Crape myrtle century-old pile to make classic bonsai

Crape myrtle, also known as itching flower, itching, purple orchid, mosquito flower, hundred-day red, bark-free tree and so on, is a good bonsai material for viewing flowers, stems and roots.

Crape myrtle likes to grow in a semi-shady environment, thrives in fertile and moist soil, and is more drought-resistant, no matter calcareous soil or acid soil.

Our common varieties are mainly dwarf crape myrtle trailing crape myrtle, silver myrtle, red crape myrtle, Cuiwei and so on.

In this article, most of the old piles of crape myrtle have grown for more than a hundred years. A little pruning can become a classic bonsai.

Crape myrtle old pile excavation time, preferably in early October to early spring before sprouting. Don't dig in cold seasons and dry weather. When digging, take the old pile head with sturdy roots, strange twists or hollow trunks, shaped like wrinkled and leaky stones, etc., dig them up, plant them directly in the basin, or plant them in moist, fertile, loose and breathable soil, wait for the root system to resume growth, and then move into the basin when the branches and leaves are luxuriant.

When planting crape myrtle old pile soil, loam soil rich in organic matter and good drainage should be selected, and rotten leaf soil or sandy soil and coal ball ash should be mixed.

During the dormant period of crape myrtle in winter, the plants were pruned intensively. Cut off dense branches and overgrown branches to keep the branches evenly distributed and the crown intact.

When the new branches grow to about 15cm in spring, the coring is carried out to promote the growth of the top bifurcated branches. After the pruned branches grow into sequence, cut off the weaker flower branches and buds that have nothing to do with the shape, and cut off the residual flowers after blooming.