Key Techniques for Summer Flower Propagation and Care

In June, most parts of the country enter early summer, with temperatures rising noticeably, rainfall increasing and air humidity growing; the Jianghuai River basin enters the plum rain season one after another. The overall climate is characterized by damp heat and longer daylight hours. At this time, most flowers enter a period of vigorous growth; because temperature and humidity are suitable and semi-mature branches are produced in large numbers, it is also the best season for cutting propagation.

Flower Propagation

1. Sowing

Flower and tree species that can be sown in June include: primrose, lotus, sago palm, loquat, wintersweet, zinnia, Tillandsia, and bottle gourd orchid.

2. Cuttings

Summer has high temperatures and high humidity, and the cambium in flower and tree branches is highly active, making it the best time for cutting propagation. There are two major categories of flowers and trees suitable for softwood cuttings in summer. One category consists of species that are difficult to root or slow to root from hardwood cuttings, such as osmanthus, camellia, banana shrub, Chinese holly, wintergreen, lilac, purple magnolia, spreading hedgehog holly, coral tree, coral bean, Belgian azalea, Buddha belly bamboo (with aerial roots), rubber tree, dawn redwood, pond cypress, bald cypress, etc.; the other category consists of species that root relatively easily, such as boxwood types, Chinese rose, firethorn, winter jasmine, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, broom, jasmine, bead orchid, lantana, kerria, bougainvillea, fingered citron, lemon, Buddhist pine, nandina, Chinese trumpet creeper, red-backed eucalyptus, honeysuckle, Chinese hibiscus, cordyline, golden-stamen hypericum, dragon-claw willow, banyan, Brazilian iron, croton, mock orange, crape myrtle, Reeves spirea, peach coral types, schefflera types, mahonia types, hydrangea, poinsettia, etc. It also includes a large number of other herbaceous flowers, such as ground ivy types, nasturtium, umbrella plant, geranium, coleus, begonia types, pansy, globe amaranth, zinnia, French marigold, African marigold, sulfur cosmos, etc.

3. Grafting

Use potted seedling wintersweet as rootstock and approach-graft superior wintersweet varieties; use potted purple magnolia and white magnolia seedlings as rootstock to approach-graft white orchid, banana shrub, etc. For bud grafting, use wild rose seedlings as rootstock to propagate superior Chinese rose varieties by grafting; use one-year-old seedlings of apricot, peach, plum, etc. as rootstock to propagate longevity peach, ornamental peach, purple-leaf plum, red-leaf peach, dwarf flowering cherry, plum blossom, elm-leaved spirea, etc. by bud grafting; use 1- to 2-year-old green maple seedlings as rootstock to propagate red maple, feather maple, red maple, etc. by grafting. For scion grafting, use oil tea, red-flowered oil tea or single-petal seedling camellia as rootstock to graft camellia and sasanqua; use purple butterfly and jade butterfly among azalea as rootstock to cleft-graft or side-graft Belgian azalea or Western azalea.

4. Layering

Flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering in June include: azalea, honeysuckle, hydrangea, snowball flower, viburnum, weigela, oleander, osmanthus, camellia, plum blossom, wintersweet, lilac, gardenia, red maple, orchid tree, bead orchid, jasmine, white orchid, rubber tree, croton, pitcher plant, etc.

5. Division

Flower species that can be propagated by division in June include: sword fern, calla lily (after flowering), Buddha belly bamboo, umbrella plant, purple-backed oyster plant, bromeliad types, Haworthia, aspidistra, spider plant, sweet flag types, variegated lilyturf, German iris, Tillandsia, snake plant, etc.