decreases, so it can be watered once every 10~15 days, keeping the potting soil moist but not overly dry. If the potting soil is grayish-white, it proves the soil is already very dry, and it should be watered promptly at noon on a sunny day, otherwise long-term water shortage will cause the plant to wither and die. Do not water during severe cold and continuously overcast and cold weather. In winter, the water temperature should be close to or slightly higher than that of the potting soil to prevent damage to the root system.

Warm reminder: Aglaia odorata leaves easily fall; if the leaves drop when you touch them lightly by hand or shake the flower pot, this indicates the plant is being overwatered, the leaf petioles have already formed an abscission layer with the branches, and chlorophyll has decreased, affecting photosynthesis, which results in the plant lacking nutrients and becoming weak and dying.

Pruning: Aglaia odorata can be shaped from the seedling stage, keeping a main trunk section 15~20 cm high, and preventing the main branches from growing in clusters from ground level.

Because Aglaia odorata produces flower spikes from the axils of new leaves, new leaves are generally not pruned. However, if Aglaia odorata has overwintered indoors or has been cultivated outdoors, a small amount of dead branches often appear, and these dead branches should be pruned at any time to maintain a beautiful tree shape and benefit plant growth. Therefore, when moving it outdoors in spring, a pruning can be carried out to cut off dead branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, and thin, weak, overly dense branches, so as to enhance ventilation and light penetration and concentrate nutrients.

During its growth period, pruning is generally not needed, but if it grows too densely, some non-flowering inner branches or crossing branches can be properly pruned, and irregularly growing or overly tall branches can be shortened to facilitate light and ventilation.

If after several years of pot cultivation the plant grows too tall, the overly dense and tall parts can be removed to make it produce more side branches and bloom more. It can also be bent into shapes to improve ornamental value. The material removed by pruning can also be used for cutting propagation.

Light and temperature management: Aglaia odorata is a sun-loving flower and can only grow robustly in an environment with sufficient light, sufficient fertilizer, and good ventilation; it is not cold-tolerant and is slightly shade-tolerant.

During the care of Aglaia odorata, it can be given sufficient sunlight in all four seasons, with daily light duration of 8~12 hours or even longer, so that the plant will grow luxuriantly, the leaves will be dark green, the branches will be thick and strong, more flower buds will form, the number of flowerings will increase, the flower color will become brighter, and the fragrance will become richer. If Aglaia odorata is kept in an environment with insufficient sunlight, the plant will grow leggy, the branches will be weak, the number of flowerings will decrease, and the fragrance will become weaker.

Aglaia odorata likes warmth, and the higher the temperature, the more brilliant and fragrant the flowers it produces. The most suitable growing temperature is between 20°C~35°C. Therefore, from June to October, some plants can flower as many as 5 times. When the temperature is above 30°C, under sufficient sunlight, the flowers it produces are very rich; if the temperature is below 30°C and light is insufficient, the fragrance of the flowers it produces will decrease. In winter, when the temperature is below 10°C, it enters dormancy, and below 5°C it is prone to cold damage.

Flowering and fruiting period management: The flowering period of Aglaia odorata is June~October each year. To make the plant bloom better and more, loosen the soil and fertilize frequently, and once a week apply a diluted liquid fertilizer made from fermented fish scraps, internal organs, eggshells, and vegetable peelings, diluted with more than half water. When Aglaia odorata grows new shoots, remove the yellow-brown fuzzy leaf buds to reduce nutrient consumption and retain the green, white-tinged flower buds. In addition, maintain a sunny, warm, and humid environment with fertile sandy loam so it can grow well. Prune branches and leaves promptly to ensure ventilation and light penetration; in such an environment, it can be encouraged to grow healthily and bloom frequently.

Aglaia odorata can only grow well with sufficient sunlight and is not shade-tolerant, so after winter begins, the flowering period can be regulated by controlling the duration of light, making it possible for it to bloom as usual during Spring Festival. If the flowering time needs to be delayed, light can be reduced; if flowering needs to be forced, the light duration can be extended, and artificial light can be added for several hours at night, which can promote the buds to open earlier.

Before the flowers form buds, apply more phosphorus fertilizer so as to produce more buds.

Repotting: For potted Aglaia odorata, generally repot and change the soil once every two years, and the most suitable time is about one week after it is moved out in spring. Because the root system of Aglaia odorata is mainly fine fibrous roots, it is very easy to damage the roots when repotting, so in order to damage the roots as little as possible, do not break up the old soil on the plant when repotting; keep more old soil, only remove the old soil where there are no roots, and then use a knife to cut away rotten roots.

Wash the pot or replace it with a new pot that has already been soaked, and replace it with new growing soil. When changing the soil, an appropriate amount of phosphorus fertilizer can be added at the bottom of the pot as a base fertilizer, but not too much. After potting, place it in a cool, shaded place to recover; after about a week, move it to a sunny place and enter normal management.

