How do potted crape myrtle flowers grow?

Crape myrtle, also known as itching flower, itching tree, purple golden flower, etc., is a deciduous shrub or small tree of the genus Lagerstroemia of Chimonaceae. It has been cultivated in China for thousands of years and is widely planted as an ornamental tree species. It was planted in the court of Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty and was introduced to all parts of the world in recent centuries. Let's take a look at how potted crape myrtle is raised.

Growth habits of crape myrtle

Crape myrtle like warm and humid climate, like light, slightly resistant to shade, like fertilizer, especially like deep and fertile sandy loam, born in slightly humid places, but also resistant to drought, avoid waterlogging, avoid planting in low humid places with high groundwater level, warm, cold-resistant and strong sprouting. It has strong anti-pollution ability and strong resistance to sulfur dioxide, hydrogen fluoride and chlorine. Semi-shady, happy to be born on fertile and moist soil, can also tolerate drought, no matter calcareous soil or acid soil grows well.

Propagation methods of crape myrtle

1. Grafting propagation: from late February to early March, the shoots of crape myrtle were carried out before sprouting, and the sturdy seedlings were selected as rootstocks, and the branches of the desired flowers and colors were taken as scions. First, cut longitudinally at the top of the rootstock against the outer part, about 5cm to 8cm deep, then cut the scion with more than 2 buds into a wedge and insert the split of the rootstock at the cambium. Then wrap the whole spike branch with plastic film to reveal the bud.

2. Hardwood cuttings are generally carried out before the branches germinate from mid-late March to early April. Select sturdy annual branches, cut into cuttings 15 cm long, insert into loose, well-drained sandy soil seedbed, cuttage depth to expose the uppermost bud of the cuttings. After insertion, pour through water and cover with plastic film to keep moisture and heat preservation. When the seedling grows into 15 cm to 20 cm, the film can be lifted, changed into a shade net, and watered at the right time, and the branches can grow to about 60 cm to 80 cm in that year.

3. Softwood cuttings were carried out from July to August, when the new branches grew vigorously and had the most vitality. Choose semi-lignified branches and cut them into cuttings 8 cm long and 10 cm long, leaving 2-3 leaves at the top. The cutting depth is 3cm to 4cm. After insertion, pour through water, and build a shade shed to shade, generally take root in about 20 days, remove the film, retain the shade net, and then timely watering, the branches can grow to about 60-80 cm in that year, and the survival rate is very good.

4. Striping propagation: striping propagation is better from March to April in spring, 1-2-year-old branches can be selected, cut with a sharp knife and peel the bark around 1.5 cm, expose xylem, apply rooting powder solution (diluted according to instructions) to about 3 cm above the burn site, cover it with barrel-shaped plastic bags after drying, fill it with loose garden soil, tie both ends tightly after watering, and check after a month. If the soil is too dry, it can be watered and moisturized. Cut off and replant after taking root.

5. Meristematic propagation: the tiller seedlings germinated in the rhizosphere of the plant were dug up with roots from March to early April or autumn, and the roots and branches were properly trimmed and planted separately. Seedlings can be bare roots, large seedlings should bring mud balls, tending should be often pruned, plastic, maintain a beautiful tree shape, promote flower branches to flourish.

6. Sowing and propagation: usually sow or sow broad strips on the seedling bed of sandy soil in March, cover with a layer of fine charred mud, and cover the grass with no seeds. After more than 10 days, the weeds can be uncovered in time. When two pairs of true leaves appear in the seedlings, they can choose the seedlings after rain, weed them frequently at the seedling stage, apply thin fertilizer 2 or 3 times from June to July, irrigate and prevent drought in summer, and the seedling height at the end of the year is about 40-50cm. The seedlings with strong growth can blossom in the same year, should be cut off in time, and the Spring Equinox will transplant and grow up the next year.

How to raise potted crape myrtle?

1. Soil: crape myrtle has strong vitality, easy to cultivate, lax requirements on soil, likes to grow on fertile and moist soil, and can endure drought. No matter calcareous soil or acidic soil grows well, it grows well in slightly moist land, and grows best when planted in deep and fertile sandy loam.

2. Watering: crape myrtle is resistant to drought and waterlogging. It can be watered with green water and frozen water once a year before spring germination and after falling leaves in autumn. Usually, if it is not too dry, it is not necessary to water it. Generally, water should be watered for 1 or 3 times during spring drought. Waterlogging should be done well in the rainy season to prevent water from rotting roots. It is not suitable to water in autumn.

3. Sunshine: crape myrtle bonsai is happy and generally grows under the condition of sufficient sunshine and good ventilation. In winter, the southern region can spend the winter in the outdoor leeward and sunny place, while the northern area should move indoors. Lack of light is not only lack of flowers or no flowering, but also weak growth, small branches and leaves, so it is necessary to put crape myrtle in the outdoor sun during the growing season.

4, temperature: crape myrtle is not cold-resistant, easy to freeze and dry, and will freeze to death when it is serious, so it should be moved indoors in winter, room temperature should be kept above 7 ℃, and plastic bags should be used for heat preservation, hot water heating, furnace fire heating and other methods should be adopted when the temperature is less than 7 ℃. And should pay attention to ventilation, indoor temperature is too high, can open doors and windows, reduce water, otherwise affect its normal dormancy, or even rotten roots.

5. Fertilization: crape myrtle is a fertilizer-loving plant, lack of fertilizer will lead to thin branches and yellow color, resulting in weaker growth, less or no flowering, but excessive fertilization will lead to excessive growth of branches and leaves. Can be fertilized every year after the defoliation of crape myrtle flowers in winter and before germination in spring, such as the application of human feces and urine or sesame sauce residue is better, can make crape myrtle flowers grow exuberantly in the coming year, the flowers are big and colorful.

6. Pruning: the inflorescence of crape myrtle is born at the top of the new branch of the year, so it is necessary to re-prune the annual branch when pruning, so that the nutrients are concentrated and the branches are strong, and the long branches, dry and withered branches, drooping branches, disease and insect branches, slender branches and endophytic branches should be cut off, and the lateral branches in the lower part of the plant trunk should be cut off in time in the young tree stage, so that the upper part of the trunk can get sufficient nutrients and form a good crown.