Key Points for the Care of the "Dragon Spitting Pearls" Plant
If you want to learn about the care of the "Dragon Spitting Pearls" plant for home gardening, let's understand the key points together below.
The "Dragon Spitting Pearls" belongs to the Verbena family and is native to tropical West Africa. It prefers a warm, humid, and sunny environment and is not cold-tolerant. The optimal growth temperature for "Dragon Spitting Pearls" is between 18-24°C. In winter, the temperature should not drop below 8°C, and temperatures below 5°C can cause frost damage, leading to leaf drop or the withering of tender stems. During the vegetative growth period, higher temperatures up to 30°C are acceptable as long as there is sufficient water supply. However, for reproductive growth, or the flowering period, a lower temperature is preferable, around 17°C.
The "Dragon Spitting Pearls" is sensitive to water. During the growth of stems and leaves, keep the soil moist but avoid overwatering, as excessive water can lead to excessive vine growth without flowering, or even yellowing and falling leaves, and root rot. In the hot summer season, water should be abundant and shading is recommended. In winter, reduce watering to allow the plant to enter dormancy and survive the winter safely.
In winter, the "Dragon Spitting Pearls" requires ample light, while in summer, shading is necessary during very hot weather to prevent leaf yellowing. Insufficient light can cause vine-like growth without flowering. Flower bud differentiation is not influenced by photoperiod, but strong light can promote it. The plant should not be kept in the dark for too long; at temperatures above 21°C, more than 24 hours of darkness can cause flower drop.
Use fertile, loose, and well-draining sandy loam soil.
For potting "Dragon Spitting Pearls," commonly use pots of 12-15 cm in diameter, with 3 plants per pot. Sufficient water is needed during the growing period. If the soil moisture is too high, it can cause leaf yellowing and shedding. If the branches do not wither, stop watering and let the plant recover to produce new leaves. Fertilize once every two weeks. During the flowering season, add 1-2 applications of phosphorus-potassium fertilizer or use "Huiyou" 20-8-20 all-season high-nitrate potassium fertilizer.
In winter, reduce watering and stop fertilizing. To shape a beautiful plant form, when the cuttings or seedlings reach 15 cm after potting, cut the branches 10 cm away from the pot opening to promote the growth of sturdy new branches. During the growing period, strictly control the height of the branches, pay attention to topping, to ensure even branching and dense flowering. Half a month after topping, apply B-9 or Paclobutrazol to control plant height, achieving short stature, lush leaves, and abundant flowers. Every spring, when repotting, prune the above-ground branches to make the plant more rounded and promote more branches and flowers.
The leaves of "Dragon Spitting Pearls" are dark green, the calyx is like jade, and the corolla is bright red, full of poetic and artistic charm. Potted plants can adorn window sills or balconies with their elegant and novel posture. During storage and transportation, the flowers are sensitive to ethylene. Ten days before storage and transportation, spray a solution of 0.4 mmol/L silver thiosulfate. Flowering plants not treated with silver thiosulfate can experience flower drop if transported in the dark for more than one day at a temperature of 20°C.
That concludes the specific introduction to the key points for caring for the "Dragon Spitting Pearls" plant. I hope you will enjoy it!