How to care for living stone flowers
This article provides an overview: the experience of growing living stone flowers, how to care for living stone flowers, let's learn about it together.
Nowadays, many friends enjoy growing living stone flowers, but more friends are still in the stage of how to care for them. This article is a summary from the recognition to the cultivation of living stone flowers by flower friends, which is of great help to新手花友.
I. Getting to know living stone flowers
The Mesembryanthemaceae belongs to the dicotyledonous plant class, the Caryophyllales, with about 126 genera in the family, and living stone flowers are just one of them. Its main distribution is in southern Africa, but according to literature, it is also found in small quantities in Australia and the central Pacific region. This genus of plants is a representative species of "mimicry" in the process of biological evolution. Mimicry means camouflage, blending into the surrounding environment, passively resisting the invasion of nature. The leaves of living stone flowers are opposite, fleshy, and rounded, with surface patterns and colors varying by origin. For example, varieties native to forests and meadows have green or gray-green surfaces to adapt to the main color of the environment, while those native to hills and mountains show a lot of yellow and brown. Finally, those native to exposed environments such as sandy soil and rock piles are mostly white or gray-white, not only to match the color of the environment but also to reflect sunlight and reduce "body temperature."
When it comes to origin and surface color, you should understand the principle that Laojiang wants to elaborate here, which will not be discussed for now.
Living stone flowers thrive at temperatures between 10-35 degrees Celsius, growth is slow when the daily average temperature is below 10 degrees, and they enter a protective dormancy when above 35 degrees. However, if the nighttime temperature is below 30 degrees, even if the daytime temperature rises to 50 degrees, their growth rate remains considerable as long as they do not rot.
No matter the age, living stone flowers have a distinct main root. Frequent root pruning in horticultural planting to accelerate growth may make the main root less obvious, but after years of stable planting, the main root will always show. Moreover, a relatively large knot tissue will eventually form at the junction of the stem, which is what we call the old root.
The latitude of the original habitat of living stone flowers is roughly equivalent to that of the Yangtze River Valley in China (approximately the same numerical value for both southern and northern latitudes), but due to the vast and sparsely populated land in Africa, the heat island effect is not obvious. Also, because the east and west coasts of South Africa are relatively close, under the simultaneous action of the maritime climate, the average annual temperature in the native area is significantly lower than that of the Yangtze River Valley in China. Moreover, it has the characteristic of large temperature differences between day and night.
Four-year-old living stone flowers will start to bloom, with flower buds differentiating in mid-autumn. The process is slow, taking about 15-20 days to fully bloom, with a flowering period of 6-7 days. If pollination is successful, they will immediately wither. The seed pods appear at the base of the flower and gradually expand as the flower withers, initially green, then turning red, and finally drying yellow. The fruit development process is very slow, taking about until the following May to fully mature. The seeds inside have a half-year post-maturation period, becoming fully mature by October.
In the native habitat, living stone flowers have only one season of dormancy, which is the winter in the southern hemisphere. Local winters are dry, with nighttime extreme low temperatures below the tolerance limit of living stone flowers. To prevent frost damage, the flowers let the old leaves wither and dry, and new leaves develop at the growth point below the soil surface, in the stem position, in order to rise again in the spring. When the weather warms up and it rains plentifully, the fully developed new leaves will grow rapidly, breaking through the old skin to become a new plant.
Under normal circumstances, living stone flowers aged 5-6 years will branch out, which is equivalent to side buds. The frequency and quantity of branching theoretically follow a geometric progression, i.e., 1 becomes 2, 2 becomes 4. However, in practice, this varies due to differences in environment and nutritional status. Dry environments and healthy plants have a higher probability of branching, while adverse environments and sufficient luck can lead to a "mouse-style" increase in the number of branches.
II. The past and present of living stone flowers
Living stone flowers are native to South Africa, enlightened in Europe and America, developed in Japan, and thriving in China.
Enthusiasts in Europe and America are good at introducing and breeding to maintain their lineage. Professional greenhouse breeding adopts a strict model, limiting cross-breeding. The famous Koser number also represents the rigorous attitude of Europeans and Americans.
