What are the propagation methods for purple magnolia cuttings?
Knowledge snippet: Here is an introduction to the propagation methods of purple magnolia cuttings and the best location for planting magnolia trees in the garden. Detailed information is provided below.
Purple magnolia is a deciduous small tree of the Magnoliaceae family, also known as木兰 or Xinyi, and is a plant unique to China. The flowers of purple magnolia are beautiful and pleasant, with elegant fragrance. Whether planted alone or in groups, they are very attractive, featuring graceful shapes, abundant branches and flowers, large purple blooms, and are excellent for garden and street绿化 plants. It is a traditional flower with a history of over 2000 years in China.
The propagation methods of purple magnolia include cutting propagation, seed propagation, division propagation, grafting propagation, and layering propagation.
I. Seed Propagation: The key is to collect and sow seeds at the right time. Collecting seeds too early results in a low germination rate, while collecting them too late may cause seed loss. The best time to collect seeds is in autumn when the fruits of purple magnolia turn red and are about to crack open. After collecting, spread the fruits thinly in a ventilated and shady place, then soak and wash the fruits in cold water or use lime slurry to wash out the seeds. Seeds can be collected or sown immediately. If sowing in the spring of the following year, dry the seeds indoors and store them in sand. Forty days before sowing, soak the seeds in 40℃ water for 24 hours, then mix them with three times the amount of moist sand to induce germination. When half of the seeds have cracked and the white cotyledons are visible, they can be sown.
II. Cutting Propagation: The cutting propagation method involves taking cuttings in early spring before the trees have budded. Use robust branches from the lower part of the trunk, about 1 cm in diameter, cut into 20-15 cm long cuttings, and plant them in a prepared bed. Mark the bed with lines spaced 15-20 cm apart and make holes every 3-5 cm with a small stick. Insert half to two-thirds of the cutting diagonally into the hole, compact the soil, and water once. After planting, shade and keep the soil moist. Plant growth regulators can be used to treat the cuttings of purple magnolia to promote rooting. Common regulators include indole butyric acid, indole acetic acid, naphthyl acetic acid, 2,4-D, and rooting powder, all of which have a good effect on promoting root growth.
III. Layering Propagation: Low layering is usually adopted, which involves selecting branches near the ground in early spring, making a 1 cm incision with a knife (so that when the branch is pressed into the soil, the incision is buried), covering the incision with soil, pressing it down with a stone, and ensuring the top of the branch points upwards without swaying. When it's planting season, dig up the soil to check and cut the rooted layer from the side close to the mother plant to separate it into a planting seedling.
High layering, also known as air layering, involves selecting 2-4 year old vigorous branches on the tree crown, making a half to two-thirds环剥 at a distance of 20-30 cm from the base branch, wrapping the wound with fertilizer mud into a ball shape, and then covering it with plastic film to keep it moist. This is usually done in early spring (February-March), and by August-September, white roots can be seen through the plastic film. Cut the layer 3-5 cm below the ball, and the cut layer must be immediately planted. Purple magnolia can usually root in about three months after high layering.
IV. Grafting Propagation: Grafting is usually done in late autumn (mid to late September). The rootstock used for grafting can be the same species or wild magnolia plants of the Magnoliaceae family, using methods such as bud grafting, cleft grafting, and rootstock grafting.
V. Division Propagation: Taking advantage of the characteristic that purple magnolia often sprouts many suckers around the rootstock, pile up humus soil or soft soil around the rootstock to provide a good environment for the suckers to grow roots. During the播种 period, select a main stem and dig out the rest of the suckers to use as seedlings.
The above information covers the purple magnolia cutting propagation methods and the best location for planting magnolia trees in the garden. I hope this is helpful to you!