A Detailed Guide to the Planting Methods and Key Technical Points for Redbud

The redbud (Cercis chinensis), of the genus Cercis in the family Fabaceae, is a deciduous tree or shrub native to China. Redbud likes sunlight and has a certain degree of cold tolerance; it prefers fertile, well-drained soil and does not tolerate waterlogging; it suckers readily and tolerates pruning. The redbud is also a symbol of family harmony and deep family bonds.

Redbud Propagation Methods

1. Cuttings

Carry this out during the summer growing season: cut off the current year's young shoots to use as cuttings and insert them in sandy soil, where they can also survive, but this is not commonly used in production.

2. Grafting

Common redbud or giant redbud with strong growth can be used as rootstock, but because giant redbud does not have strong cold tolerance, it should not be used in northern regions. Use buds or branches of superior cultivars such as the Canadian red-leaf redbud as scions; the scions must be of a pure cultivar with vigorous growth, and select plump branches from the sunny outer side of plants that have no pests and diseases or few pests and diseases. After collecting the scions, remove the leaves and graft promptly. Branch grafting can be done in April to May and August to September, and bud grafting in July. If the weather is dry, irrigate thoroughly once 1 to 2 days before grafting to improve the grafting survival rate.

3. Sowing

From September to October, collect ripe pods and take out the seeds, then bury them in dry sand and place them in a cool place to overwinter. Sow from late March to early April the following year, and treat the seeds before sowing so that the seedlings come up evenly and strong. Soak the seeds in 60°C warm water and continue soaking for 3 to 5 days after the water cools. Change the cold water once a day; after the seeds absorb water and swell, place them at 15°C to force germination, drenching with warm water 1 to 2 times a day. After they show white, sow them in a seedbed, and the seedlings can come up evenly in 2 weeks; thin the seedlings appropriately after emergence. When they have 4 true leaves, they can be transplanted into a nursery, and loose, fertile loam is best for the beds. For ease of management, plant in wide and narrow rows, with wide rows 60 cm, narrow rows 40 cm, and plant spacing of 30 cm to 40 cm. Seedlings are not cold-tolerant and need to be protected over winter with a plastic arched shed.

4. Division

Redbud readily produces root suckers at the roots. In October in autumn or before sprouting in spring, use a sharp knife to sever the lateral roots connecting the sucker shoots to the mother plant and plant them separately; they take root easily. Those divided in autumn should be heeled in for winter protection, and planted out in March in spring. They generally can bloom the following year.

5. Layering

This can be done in any growing season, and March to April in spring is better. For air layering, choose 1- to 2-year-old branches, use a sharp knife to score and girdle the bark about 1.5 cm, exposing the xylem, apply rooting powder solution (diluted according to the instructions) about 3 cm above the scored part, and after it dries, wrap a cylindrical plastic bag around the scored part, fill it with loose garden soil, water it, and tie both ends tightly. Check after one month; if the soil is too dry, add water to keep it moist, and after rooting, cut it off and plant it separately.

For clump-form trees, choose relatively thin, flexible 1- to 2-year-old branches from the outer part, score the base, apply rooting powder solution, bend them sharply and bury them in the soil, press bricks or stones on top to hold them in place, and support the tip with a stick to keep it upright. They are generally separated and planted separately in March of the following year. Some branches do not root in the same year and can continue to be buried and pressed, and they can root the following year. Continue burying and pressing, and they can root the following year.

Care Methods

1. Sunlight exposure: Redbud likes warm sunlight, so when growing redbud, increase sunlight exposure; during growth, sunlight is indispensable to promote growth.

2. Water spraying: If the soil is dry, water appropriately; in spring and winter it is enough to keep the soil moist, while summer and autumn are relatively dry, so try to water once each morning, and during drought increase the amount of watering and spray the leaves appropriately to maintain moisture.

3. Regular fertilizing: When fertilizing, the editor suggests using only dilute fertilizer solution throughout, and not applying concentrated fertilizer, otherwise the leaves easily turn yellow. In spring, fertilize about once every ten days; in autumn after the Autumn Equinox, fertilize once every eighteen days; each fertilizing should be done at around four or five o'clock in the evening, and never fertilize at noon.