Basic Care and flowering of Mingjing
Let me share with you some related experience about the Mingjing succulent plant, the basic care and flowering of Mingjing, details are as follows:
Mingjing (Aeonium tabulaeforme), also known as Disk Leaf Rosette, is a perennial succulent herbaceous plant of the Crassulaceae family, Rosularia genus. The plant is low-growing, composed of 100-200 fleshy leaves forming a rosette leaf disk, with a maximum diameter of up to 50 centimeters. The leaves are sessile, spatulate, ranging in color from grass green to gray-green, dark green, with white villous on the edges, and all leaves radiate horizontally from the center to the surroundings, making the entire leaf disk as smooth as a mirror without any gaps.
Due to the slightly darker leaf edge with white villous and the larger outer leaves compared to the smaller inner leaves, the mirror-like leaf disk looks like an exquisite geometric pattern, very unique. When flowering, the leaves in the center of the leaf disk gradually separate from the disk and become alternate, at the same time, a cylindrical flower scape appears in the middle, which finally develops into a large, terminal paniculate inflorescence 60 centimeters high, with small yellow flowers, followed by seed formation, and then the whole plant dies.
Mingjing's flowering variation is also known as "Mingjing Crown", which is a variation of Mingjing. The growing point develops horizontally, the leaves are smaller, located on both sides of the growing point, making the plant flat and ribbon-like; while older plants gradually become taller, the lower leaves fall off, become woody, turn brown, resembling steep mountains. Sometimes, flowering plants can also grow original Mingjing with rosette-like leaf clusters, which is also very interesting.
Mingjing is native to the Canary Islands in the Atlantic, an area with a Mediterranean climate, with dry and hot summers, little rain, and mild and humid winters. Therefore, Mingjing is suitable for growing in a cool, dry, and sunny environment, tolerant of semi-shade and drought, but afraid of waterlogging. The main growing period is in spring and autumn, and sufficient light should be provided during the growing season. Insufficient light can cause the plant to elongate, the shape to be messy, the internode distance to be larger, and the leaf cluster not to be disc-shaped, seriously affecting the ornamental value.
Watering should follow the principle of "no watering when not dry, and water thoroughly when watering", to avoid积水 in the potting soil, otherwise it can cause root rot; fertilize with a thin liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer every half a month or so. In winter, place it in a sunny indoor area, with a minimum night temperature of about 10°C and some day-night temperature difference, the plant can continue to grow, and normal watering and fertilizing can be done; if such a high temperature cannot be maintained, control watering, keep the potting soil dry, and allow the plant to dormant, it can also tolerate a low temperature of 5°C.
In high summer temperatures, the plant grows slowly or stops completely, it should be placed in a ventilated and cool place for maintenance; avoid direct sunlight, do not water too much, and certainly not expose to long-term rain, to prevent the plant from rotting due to humid and hot conditions and积水 in the soil; do not fertilize, wait for the autumn to cool down before returning to normal water and fertilizer management. If seeds are not left during cultivation, when the center of the leaf disk begins to bulge and a flower scape is about to appear, it should be cut off in time to promote the growth of lateral buds.
Repot every 1-2 years in spring or autumn, using fertile and loose sandy soil with good drainage, a mixture of decomposed leaf soil, garden soil, and river sand can be used, and a small amount of bone meal or other calcareous materials can be added.
Propagate Mingjing by cutting the lateral buds during the growing season for cutting, if there are no lateral buds, the top rosette leaf disk can be cut for cutting, leaving the lower half in the soil, which will grow many lateral buds, and when these lateral buds grow a bit larger, they can be cut for cutting. Before cutting, Mingjing should be dried for 1-2 days, then the lower half is inserted into sandy soil or vermiculite, keeping slightly moist, and it roots easily. If seeds can be collected, they can also be propagated by sowing.
The cultivation and management of Mingjing flowering is basically the same as that of Mingjing, but attention should be paid to avoid excessive water and fertilizer, otherwise it may cause the plant to elongate, or even "revert" to the original rosette leaf cluster, making it difficult to highlight the characteristics of the variety. The propagation can be done by cutting the ribbon-like plant into blocks, drying for about 2 days, then inserting into sandy soil or vermiculite, after生根 and surviving, transfer to the cultivation soil.
Mingjing has a unique shape, with a leaf disk as smooth as a mirror and exquisite patterns on it, very beautiful; Mingjing flowering is twisted and diverse, especially the older plants resemble rolling mountains, very interesting. It is suitable for small potted plants, decorating tables, shelves, window sills, etc., exquisitely beautiful, with a unique effect.
The above introduction to the basic care and flowering of Mingjing is hoped to bring some knowledge of flowers to flower enthusiasts.