Japanese gardeners are good at hybrid selection and breeding. After random hybridization, they often start sowing with a base of 10,000, and after several years, select a small number of plants with special appearances as parent plants, and then start directed pollination and selection. This cycle continues until the genes of the new variety are stable. Island Takahashi, with his accumulation of over 50 years of hybrid breeding of living stone flowers, deserves the title of the master of stone flowers in Japan.
Continental flower farmers focus on quantity, using vegetable fields as a carrier, and aiming to promote endangered plants. They start by sowing a large number of European and American seeds, with millions as the unit. This has turned the endangered plant from its native habitat into a red-line alien species, completely reversing the previous situation of "one plant, one price," and creating a good situation where living stone flowers are sold by weight.
III. Understanding planting
It is commonly believed that succulent plants need less water and more sun, and living stone flowers are no exception. In fact, during the planting process, the "less water" and "more sun" for living stone flowers are relative.
The reason for the suspense mentioned earlier has been explained.
First, different origins require different amounts of water and sunlight. For example, Zixuan Rilun has a darker surface color and is mostly found in meadows or forests, so it has a higher water demand and needs timely watering to ensure healthy growth. As for sunlight, long scattered light or half-daylight is sufficient.
For浅色 varieties like Furai and Dajin Hui, most of which are found in high mountains or even rock-covered areas, overwatering is like a flood for them, and once a month is enough. For sunlight, they require strong full-daylight.
Second, it is related to physiology. For the same stone flower, more water should be poured during the growing season and in cool weather; less water during the flowering period and in high temperatures; and no water during the peeling period and dormancy period. As for sunlight, would you try to keep a Dajin Hui in full sunlight at 40 degrees Celsius all day long?
Speaking of high temperatures, there is a concept that needs to be imparted to everyone. Living stone flowers have a small surface area and their internal juicy physiological structure has a strong effect on heat accumulation. The water-locking ability of their outer skin also makes it difficult for them to dissipate their internal temperature. Especially when the external environment is at high temperatures, the internal temperature of living stone flowers is often much higher than the air temperature, and many physiological rot problems start here. Therefore, ventilation is an essential consideration throughout the planting process of stone flowers, and a fan is the most cost-effective solution.
Living stone flowers are lazy plants but also test the planting skills of gardeners. How to plant one and how to plant a group are very particular. Generally speaking, the following rules apply:
Use pots that are smaller rather than larger, use soil that is simpler rather than complex; plant shallow rather than deep, mulching is not just for beauty; planting alone is not as good as planting in groups, pay attention to spacing when planting in groups; understand the habits of the variety, mixed planting can lead to problems.
Here is the explanation:
1. Small pots can easily create a fast-drying environment, which is convenient for plant root growth.
2. Simple soil reduces many problems such as root burning from excessive fertilizer and bacterial breeding.
3. The pathological and physiological rot of stone flowers mostly starts from the growth point, that is, the stem or neck area, so this position needs to be ventilated.
4. In line with the above; the neck needs to be ventilated, but what if the plant falls over without being planted in the soil? This requires mulching to solve, and the lightweight stone mulching can perfectly solve this contradiction.
5. Stone flowers are group plants, and whether above or below the soil surface, they need to create a small local environment to ensure healthy growth. Group planting can be used as a solution before the plants form a group.
6. The spacing of group planting ensures that each plant has enough root growth space and ensures heat dissipation and ventilation during high temperature and humidity conditions.
7. When mixing multiple varieties, attention should be paid to the habits of the varieties, considering the different water and sunlight requirements, not just the visual effect.
IV. Understanding soil
The study of soil is profound. Laojiang has read many professional books on soil introduction and explanation, but what impresses him the most is a Christian's article on planting for the church, which interprets soil as follows:
Qualified soil should be active, with a large number of probiotics decomposing organic matter to produce nutrients that plants can absorb. Among them, organic matter and probiotics are indispensable key elements...
Looking at the soil we use now, Chiyu, Luhua, Ri Xiang, lightweight stone... almost all are composed of inorganic minerals, and because they have been sterilized at high temperatures, organic matter and probiotics have long since disappeared. The so-called Japanese particle planting commonly used by beginners often only knows the form but not the essence. This is like a gardener who is willing to let you visit his planting garden and ignore your inspection of his pot soil, but you should never want to see his storage shelves, because there are many secrets there that can explain why his plants can grow in Chiyu soil, while your Chiyu soil can only save lives.
