The Yuanbao tree is a deciduous tree. Also known as the (Maliu) and (Shuimaliu). It belongs to the family Fabaceae and the genus Castanospermum. This genus contains about 9 species, native to the northern temperate zone. China has about 7 species, mainly distributed south of the Yellow River basin, from eastern Shandong in the east, to southern Gansu and below 1500 m altitude in Shaanxi in the northwest, to Hubei and below 1000 m altitude in Sichuan in the west, to Yunnan and Guizhou in the southwest, and to Guangdong and Guangxi in the south.An evergreen broad-leaved tree. Once-pinnatecompound leaves
Planting Methods
Young Yuanbao plants are suitable for small pot cultivation and indoor display; mature plants can serve as garden ornamental plants (in the north, move them to a larger pot and grow them indoors). During growth, the plant needs to be pinched back to maintain a perfect shape. To prolong the ornamental time of the green Yuanbao's "yuanbao", it is best to place it in a cool, semi-shaded location. During the growing period, watering should follow the principle of "water when dry, let dry between waterings", and apply alum fertilizer water once a month. It requires moderate-intensity scattered light, tolerates shade, and must avoid harsh sun exposure in summer. In the north, where the summer air is dry, mist the leaves frequently; the plant should be misted regularly, but avoid water accumulation in the pot, so as to prevent the cotyledons from rotting. In winter, keep the potting soil slightly dry, and do not water until it is dry, to prevent root rot from excess water.
Care Methods
1. Growth habits: The Yuanbao tree likes warmth and humidity, likes fertilizer, fears drought, tolerates waterlogging, and often grows by water. Young trees grow quickly, with the fast-growing period lasting until about 15 years, after which growth gradually slows. It bears fruit relatively early and declines at 40-60 years. It has a deep root system. Its lifespan is relatively short.
2. Watering: Watering the Yuanbao tree is very particular; do not water it directly with tap water, because tap water contains chlorine and other disinfecting substances. If using tap water, it is best to let it sit in the sun for a day first. Water according to "wet-dry" cycles; do not water directly with tap water, as northern tap water is too "hard" (highly alkaline), and the Yuanbao tree's soil prefers acidity.
3. Potting soil: Potted Yuanbao trees should keep the potting soil moist at all times, but there must be no water accumulation. The relative humidity of the environment is best kept above 80%, maintaining a moist potting soil environment.
4. Soil: Use fertile, humus-rich sandy loam mixed with composted wood shavings and small pieces of pine bark, with crushed stone at the bottom of the pot to aid drainage.
5. Pests and diseases: There is sometimes damage from scale insects. In early spring during the budding period, a 0.3-0.5 Baume-degree solution can be used.
6. Temperature: It requires moderate-intensity scattered light, tolerates shade, and must avoid harsh sun exposure in summer. In the north, where the summer air is dry, mist the leaves frequently; the plant should be misted regularly, but avoid water accumulation in the pot, so as to prevent the cotyledons from rotting. In winter, keep the potting soil slightly dry, and do not water until it is dry, to prevent root rot from excess water.
7. Environmental requirements: Good ventilation and light transmission; do not plant too densely; pay attention to cleanliness and hygiene, and after the flowering period ends, promptly pull up and burn damaged stems and leaves to reduce sources of infection;
8. The cultivation method of the Yuanbao tree is actually very simple, just like growing yellow bean sprouts. After the seeds are planted, they swell in water and the outer shell cracks and falls off. Through photosynthesis, the color changes from yellow to green. After the small sprout emerges from the middle of the seed, it splits the seed into two symmetrical semicircles, growing into the first pair of cotyledons shaped like a yuanbao.
Pest and Disease Control
Chinese wingnut (Pterocarya stenoptera) suffers from witches' broom disease, longhorn beetles, slug moths, scale insects and other pests, which should be controlled early. The walnut leaf beetle can sometimes cause quite serious damage to Chinese wingnut. The wingnut jumping weevil severely damages Chinese wingnut and Chinese hickory in Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and other places.
Yuanbao tree powdery mildew generally infects the leaves first. The symptoms of this disease mostly occur on the underside of the leaves. In the early stage, there are chlorotic spots on the leaves; when severe, they are covered with a powdery mildew layer, and later the diseased leaves are covered with small black dots, which are the cleistothecia of the pathogen. The pathogen Phyllactinia corylea karst belongs to the subphylum Ascomycotina, class Pyrenomycetes, family Erysiphaceae, genus Phyllactinia. The hyphae grow on the surface and extend into the epidermal cells. The cleistothecia are 70-119 um in diameter, with 5-10 appendages, hypha-like, brown, and septate.
The occurrence pattern of this disease: The pathogen overwinters as cleistothecia on diseased residues. In the following spring when it warms up and conditions are suitable, it releases ascospores for primary infection, and later produces conidia for re-infection, spread by wind and rain. This disease has a long occurrence period and can occur from May to September, with more severe occurrence in August and September.
The main control methods are: 1. Pay attention to ventilation and light transmission; do not plant too densely; increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to improve the plant's disease resistance. 2. Pay attention to cleanliness and hygiene, and after the flowering period ends, promptly pull up and burn damaged stems and leaves to reduce sources of infection. 3. Chemical control can be carried out in two stages, before budding or during the growing period, and care should be taken to avoid the plant's flowering period and high-temperature period (above 32°C).
For chemicals, 25% triadimefon wettable powder at 1500-2000 times dilution, or 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 1000 times dilution can be used. Spray once every 10 days; the number of sprays depends on the development of the disease. In winter or early spring during the plant's dormant period, 3-5 Baume-degree lime sulfur mixture can be used to spray the nursery ground; in early spring during the budding period, a 0.3-0.5 Baume-degree solution can be used. When using eradicant agents, combining them with clearing the disease sources gives better results.