Is "Mei Gui Ying" (Oriental Cherry) a perennial flower? Understand the planting methods of Mei Gui Ying.

The editor will tell you whether "Meigu cherry" is a perennial flower and introduce some small experiences in plant cultivation to understand the planting methods of "Meigu cherry", as follows:

I: Species Introduction

"Meigu cherry", also known as "草五色梅", belongs to the verbena family verbena plant. It is native to the tropical regions of America. It is originally a perennial herb, but because the perennial roots cannot survive the winter in the north, it is usually cultivated as an annual or biennial. "Meigu cherry" plants are low and grow rapidly, with many horizontal branches at the bottom, presenting a creeping growth habit. The flowering period is long, the flower colors are rich, including white, pink, red, rose red, purple, blue and other colors, and bicolors, slightly aromatic. There are several types, such as "thin-leafed Meigu cherry", "Canadian Meigu cherry", and "red-leafed Meigu cherry". The flowering period in the open field is from early spring to early summer, lasting 2-3 months, and it can continue to bloom indoors.

II: Growth Habits

1. Light "Meigu cherry" prefers a sunny environment and requires ample sunlight from seedling growth to flowering, resulting in strong stem and leaf growth, dense flower branches, and bright flower colors. If it is kept in a semi-shaded state or lacks sunlight for a long time, the stems and leaves tend to elongate, flowering decreases, the flowers become smaller, and the flower colors are not bright.

2. Temperature It prefers a warm climate and is also tolerant of cool climates, but dislikes high temperature and humidity. The growth temperature is 5-28℃, with the optimal temperature around 15℃. It can endure a low temperature not lower than -4℃.

3. Water "Meigu cherry" is sensitive to water during growth, fearing drought and积水. Watering should follow the principle of "moist when dry". The seedling stage requires moist soil to promote growth. After the seedlings grow, they become more drought-resistant, and sufficient water should be ensured if the temperature is high and water consumption is high.

III: Planting Introduction

1. Propagation

It can be propagated by seeding or cutting. Spring sowing blooms from April to June, and autumn sowing blooms from the following February to May. The optimal temperature for seed germination is about 18-20%. The seed germination rate is relatively low, so more seeds should be used when sowing. Soaking and then refrigerating the seeds before sowing can increase the germination rate. After sowing, cover the soil with no more than 0.2 centimeters, maintain moisture, and provide moderate sunlight. It usually germinates in 15-20 days and can be transplanted after the plants have more than 6 leaves.

Propagation by cutting is easy. Cut the strong branches, each about 4-6 nodes long, and shallowly bury the stem nodes in loose sandy soil. Keep the soil moist, and under 15-20℃ conditions, it can take root and grow into seedlings in about 15 days. Transplant when the seedlings have 5-6 leaves, and plant when they are 7-8 centimeters tall.

2. Potting

The soil should be well-ventilated and drained. It can be mixed with peat soil, perlite, and river sand. The pH value should be between 6.0-7.5. Remove tall, weak, or old seedlings when potting and classify them by size. The planting depth should maintain the original soil depth of the seedlings. Planting too deep can easily lead to stem rot. After planting, it is advisable to water with 800 times the amount of "Diksong" to prevent diseases.

3. Growth

Within one week after planting, shade the plants and keep the soil moist to promote the growth of surface roots. After one week, water when the top 1/3 of the potting soil surface becomes dry. When the roots grow, fertilize with a nitrogenous fertilizer mainly, supplemented by phosphorus, potassium, and calcium fertilizers, once a week.

After the seedlings adapt, when the plant height is more than 10 centimeters, pinch the tips, leaving 2-3 pairs of true leaves to maintain a compact and full plant shape. After pinching, spray a fungicide and fertilize once. "Meigu cherry" has a strong growth habit and good branching. During the peak growth period, it can be trimmed multiple times according to the growth and branching situation to promote branching and make the pot flowers more full. Timely fertilization should be done to avoid too many branches that become weak.

Fertilize 7 days before the "Meigu cherry" buds with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers mainly and nitrogenous fertilizers as a supplement to promote more and brighter initial flowers. Maintain strong sunlight during flowering to keep the flower colors bright, water in the morning, and avoid watering in the afternoon. During flowering, control the plant shape to promote more branching and flowering. Remove the残 flowers in time after flowering to extend the flowering period.

4. Disease and Pest Control