In European and American planting, a large proportion of materials such as peat and maifanshi are used, which, in terms of physical effects, are similar to Japanese planting, except that peat contains a lot of organic matter and humus, while maifanshi has the effect of fast drainage and drying.
In previous articles, Laojiang has elaborated on the various benefits of Japanese particles. Indeed, for beginners, survival is key, but you cannot be rigid in your thinking, and reading dead books is better than not reading at all. Only by constantly thinking and combining your own experience and lessons from cultivation can you develop your planting skills. For example, the reason why Chiyu soil does not grow well can be easily solved by adding some organic matter such as peat. The amount of addition can vary depending on your environment and technique, starting from the smallest proportion, recommended at 10%.
V. Understanding flower pots
Flower pots are the residence of plants, the container carrying the life medium on which they depend, and a tool to create a beautiful and tidy cultivation environment.
From the perspective of cultivation, flower pots must be physically and chemically stable, appropriately sized, and breathable, with breathability being key. Any plant's roots need a large amount of oxygen to maintain physiological mechanisms, even aquatic plants. For living stone flowers, they also need a pot that allows for air circulation from top to bottom to ensure fast soil drying, which puts higher demands on the pot.
Generally, S5 seedling trays or 7CM black squares are commonly used as pots for transplanting living stone flowers in the domestic enthusiast circle, with a few high-end varieties or group plants considering the use of frosted pots. However, there are a few avant-garde enthusiasts who, driven by visual aesthetics, will use colorful ceramic pots or handmade ceramic pots for planting in large quantities.
Ceramic and ceramic pots are generally not criticized because their users have a stronger love for the environment than for plants, so let's discuss the pots commonly used by enthusiasts.
Judging from experience, living stone flowers under 5 years old grow best in soil less than 7CM deep, with the most developed roots. For example, direct group planting in S5 has a significantly better effect than simply using it as a collection tray (i.e., planting in black squares and then collecting in S5). Although the second method appears more delicate, the soil height is much higher, its breathability and fast-drying performance have been significantly reduced, and the extension and expansion of the main root are明显不如 direct planting.
Moreover, a pot of appropriate depth can prevent the excessive growth of the main root of living stone flowers. The main root extending out of the pot will be naturally pruned by air, making the fibrous roots inside the pot vigorous and the base of the main root expand rapidly. The growth rate and resistance of the plant will also increase significantly. After all, we are still discussing horticultural cultivation, and growth rate is still an important indicator.
Finally, we must emphasize that a pot with only a hole at the bottom is far from enough for living stone flowers. A small hole at the bottom of ceramic or ceramic pots can only ensure that there is no waterlogging, but as for air circulation and breathability, that is a luxury. Analyzing data, a qualified pot for transplanting living stone flowers should have a bottom ventilation opening area of more than 20% of the pot surface area, or even more, to ensure sufficient air circulation from top to bottom. Even a section of 10CM diameter下水管 is also very suitable for planting living stone flowers.
VI. Understanding yourself
Cultivation is a verb, which means that the real protagonist in the cultivation process is the cultivator himself, and the plant is just a receptor.
The environment, techniques, flower pots, and media selection we pay attention to every day are all human factors. The health of plants, in a human environment, can no longer be considered using the natural state of the native place as a basis for thinking and judging cultivation methods. Often, people will say that living stone flowers suffer and endure hardships in nature, and then conclude that living stone flowers are tough and can be cared for casually.
Yes, living stone flowers have strong vitality, but the prerequisite is that the cultivator must follow the laws of nature. In the growing season, what kind of environment and techniques should be used, and in the dormant season, what kind of environment and techniques should be used, must all be strictly adhered to a fixed format to ensure that your living stone flowers can still be reborn after being pecked by wild birds, bitten by pets, or falling from a shelf.
The advice here is to control your hands—don't touch the flowers, this is an effective rule for becoming a master (but it does not include occasionally helping the Mrs. Li, who has grown too much, to peel off her skin)
The way to control your hands can be through shackles or through learning, understanding the habits of plants, learning from the experiences and lessons of other enthusiasts, thereby learning to think and helping yourself build confidence, so that your hands have no reason to reach into the pot.
The above provides a specific introduction to how to care for living stone flowers (flower friends' recognition), hoping to bring some knowledge of flowers to flower enthusiasts.