How to cultivate an Ostrya japonica bonsai
Do you know these? Here is some related introduction to the cultivation and care of Ostrya japonica bonsai and green plants, with specific details as follows:
Flower Bonsai Network Guide: Is anyone growing Ostrya japonica? If you haven't heard of this name, you must have heard of its alias, April Snow. Ostrya japonica looks very beautiful and is often used to make tree-stump bonsai. Today, let's learn about the creation and maintenance methods of Ostrya japonica old-stump bonsai.
Ostrya japonica is also known as Ostrya疏树, tea tree, or April Snow. It is a deciduous large shrub or small tree that can grow up to 20 meters tall, with a gray trunk and finely fragmented flaky bark that explodes. The bark of the main branches often peels off like paper and spreads out, while the young branches are covered with short pubescence. The leaves are opposite, ovate to obovate-elliptical, entire or sometimes slightly toothed. The paniculate inflorescence is large and loose, borne at the tips of lateral branches, with separate male and female flowers; the flowers are white, with a fused corolla that splits into 4 lobes at the tip, broadly linear and drooping. The flowering period is from April to May, with a faint fragrance. The drupe is ovoid, dark blue-black, and matures in early autumn.
Ostrya japonica enjoys sunlight, drought resistance, partial shade, and does not tolerate waterlogging; it fears drought during the flowering period; it grows slowly, has a long lifespan, and grows best in fertile, well-drained, sunny locations.
Cultivation methods for Ostrya japonica
Ostrya japonica can generally be propagated by播种 or cutting methods. The seeds are usually sown in autumn after harvest, or stored in sand and sown in the following spring. Ostrya japonica cuttings are usually carried out during the plum rain season, selecting robust semi-mature branches from the tree each year. Cut them into 30 cm long cuttings and then plant half of them in sandy loam. It is necessary to provide shade and ventilation, keep the soil moist, prevent high temperatures and sunburn, and avoid waterlogging. After the cuttings of Ostrya japonica take root, they can start to receive some sunlight in the morning and evening, gradually increasing the amount of sunlight. Generally, after 3 years, the seedlings of Ostrya japonica can be transplanted in spring and autumn with the root ball intact. During cultivation, special attention should be paid to the beauty of the tree shape, and appropriate pruning and top dressing can make the branches lush, the leaves abundant, and the flowers numerous and beautiful.
Creating a bonsai with Ostrya japonica
Wild old Ostrya japonica stumps can be dug up, generally choosing small, strange, ancient, twisted, and preferably plants with exposed roots. These can be dug up after the leaves fall and before they sprout. Trim the main roots of the Ostrya japonica and remove some branches, then place the plant in a pot to cultivate. After the plant has survived, shape it using metal wire according to the shape of the trunk and the desired appearance, training it into beautiful postures such as straight, double, oblique, curved, or elevated roots.
Ostrya japonica has lush branches and leaves, with the whole tree covered in white flowers in spring and summer, the petals narrow and linear. The shape resembles a tassel, very beautiful, and is suitable for planting around buildings or in gardens. You can also select old stumps to make tree-stump bonsai, which can be placed on balconies and indoors for appreciation.
The tender leaves of Ostrya japonica can be used to make tea, which tastes delicious and refreshing, so people also call it the tea tree. The fruit of Ostrya japonica is rich in oil, which can be used for oil extraction and also for industrial purposes. The wood of Ostrya japonica is hard and fine, suitable for making furniture and utensils. In horticulture, it can be used as a rootstock for grafting osmanthus and syringa.
The above introduction to how to cultivate Ostrya japonica bonsai and the related content of its creation and maintenance, I hope it is helpful to you!