How to plant and care for Photinia serratifolia: a brief description of the cultivation techniques for Photinia serratifolia.

How to plant and care for Photinia serrulataThe editor introduces how to plant and care for Photinia serrulata and briefly describes the cultivation techniques of this plant, followed by an introduction for netizens.Key points of Photinia serrulata cultivation1. Morphological characteristics of Photinia serrulataPhotinia serrulata (Photinia serrulata var. serrulata) is a subtropical species, distributed in the plains and hills south of the Huaihe River in China. It is an evergreen small tree, reaching up to 12m in height, with a compact plant shape, leathery leaves, oblong to oblong-ovate, serrated, bright red new leaves, compound corymbs, white flowers blooming from midsummer to late summer. The fruit is red. The leaves are singly whorled, lanceolate to long-lanceolate, 6-12cm long, 2.8-4cm wide, with bright red new shoots and leaves, leathery old leaves, dark green and glossy on the upper surface, green on the lower surface, smooth and hairless. Terminal paniculate corymbs, 10-18cm long. The new leaves are red in spring, turn green in summer, and present red in autumn, winter, and spring, with deeper color in frost and better color in low temperature. The leaf surface is waxy, with irregular small serrations on the edges, and the apical branches are bright red throughout the year. There are two common varieties, Red Robin and Red Lip, among which Red Robin has brighter leaf color and better ornamental value. In spring and autumn, the new shoots and tender leaves of Photinia serrulata are bright red, with vibrant and long-lasting color.2. Growth habits of Photinia serrulataPhotinia serrulata has a good effect on purifying the air, and the secreted odor can kill bacteria in the air. As an evergreen plant, it has high ecological value. The growth habits of Photinia serrulata are special, growing well in warm and humid environments. However, the color is more vibrant in direct sunlight. At the same time, it has strong shade tolerance and drought resistance. But it is not resistant to moisture, and grows well in fertile and well-drained sandy loam, often growing poorly in clay. Photinia serrulata has good salt and alkali resistance, is resistant to pruning, and can grow in slightly acidic soil, especially in sandy soil, but can also grow normally in red or yellow soil. It has a loose requirement for climate and temperature, can resist low-temperature environments, can tolerate -15°C without defoliation, and can be cultivated in various parts of the country.3. Propagation methodsThe propagation of Photinia serrulata mainly involves cutting, which is cost-effective, easy to operate, and has a high survival rate, and can be carried out in ordinary plastic greenhouses.(1) Cutting facilities. Use individual greenhouse cutting, cover the greenhouse with a film, and add a shading net. After leveling the ground inside the greenhouse, establish a ground cutting seedbed.(2) Seedbed preparation. The soil for planting should be loose, fertile, slightly acidic to neutral, and easy to irrigate and drain well. Before planting, apply 3000kg of decomposed manure and 50kg of superphosphate per mu, with a soil plowing depth of over 25cm, and apply insecticides to control underground pests. After plowing, level the soil, open drainage ditches, and make seedbeds, with a bed surface width of about 1m. Lay a layer of fine sand at the bottom of the seedbed for drainage, and the cutting matrix can be made of vermiculite and peat, or clean yellow heart soil mixed with fine sand. The seedbed and matrix should be disinfected with fungicides and insecticides to prevent diseases and pests.(3) Cutting time. March for spring cutting, June for summer cutting, and September for autumn cutting.(4) Cutting stem collection. Use semi-woody tender branches or woody branches of the current year, cut into one leaf and one bud, 3-4cm in length, with smooth cuts.(5) Cutting treatment. After cutting the cuttings, keep them moist and insert them as soon as possible. Before cutting, treat the cut surface with a rooting agent to speed up root growth and improve survival rate. The cutting depth should be about 3cm, with a density of 400 plants per square meter. After insertion, water thoroughly, and spray the leaf surface with a mixture of carbendazim and thiophanate-methyl.(6) Post-cutting management. After cutting, check the seedbed frequently, maintain the matrix moisture content at around 60%, keep the humidity inside the greenhouse above 95%, and control the temperature inside the greenhouse below 38°C. If the temperature is too high, spray to cool down. Keep the cuttings shaded before they root and sprout. After 15 days, some cuttings begin to root, and the matrix moisture content should be reduced to generally 40%-70%. When more than 50% of the cuttings begin to root, gradually open the film for ventilation, with a shading rate of about 50%. When all the cuttings have rooted and more than 50% have leaves, gradually remove the shading net and film from the greenhouse to start hardening the seedlings. Foliar fertilizers or low-concentration water-soluble fertilizers can be applied to promote the healthy growth of cuttings.4. Cultivation points(1) Although Photinia serrulata has certain cold resistance, it is still necessary to carry out insulation work in cold winter. Frozen soil can easily damage the roots, and the frozen soil layer can cause physiological drought and lead to death. Therefore, special attention should be paid to preventing frost on the soil of Photinia serrulata planted in the current year to protect the roots. Usually, soil surface coverage is carried out half a month before the formation of frozen soil to maintain soil temperature.(2) Pay attention to the matching of soil and water and fertilizer conditions. Although Photinia serrulata is not strict in soil selection, the soil at the planting site should be loose, ventilated, and fertile, with an organic matter content of about 2%. According to experimental observations, planting Photinia serrulata in alkaline soil with good water and fertilizer conditions in alluvial plains results in brighter and longer-lasting leaf color than in slightly acidic red soil or loamy soil. When planted in areas with high groundwater levels in lakes, encountering low-temperature snow and ice weather in winter, poor drainage ditches can lead to a certain degree of seedling death, indicating that they have poor waterlogging resistance. Therefore, the growth of Photinia serrulata requires soil moisture content of 20%-35%. Insufficient soil moisture supply will inhibit growth activity, accelerate leaf aging, prevent new leaves from growing, and result in a shorter red leaf period. When planting Photinia serrulata in compacted soil areas, it is necessary to loosen the soil and supplement fertilizers in time to ensure the timely growth of new shoots. Poor growth after pruning should be supplemented with fertilizers, but not in excess. Avoid planting in soil that is often trampled or in the windward side of buildings, as it not only affects growth but also the redness of the leaves is far less than that of Photinia serrulata growing in slightly acidic red soil.The content shared in this article about how to plant and care for Photinia serrulata and a brief description of its cultivation techniques can be used as a reference for green plant enthusiasts.