Propagation: The main propagation methods for Aglaia odorata are layering and cutting.

Layering propagation mostly uses the air layering method, and the best time for layering is during the plum rain season.

Choose a one-year-old woody branch, then perform ring-barking about 20 cm from its base, with a bark removal width of about 1 cm; 2~3 small branches can be kept above it, and all lower side branches should be cut off. Then apply moss or peat to the ring-barked area, noting that the moss and peat must be sterilized beforehand before use. After wrapping, tie it tightly above and below with plastic film; do not let the lower part leak water, and the upper part can be tied slightly looser. Then spray water on the wrapped area promptly to keep it moist. After 2~3 months it will root, and afterward cut it from the mother plant and plant it.

Cutting propagation: This propagation method is mainly carried out from June~August. You can cut healthy, already woody branches of the current year as cuttings, about 10 cm long, keep 2~3 small leaves at the tip, remove the lower leaves, and insert them into a cutting bed with peat as the substrate or with sand and perlite as the substrate, inserting about 4 cm. Then water thoroughly and seal the mouth of the cutting pot with plastic film to keep it warm and moist. Keep the indoor temperature at about 28°C and humidity at about 95%, keep the cutting bed moist, and after nearly 2 months they can root and be transplanted. If before cutting, the cut end of the cutting is soaked in a 500 ppm naphthaleneacetic acid solution for about 20 hours, then rinsed clean before cutting, it can promote earlier rooting of the cuttings.

Overwintering: Around Frost's Descent, when the temperature drops below 10°C, Aglaia odorata should be brought indoors. For household pot cultivation, as long as the indoor temperature in winter is not lower than 5°C, it can overwinter safely; even if the branch tips lose leaves because the weather is slightly cold, after pruning and repotting in the following spring, and then strengthening water and fertilizer management and careful care, it will quickly send out new leaves and bloom again.

If particularly cold weather occurs, you can cover the plant with two layers of plastic bags to keep it warm, and poke a few small holes in the plastic bags for ventilation. Remove the plastic bags every 1~2 days to let it breathe fully, otherwise the leaves will turn yellow.

The indoor temperature is best kept between 8°C~10°C. If the temperature is too high, the top branches easily sprout new buds and consume nutrients, and when moved outdoors in spring, the shoot tips easily wither, directly affecting the next year's growth and flowering.

During overwintering, also avoid indoor temperatures fluctuating suddenly between high and low, and do not frequently change the placement location.

During the overwintering period, keep the potting soil moist; too dry will cause yellowing and leaf drop, and too wet will cause leaf drop and root rot. When the air is dry, water can be sprayed on the leaf surface, preferably at noon on a sunny day, and the temperature of the sprayed water should be similar to that of the potting soil. If stains appear on the leaf surface, clean them so the plant can breathe normally.

If for a period of time, due to various factors such as going out, you cannot water Aglaia odorata, you can place the Aglaia odorata pot on a shallow tray with moist soil, letting the plant absorb a tiny amount of water from the bottom of the pot.

If withered leaves are found, remove them promptly to avoid excessive nutrient consumption and to prevent them from affecting appearance.

After bringing it indoors, also pay attention to ventilation, but do not place it in a drafty passage, to avoid cold damage.

The time to move it outdoors should be after Qingming, and only consider moving it outdoors when the temperature is basically stable above 15°C. Before moving it outdoors, first let it adapt to the outside environment; you can open the windows and let Aglaia odorata gradually adapt to the outside air, and after a transition period, move it outdoors.

Pest and disease control: The main diseases of Aglaia odorata include stem rot, anthracnose, and Aglaia odorata chlorosis; the main pests include white moth wax cicadas, aphids, red spider mites, and scale insects.

Stem rot: If the plant develops stem rot, in the early stage of the disease promptly apply 0.5%~1% Bordeaux mixture or 70% thiophanate 800-fold solution to the branches and trunk.

Anthracnose: Anthracnose is the main disease to which Aglaia odorata is susceptible, often breaking out from June~October. Infected leaves begin from the leaf tip and leaf margin and gradually turn brown. If the petioles and stems are infected with this pathogen, they will also gradually turn brown.

To control this pathogen, promptly cut off the diseased body after discovering diseased branches and leaves, cut off the source of infection, and then improve ventilation conditions.

You can also spray a 1000~1200-fold potassium permanganate aqueous solution.

Aglaia odorata chlorosis: This disease is relatively common and mostly occurs at the turn of spring and summer in hot, rainy seasons. Infected plants have new leaves lacking green, withered shoot tips, and in severe cases even cause the whole plant to die. This disease is mostly caused by alkaline soil; improve the soil so that it is slightly acidic, and loosen the soil.

Red spider mites and aphids: If the plant is harmed by the above-mentioned pests such as red spider mites and aphids, they can all be killed by spraying with a 40% dimethoate 1000~1500-fold aqueous solution or a 1200-fold dichlorvos aqueous solution.

Best placement location: Outside a south-facing window.