Henna Flower Planting Methods and Cultivation Techniques: A Detailed Explanation of Key Points
The henna flower plant belongs to the phylum Angiospermae - class Dicotyledoneae - subclass Archichlamydeae - order Myrtales - family Lythraceae - genus Lawsonia. Specific characteristics: a glabrous large shrub, up to 6 m tall; branchlets slightly 4-angled. Leaves opposite, thinly leathery, elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, 1.5-5 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, apex shortly acuminate, base cuneate or gradually narrowed into the petiole, lateral veins 5 pairs, slender, slightly raised on both surfaces. Inflorescence up to 40 cm long; flowers extremely fragrant, white or rose-red to vermilion.
Planting Methods
The henna flower likes sunlight and fears moisture; it tolerates heat but not cold, and is suited to loose, fertile, slightly acidic soil, though it also tolerates poor soil. Lawsonia has strong adaptability, transplants easily and grows quickly.
The henna flower is propagated by seed, sown from March to September, with sowing in April being most suitable, so that it can bloom in early to mid-June, and the flowering period can last more than two months; before sowing, the seedbed should be watered thoroughly to keep it moist; then cover with a thin layer of soil about 3-4 mm, taking care to shade it, and seedlings can emerge after about 10 days; when the seedlings grow 2-3 leaves, transplanting should begin, and afterwards they should gradually be planted in the ground or potted for cultivation.
When the henna flower is grown in pots, the seedlings can be transplanted once they have grown 3-4 leaves. Start with a small-diameter pot, gradually move them into larger pots, and finally plant them permanently in a large pot with a 20 cm diameter. Begin applying liquid fertilizer 10 days later, once every week. After planting permanently, the main stem of the plant should be pinched to enhance its branching ability; flowers that open at the base should be removed at any time, as this will encourage the tips of each branch to bloom successively.
The henna flower has strong vitality and good adaptability, and generally has few pests or diseases. If powdery mildew appears under high temperature and high humidity, it can be controlled by spraying with a 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 800-fold solution; if leaf spot disease occurs, it can be controlled with a 50% carbendazim wettable powder 500-fold solution; the main pest of Lawsonia is the red hawk moth, whose larvae will chew on henna leaves. If this pest is found, it can be removed by hand-catching.