How to propagate Chinese trumpet creeper through cutting
Life knowledge series, about how to propagate Chinese trumpet creeper through cutting and the cutting methods and timing for growing flowers, let's learn about it together next.
Chinese trumpet creeper is a vines plant of the Bignoniaceae family, Pyrostegia genus, also known as yellow eel vine, firecracker flower, golden coral, torch flower, dense eye flower, and blazing vine. Chinese trumpet creeper is mostly planted in courtyards, as well as fences, flower frames, or used for vertical greening. The flowers of Chinese trumpet creeper are like strings of firecrackers, making it a very good ornamental flower. The flowering period of Chinese trumpet creeper usually opens from January to June every year, and sometimes the flowering period can last for more than half a year. The flowers are beautiful, with orange-red flowers that are very lush. During the full flowering period of Chinese trumpet creeper, it can be described as a vibrant and beautiful scene. Chinese trumpet creeper is an important climbing ornamental plant in the South China region. In the northern region, you can choose dwarf varieties, coiled into patterns, and cultivated as pot plants. In Hainan, Yunnan, Guangdong, and Guangxi, it has been widely cultivated as a courtyard ornamental vine plant.
Chinese trumpet creeper is native to Brazil in South America, with 3-branched filiform tendrils. Leaves are opposite; stamens are attached to the middle of the corolla tube, filaments are filiform, anthers are forked. The ovary is cylindrical, densely pubescent, style is thin, stigma is ligulate and flat, both style and filament extend out of the corolla tube. The fruit valve is coriaceous, boat-shaped, containing multiple rows of seeds, seeds are winged and film-like. The flowering period is long, and Chinese trumpet creeper has a strong vitality, grows vigorously, and is relatively easy to cultivate. It prefers a sunny growing environment and requires ventilation. It likes high temperature and humidity, and the soil should be acidic with good drainage, sandy soil is best. It prefers a sunny environment and fertile, moist, acidic soil. It grows rapidly, in the South China region, it can keep the branches and leaves evergreen and can overwinter outdoors. Since tendrils mostly grow at the nodes of upper branches and stems, the whole plant can adhere to other objects and grow.
I. Propagation methods of Chinese trumpet creeper: The main methods of propagating Chinese trumpet creeper are layering and cutting.
1. Layering propagation: Usually low layering and high layering propagation are used. Low layering propagation is carried out in early spring, selecting branches close to the ground, making a 1 cm incision with a small knife (the position of the incision should be buried in the soil when the branch is pressed into the soil), then covering the incision part with soil, pressing it with stones, keeping the branch tip upward and not shaking. When it's planting season, dig up the pressed soil to check, cut off the rooted parts from the side close to the mother plant, and separate them from the mother plant to become planting seedlings.
The other method of layering propagation is high layering, which does not use many branches close to the ground, so it is necessary to use branches from higher places for propagation. High layering is also called aerial layering, which involves selecting 2-4 year-old vines that are growing vigorously on the tree crown, stripping half to two-thirds of the bark at a distance of 20-30 cm from the base branch, then wrapping the wound with fertile soil in a ball shape, covering the outside with plastic film to keep it moist. The high layering time is usually in early spring, February to March. By August to September, white roots can be seen growing through the plastic film, and the layering is cut off 3-5 cm below the layering ball. The cut layering must be immediately planted in a false position, and the purple magnolia can usually take root after about 3 months of high layering.
2. Cutting propagation method: Carry out cutting propagation in early spring before the Chinese trumpet creeper germinates, selecting strong and disease-free vines, about 1 cm in diameter, cutting into 8-15 cm long cuttings, and inserting them into the prepared cutting bed. On the seedbed, mark lines with a spacing of 15-20 cm and make pilot holes every 3-5 cm with a small wooden stick on the ridge surface. Then insert half to two-thirds of the cutting obliquely into the hole, press the soil firmly, and water once. After cutting, keep the area shaded and moist. In the cutting process, plant growth hormones can be used to treat the cuttings, which has a significant effect on promoting rooting. Common growth hormones 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 rooting.
