How to plant the catkin tree
Do you know this? The introduction to the planting of catkin trees and the techniques for planting catkin seedlings related to green plants and flowers, let's learn about it together below.
Flower Bonsai Network Guide: Is anyone growing a catkin tree? If you haven't heard of this name, you must have heard of its alias, April Snow. The catkin tree looks very beautiful and is often used to make tree stump bonsais. Today, let's learn about the creation and maintenance methods for old stump catkin bonsais.
The catkin tree is also known as the flowing tree, tea tree, or April Snow. It is a deciduous large shrub or small tree that can reach 20 meters in height, with a gray trunk and fine, fragmented flaky bark that explodes. The bark of large branches often peels off like paper, spreads out, and young branches have short villi. The leaves are opposite, ovate to obovate-elliptical, entire or sometimes with small teeth. The paniculate inflorescence is large and loose, borne at the tips of lateral branches, dioecious; the flowers are white, with fused corollas that split into 4 lobes at the tip, broadly linear and pendulous. The blooming period is from April to May, slightly fragrant. The drupe is ovoid, dark blue-black, maturing in early autumn.
The catkin tree prefers sunlight, is drought-resistant, relatively shade-tolerant, and does not tolerate waterlogging; it fears drought during the flowering period; it grows slowly, has a long lifespan, and grows best in sunny, fertile, and well-drained soil.
Planting methods for the catkin tree
The catkin tree can generally be propagated by播种 (播种 means sowing) or cutting. The seeds of the catkin tree are usually sown in autumn after collection, or stored in sand and sown in the following spring. The cutting of the catkin tree is usually done during the plum rain season each year, selecting robust semi-mature branches from the tree. Cut them into 30 cm long cuttings and insert half of them into sandy loam soil. It is important to provide shade, ventilation, and keep the soil moist to prevent high temperatures and sunburn. Avoid waterlogging. After the cuttings of the catkin tree take root, you can start to expose the catkin tree to some sunlight in the morning and evening, gradually increasing the sunlight exposure time. Generally, after 3 years, the seedlings of the catkin tree can be transplanted in spring and autumn with the soil attached, and large seedlings need to be transplanted with a soil ball. During cultivation, special attention should be paid to the beauty of the tree shape, and proper pruning and top-dressing can make the branches lush, leaves abundant, and the flowers beautiful and abundant.
Creating a bonsai out of the catkin tree
You can dig up wild old catkin tree stumps, generally choosing small, unique, ancient, twisted, and preferably plants with exposed roots. You can dig them up after the leaves fall and before they sprout. Cut the main roots of the catkin tree short, prune some branches, and then place the catkin tree in a flower pot to cultivate. After the catkin tree has survived, you can shape it according to the shape of the trunk and the desired form using wire. The catkin tree can be trained to have beautiful postures such as straight, double, slanted, curved, or elevated roots.
The catkin tree has lush branches and leaves, with white flowers covering the whole tree in spring and summer, the petals narrow and linear. Shaped like flowing tassels, it is very beautiful, making it suitable for planting around buildings or in gardens, or for making tree stump bonsais to be placed on balconies and indoors for appreciation.
The tender leaves of the catkin tree can also be used to make tea, which tastes refreshing and cool, so people also call it the tea tree. The fruits of the catkin tree are rich in oil, which can be used for oil extraction and also for industrial purposes. The wood of the catkin tree is hard and fine, suitable for making furniture and utensils. In horticulture, the catkin tree can be used as a rootstock for grafting osmanthus and syringa.
The above sharing on how to plant catkin trees and the techniques for planting catkin seedlings is hoped to help you, and at the same time, we hope everyone comes to see more experiences and common knowledge of green plants and flowers!