Methods of蜡梅 Propagation
In this article, we will delve into the knowledge of Chimonanthus praecox, a woody flower, and explore its propagation methods. Let's learn together.
Chimonanthus praecox (Scientific name: Chimonanthus praecox), belonging to the Chimonanthus genus of the Chimonanthus family, is distributed in Korea, America, Japan, Europe, and regions such as Hunan, Fujian, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Yunnan, Henan, Hubei, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Guizhou, Shaanxi, Jiangxi in China. It grows at altitudes of 300 to 700 meters, often in mountain forests.
Chimonanthus praecox is a deciduous shrub that can reach a height of 4-5 meters and often grows in clusters. The leaves are opposite, papery, elliptic-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate at the apex, entire, and the buds have many imbricate scales. The flowers bloom before the leaves at the end of winter, singly on the axils of the leaves of the annual branches, with short peduncles and cup-shaped floral receptacles. The tepals are spirally arranged in multiple layers, yellow, waxy, and the flowering period is from December to January, with a strong fragrance. The fruit is a drupe, maturing from June to July. It is native to central China and is now cultivated everywhere. It prefers sunlight, can tolerate shade, cold, and drought, and dislikes waterlogging. Chimonanthus praecox flowers proudly in frosty and snowy weather, with yellow flowers resembling wax and a strong fragrance, making it a main ornamental plant in winter. The flowers of Chimonanthus praecox, after processing, are valuable medicinal materials with the effects of detoxification and promoting salivation.
The "wax" in Chimonanthus praecox is often mistaken for "wax" (la) by many people. This is because Chimonanthus praecox often blooms in the twelfth lunar month, and people have gradually accepted the misuse, hence the name "腊梅" (la mei). In fact, Chimonanthus praecox was always associated with the insect radical in ancient literature.
Chimonanthus praecox can be propagated by methods such as seeding, cutting, grafting, and dividing.
Seeding Method
a. Autumn sowing: Harvest the fruit after it matures in July-August, extract the seeds from the fruit receptacle, and sow them immediately. The seedlings can emerge in more than 10 days and grow to 20 centimeters in the first year.
b. Spring sowing: Usually carried out in March-April (the seeds are harvested and stored the previous year). Before sowing, the seeds need to be soaked in water at 30-40°C for 12 hours to promote germination, then sown in sandy loam soil in drills, watered sufficiently, and the seedlings can emerge in 15-20 days. After 3-4 years of cultivation, they can bloom.
Dividing Method
This can be done when the leaf buds start to germinate (March-April). The plant to be divided should be at least 20-30 centimeters away from the ground, and it is best to cut the top of the plant at the end of the previous year to accumulate more nutrients. When dividing, first dig out the soil around the mother plant and cut off a part with a sharp knife to facilitate transplanting.
Grafting Method - Mainly cut grafting, followed by approach grafting.
a. Cut grafting: It should be done every year in March-April when the Chimonanthus praecox buds start to germinate (the buds are the size of wheat grains). The scion should be selected from the strong annual branches of 2-3-year-old Chimonanthus praecox trees one month in advance, using the middle section of the branches. The rootstock should be 4-5-year-old Chimonanthus praecox seedlings or dogtooth Chimonanthus praecox. The operation of cut grafting: The scion is 6-7 centimeters long, with 1-2 pairs of buds left, and the bark on both sides of the scion is pared, slightly exposing the xylem, with the斜面 (cut surface) 3-4 centimeters long. The rootstock is cut off 3-6 centimeters from the ground, and a cut is made one-third of the diameter downward, about 4-5 centimeters long. The scion is inserted into the rootstock, aligned with the cambium layer of the rootstock, and the joint is tied with plastic tape, then coated with 2 grams of prepared wet mud, and soil is heaped up to the top of the scion to keep it moist.
b. Approach grafting: The best time for approach grafting is between May 6 and 21. Place the rootstock next to a good variety of Chimonanthus praecox and select branches of similar thickness as the scion. Cut a 3-9 centimeter-long incision on both the rootstock and the scion, taking care to include a little bit of xylem. The incision on the rootstock should not be too high, preferably below 20 centimeters. After making the incisions, align the wounds of the rootstock and the scion, ensuring the cambium layers are tightly pressed together, then tie them lightly with a rope, apply wet mud at the joint, wrap it tightly with plastic film, and make a light cut on the branches of the rootstock, but do not cut off the top, allowing it to continue growing and supplying water and nutrients to the scion. After 40 days, when new leaves and branches have grown on the Chimonanthus praecox scion, the scion branch below the incision can be cut off, and all branches and leaves above the incision on the rootstock can be cut off, thus becoming an independent plant.
The above methods of Chimonanthus praecox propagation are for reference only.