Papaya Chaenomeles Bonsai Shape Images
This article introduces papaya chaenomeles bonsai shape images and the appreciation, cultivation, and care of the plants, providing a detailed introduction as follows.
With papaya offered to me, I repay with fine jade. It is not merely a repayment; it is to cherish forever! With peach offered to me, I repay with fine jade. It is not merely a repayment; it is to cherish forever! With plum offered to me, I repay with fine jade. It is not merely a repayment; it is to cherish forever! — "Book of Songs, Wei Style, Papaya"
This Is Not That Fruit, Don't Make a Mistake
Recently, the phrase "With peach offered to me, I repay with fine jade," originally meaning to express deep feelings in a relationship from the "Book of Songs, Wei Style, Papaya," has been extended to symbolize the friendly relations between China and Japan, causing a heated discussion. The original poem mentions peaches, as well as papayas and plums, which are not greatly related to the fruits we refer to today as peaches, plums, and papayas.
In Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica, Fruit Section," the differences between the three are explained in detail: "Papayas can be planted or grafted, and can be propagated by layering. Their leaves are glossy and dense, and their fruit resembles a small melon with a nose, juicy and not woody in taste, which is the papaya; rounder than the papaya, with a woody and astringent taste, is the peach; similar to the papaya but without a nose, larger than the peach, and astringent in taste, is the plum, also known as the pear plum, which is hawthorn and round fruit." This also confirms that the "papaya, peach, and plum" mentioned in the "Book of Songs, Wei Style, Papaya" are all under the genus Chaenomeles of the rose family.
The papayas we eat today were introduced to our country around the 17th century from the Carica papaya of the Caricaceae family, which are unrelated and should be distinguished. Imagine the graceful and enchanting papaya chaenomeles as a gift between lovers to express deep feelings, which is naturally romantic. If you give the Carica papaya we eat today as a gift between lovers, it would be a laughingstock.
In recent years, many bonsai enthusiasts have introduced materials from overseas, and Japanese longevity plum is one of the papaya chaenomeles. It is an excellent small-leafed single-petal plum variety bred by crossing Japanese hawthorns. Its flowers resemble plums and grow slowly. In its native Japan, some longevity plums have a history of over a hundred years, hence the name.
The leaves of longevity plum are small and glossy, with an inverted ovate shape and sawtooth edges. The branches are short and dense, the trunk is robust and old, and it is resistant to pruning with strong germination. The old buds easily differentiate into flower buds, the flowers are colorful, and after flowering, the fruit remains, with the flowers and fruit fragrance lasting a long time. It is especially popular in the small and medium-sized bonsai market and is an excellent flowering and fruiting material.
Cultivation Methods
The cultivation and care of longevity plum are not too difficult. Plants grown in the ground for about 2-3 years can be transplanted into pots. Bonsai care also requires potting every 2-3 years, using humus soil or sandy loam as the growing medium.
The potting time can be around October when the temperature is lower or in early spring. It is best to choose a time after the flowers and fruit have faded for potting. A month before potting, apply potassium fertilizer once and then change the soil.
Longevity plum prefers a humid, well-lit, and well-ventilated environment. In the summer, it should be shaded appropriately, and it is necessary to ensure sufficient water for the plant. Severe water shortage can lead to leaf drop and affect flowering the following year. In late summer and early autumn, yellowing and leaf drop are normal phenomena and do not require excessive concern. In winter, longevity plum can also overwinter outdoors with proper wind and frost protection, but it prefers moisture and should be kept from excessive dryness.
Watering: Due to the limited space of the pot, the water retention is weak, and it is necessary to water the roots frequently during the display period to maintain the required moisture for the plant. A lack of water in the roots can easily cause bud drop and other conditions. During flowering, avoid watering the flowers to prevent premature wilting. Watering should be done when the surface soil is slightly dry.
Fertilization and pruning at different stages: Good fertilization will affect the appreciation value of longevity plum. It can be admired in all seasons. Unformed trees can be pruned and shaped in autumn, while formed trees require different pruning and fertilization methods during different observation periods to achieve the best ornamental effect.
Flowering Period
With proper care, longevity plum flowers densely and the single-petal flowers are very prominent. The red flowers have a passionate beauty, and in insufficient light, they turn pink, giving an extra shy and elegant appearance. The white flowers are pure and white, with semi-transparent petals that create a hazy and graceful beauty.
White小花 Bonsai
Fertilization and defoliation: During the flowering period, attention should be paid to the timing, type, and amount of fertilizer. More flower fertilizer should be applied before flowering, and after flowering, all old leaves can be removed, and the flower buds will appear with the new buds, creating a beautiful scene of flowering and fruiting. When watering during the flowering period, avoid getting water on the flowers to prevent premature wilting.
Some opinions suggest not fertilizing during the flowering period, but under normal circumstances, if you want to extend the flowering period and have bright flowers, you can apply a small amount of flower fertilizer after flowering. Flower fertilizer should be mainly phosphorus-based, and dilute it with a small amount of additional fertilizer to ensure bright flowers and extend the blooming time.
Pruning method: The appropriate time for pruning and shaping is early spring (February to March) and autumn (August). Longevity plum easily sets fruit, so if you do not want to continue observing the fruit, prune promptly after the flowers bloom to retain more nutrients for the plant, and new leaf buds will quickly sprout.
Papaya Chaenomeles Bonsai Shape Images
When pruning, leave at least two buds. If pruning a formed tree, attention should be paid to the ornamental value of the flowering period. Longevity plum grows slowly, and flower buds differentiate after August each year. If you want to enjoy flowers the following year, do not cut the old branches too strongly, just remove the diseased and vigorous branches to avoid affecting spring flowering.
Fruit Observation Period
Continuous fruit observation: If you want the plant to bear fruit, you need to adjust the fertilization method. Since the flowers bloom at different times, when the plant is fruiting, many flowers are still blooming. Initially, fertilize with phosphorus-based fertilizer for flowering, and when about 50% of the flowers are about to wilt, switch to potassium fertilizer (root fertilizer) to increase the fruit-setting rate and extend the fruiting period.
Fruit pruning: New longevity plum fruits are green, and after about half a month, or at the end of winter, the green fruits turn yellow, which is the best stage for fruit appreciation. If you want to enjoy yellow fruits in winter, continue to apply potassium fertilizer to extend the fruiting time. When the luster of the yellow fruits disappears, you can proceed with the pruning and fruit removal operation.