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Detailed Guide to Planting Methods and Cultivation Techniques for Red-back Excoecaria

Growing Techniques By Emily Carter 0 views
Shrubs

Morphological characteristics:

Red-back Excoecaria (Excoecaria cochinchinensis) is an evergreen shrub. Leaves opposite, rarely also alternate or nearly 3-whorled, papery, blade narrowly elliptic or oblong, 6-14cm long, 1.2-4cm wide, apex long acuminate, base attenuate, margin sparsely finely toothed, teeth 3-10mm apart, both surfaces hairless, upper surface green, lower surface purplish red or blood red; midvein raised on both surfaces, lateral veins 8-12 pairs, arcuately ascending, curved and arched to connect away from the margin, reticulate veins inconspicuous; petiole 3-10mm long, without glands; stipules ovate, apex acute, about 1mm long.

Flowers unisexual, plants dioecious, gathered into axillary or rarely also terminal racemes, male inflorescences 1-2cm long, female inflorescences composed of 3-5 flowers, slightly shorter than male inflorescences. Male flowers: pedicel about 1.5mm long; bracts broadly ovate, length and width nearly equal, about 1.7mm, apex mucronate and finely toothed, base with 1 gland on each side of the upper surface, each bract with only 1 flower; bracteoles 2, linear, about 1.5mm long, apex acute, upper part with lacerate fine teeth, base also with 1 gland on each side; sepals 3, lanceolate, about 1.2mm long, apex finely toothed; stamens long-exserted beyond the sepals, anthers round, slightly shorter than the filaments. Female flowers: pedicel stout, 1.5-2mm long, bracts and bracteoles same as those of male flowers; sepals 3, slightly connate at the base, ovate, 1.8mm long, nearly 1.2mm wide; ovary spherical, hairless, styles 3, free or more or less connate at the base, about 2.2mm long.

Capsule spherical, about 8mm in diameter, base truncate, apex sunken; seeds nearly spherical, about 2.5mm in diameter. Flowering almost year-round.

Characteristics:

Leaves resemble those of sweet osmanthus, upper surface oily green and glossy, bright green to emerald green, shiny, lower surface a rich deep blood red. The whole plant is toxic from top to bottom, with the milky sap being more toxic. Poisoning symptoms: Red-back Excoecaria belongs to the tumor-promoting category of plants, secreting tumor-promoting substances, and the soil in which such plants have been grown has also been detected to contain activating components of carcinogens. It can induce nasopharyngeal carcinoma and esophageal cancer.

Propagation methods:

Cutting propagation

For Red-back Excoecaria, cutting in June-July is best. Cut mature branches 12-15cm long, keep the 2 leaves at the tip, remove the lower leaves, and after the milky sap at the cut has dried, insert into a sand bed, maintaining a room temperature of 20-25°C. Roots form after 30-40 days, and after 50 days they can be potted.

Water cutting propagation
Generally in June-July, cut current-year tender shoots with a heel, about 10cm long, keep the upper 1-2 small leaves and the terminal bud, cut the base of the cutting into a slanted surface, insert into a glass bottle, with the cutting submerged 3-5cm deep in water. After inserting, place in a spot with diffused light, change the clean water about once a week, and after about 40 days fine new roots will grow, at which point they can be taken out of the water and transplanted into pots.


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