II. Cultivation: In the southern region, ground planting is used, and in cold climates, pot cultivation can be adopted.
1. Ground planting: Choose a sunny and well-ventilated location in the courtyard for planting. Chinese trumpet creeper is not strict with soil requirements, but grows stronger in fertile soil rich in organic matter, with good drainage and thick soil layers. The planting hole for Chinese trumpet creeper should be appropriately large and deep, generally about 30 cm in diameter and 30 cm deep, with sufficient base fertilizer, using decomposed manure and a moderate amount of cake fertilizer or bone meal. From April to May every year, when the temperature rises, transplant the cuttings or dividing plants with rooted seedlings into flower pots, cutting off the broken, cracked, damaged, and overly long roots of the Chinese trumpet creeper plant before planting. Then fill in the cultivation soil, place the Chinese trumpet creeper plant in the center of the pot upright, make sure the roots are spread out, fill the soil to half the planting hole, then slightly lift and shake the plant to compact the soil. Do not plant too deep, keeping the rootstock level with the ground. Planting too shallow affects survival, and planting too deep affects the growth of Chinese trumpet creeper after transplanting. Water thoroughly after planting.
2. Pot cultivation: There are great limitations to growing Chinese trumpet creeper in pots. A pot is a special small environment, and no single type of soil can meet the various needs of potted flowers. Therefore, artificial cultivation soil must be prepared for pot cultivation of Chinese trumpet creeper to replace the soil and keep the flowers fixed in the pot, with certain water retention, drainage, looseness, fertility, and good aeration, rich in humus and not too alkaline. The cultivation soil for Chinese trumpet creeper is generally made of 40% garden soil, 40% yellow sand, and 20% decomposed leaf soil or domestic waste.
Apply a small amount of base fertilizer at the bottom of the pot when potting. From April to May every year, when the temperature rises, transplant the cuttings or layering seedlings into the pot. Before potting, cut off the broken, cracked, damaged, and overly long roots of the Chinese trumpet creeper plant. First, place broken tiles at the bottom of the pot, then add some mature compost, bones, fish bones, etc., as base fertilizer, then fill in the cultivation soil, place the Chinese trumpet creeper plant in the center of the pot upright, make sure the roots are spread out, fill the soil to half the pot, then slightly lift and shake the plant to compact the soil. Do not plant too deep, keeping the rootstock level with the pot opening. Planting too shallow affects survival, and planting too deep affects the growth of Chinese trumpet creeper after transplanting. Water thoroughly after planting. After planting, keep the plant in a shaded environment for about a week, then move it to a sunny place for maintenance after the roots have recovered.
III. Daily management: Chinese trumpet creeper is a plant that requires fertilizer. It grows fast, blooms a lot, and has a long flowering period, so it needs enough fertilizer and water. During the growing period, apply top dressing once a month. Use decomposed thin cake fertilizer water or compound fertilizer to promote branching and leafy growth, and fill the branches with flowers. Keep the soil moist, and the watering frequency should depend on the soil moisture status. In hot summers, in addition to watering, spray the branches and leaves with water 2-3 times a day and sprinkle water around the ground to increase humidity. In autumn, when the bud differentiation period begins, reduce watering and switch to phosphorus fertilizer. Generally, apply a thin liquid fertilizer combining nitrogen and phosphorus once every 2 weeks during the growing season. Apply a nitrogen-rich liquid fertilizer once during the bud formation period to benefit flowering and plant growth. Watering should be dry and wet, avoiding waterlogging in the pot. In summer, when the temperature is high, water sufficiently and sprinkle water around the pot to increase humidity. In autumn, when the bud differentiation period begins, reduce watering to control vegetative growth and promote bud differentiation.
In winter, Chinese trumpet creeper can still be grown outdoors in the southern region, while in the cold northern regions, it needs to be moved indoors or into a greenhouse. Chinese trumpet creeper moved indoors should be placed in a sunny location and maintain a room temperature of above 10°C.
Pruning of Chinese trumpet creeper. Vines that have bloomed will not bloom again. In daily management, when the flowers fade, it is necessary to prune these old branches to promote the growth of more branches and ensure continuous flowering. When the branches reach a certain height, they need to be topped to promote the growth of lateral branches and more flowers. Timely cut off some old and weak branches to avoid nutrient consumption and affect flowering. For potted Chinese trumpet creeper, special attention should be paid to pinching, pruning, and coiling into patterns to dwarf the plant. In winter, move the Chinese trumpet creeper indoors or into a greenhouse, keeping it in a sunny location and maintaining a room temperature of above 10°C, and control watering.
The above information introduces how to propagate Chinese trumpet creeper through cutting and its cutting methods and timing. I hope this article can bring you some help!