Cultivation and Management of White兰花
A plant knowledge, introducing some experience of growing white兰花 at home, the cultivation and management of white兰花, if there are any mistakes, please correct them!
White兰花, also known as white magnolia, bar兰花, and缅甸桂, belongs to the magnolia family, smile genus, and evergreen trees. The roots of white兰花 are fleshy and rich in moisture. The trunk is grayish white, with sparse branches, young branches are light green, covered with shiny white villi. The leaves are smooth and glossy on the front, tea green on the back, with prominent lateral veins. Simple leaves are alternate, elliptical, 15-22 centimeters long, light green, leathery, and glossy. The flowers are singly borne in the axils of leaves, with short peduncles, 12 petals, and white. White兰花 starts to bloom in late May, with a strong fragrance, and is a famous fragrant flower species. In addition to being used for ornamental and wearing decoration, it is also an important raw material for making scented tea and extracting essential oils. It is also a Chinese medicinal herb that can promote qi, resolve turbidity, relieve cough, and is mainly used for prostatitis, leucorrhea in women, bronchitis in children, chronic cough due to deficiency, etc.
White兰花 has a relative variety called yellow兰花, also known as yellow缅甸桂, which is orange-yellow, sweet and fragrant like cassia, and more fragrant than white兰花! The flowering period is slightly later than that of white兰花. Smile flowers are smaller than white兰花, yellow-white, singly borne in the axils of leaves, with a banana-like aroma.
White兰花 is fond of light but afraid of coal smoke, and it is neither tolerant to humidity nor drought. It is suitable for growing in sandy soil rich in humus, slightly acidic, and well-drained. It also requires plenty of sunlight and good air circulation. White兰花 in pots must have good drainage, otherwise its fleshy roots easily rot, and the flowering period is from May to October. During the full bloom season, it is fragrant and pleasant to the eyes. To make white兰花 grow strong and produce many fragrant flowers, it is necessary to create conditions to meet its ecological requirements. White兰花 loves sunlight and is not tolerant to shade, requiring plenty of sunlight. If it is cultivated in a shady place with insufficient sunlight, it will cause the branches and leaves to grow excessively, resulting in long branches, thin leaves, sparse flowers, or no flowers.
In the northern regions, if the plants are exposed to strong sunlight in the hot summer, their growth will also be suppressed, and the edges of young leaves are prone to curling and yellowing. White兰花 is sensitive to water, it prefers high air humidity and moist but not wet soil. When the soil has too much water and poor permeability, root rot and yellow leaves will appear, and in severe cases, defoliation and death. It is suitable for humus-rich and well-drained acidic sandy loam. If it is planted in alkaline or poorly drained soil, growth will stop or even die.
When growing white兰花 in pots in the north, you can choose a mixture of decomposed leaf soil or peat soil and sandy loam, with a small amount of bone meal as a base fertilizer. Starting from early May, you can apply a thin cake fertilizer or alum fertilizer (best alternating between the two) every 7-10 days. Before flowering, apply 1-2 times of fast-acting phosphorus fertilizer to keep white兰花 fragrant. Stop fertilizing after the end of September. The amount of watering depends on the plant's growth and weather conditions. Generally, watering in spring should not be excessive, just keeping the potting soil slightly moist; in summer, when the temperature is high and evaporation is fast, and during the full bloom period, sufficient watering is needed; in autumn, watering should be slightly more than in spring, because at this time the pot is full of roots, the potting soil is less, and the water storage capacity is low, but the amount of water each time should not be too much, just enough to fill the pot. During the growing period, prevent water deficiency, otherwise it is easy to cause leaf edge drying. In late autumn, as the weather gets cooler, the frequency of watering should be gradually reduced. During the rainy season, it is necessary to promptly remove the accumulated water in the pot to prevent root rot and yellow leaves. After each fertilization and watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil promptly to keep the potting soil well-ventilated.
When growing outdoors, it is best to use bricks to prop up the flower pot to facilitate drainage. In the north, the plants are usually brought indoors in mid-October. Before bringing them in, remove the diseased, withered branches, overgrown branches, and dense branches. After bringing them in, place them in a sunny area, and keep the room temperature above 12℃ during winter. Stop fertilizing during the overwintering period, control watering, and keep the potting soil slightly moist. Excessive watering during this period, with wet potting soil, can easily cause root rot, withered stems and leaves, or even death. It is necessary to spray the branches and leaves frequently in winter to keep them clean and moist. Change the pot in late April or early May of the following year. When changing the pot, do not prune the roots, keep the original fibrous roots. However, it is appropriate to remove some of the old leaves at the bottom of the branches, which is beneficial for promoting new branches and more flowers.
The above shares a comprehensive introduction to the cultivation and management of white兰花, hoping to bring some knowledge about green plants to green plant enthusiasts.