Maintenance of Brazilian wood in winter

Brazilian wood, formerly known as fragrant dragon blood tree, is native to tropical regions of Africa and America. It is a perennial woody foliage plant of the family tequila and tequila.

I. growth habits

Brazilian wood has a strong adaptability to light. In the north, it can be continuously placed and watched for more than a month in the dark room, and can be placed for long-term viewing in the bright room. Like high temperature, high humidity and well-ventilated environment, prefer light and shade, but afraid of hot sun, avoid dryness, drought, loose and well-drained sandy soil. The suitable temperature for growth is from 20 ℃ to 28 ℃. The leaves should be protected from withering and drying under 13 ℃ in winter, and the overwintering temperature is 5 ℃.

II. Methods of reproduction

Brazilian wood is often propagated by cuttings. The best season is from April to June in the north. Large columnar Brazilian wood, the perennial stem itself contains nutrients and water, and the hidden buds on the stem have a strong ability of regeneration, because of the need of decoration, it can be sawed into stem segments of different length for planting, but the end of the stem segment is sealed with paraffin to prevent water loss or infection, which is particularly important in the dry season in the north. Or choose mature and robust stem (unlignified), cut off the top of the stem with leaves, cut the upper leaves in half, peel off the lower leaves, expose stem nodes, about 10 cm to 20 cm per segment, cuttings in coarse sand, fine sawdust or humus soil 3 cm to 4 cm, insert the bed in a semi-shady environment, maintain high humidity, accept 50% to 60% sunshine, temperature 25 ℃ to 30 ℃, about 20 to 30 days can take root and sprout, on the basin. When the stem segment is used as cuttings, the rooting is slow, and sometimes it takes 2 to 3 months to sprout and root. It can also be inserted with water and propagated under high pressure, but it should be carried out under the condition of more than 25 ℃. Water insertion propagation, that is, the stem cuttings 1x3 immersed in water, 3 to 5 days a change of water, and add a small amount of carbendazim aqueous solution antiseptic disinfection, can promote fast rooting and bud growth.

III. Cultivation and management

1. Temperature and light. The suitable temperature for the growth of Brazilian wood is 20 ℃ to 28 ℃, the dormancy temperature is 13 ℃, and the overwintering temperature is 5 ℃. If the temperature is too low, chloasma will appear at the tip and edge of the leaf, and in serious cases, the shoots or the whole plant will be damaged by freezing. Therefore, it is necessary to move to the greenhouse for maintenance in winter in the north. If it is placed indoors, it should be placed in a place with light, and it is better to keep it above 6 ℃ to 8 ℃ at room temperature. When the temperature is low at night, you can put on a plastic bag to keep warm. When the sun comes out during the day, when the room temperature rises, you should remove the plastic bag in time in order to cool down and prevent stuffiness. If there is heating equipment in the room, put the basin farther away to prevent blowing-drying or damaging branches and leaves. Also pay attention to indoor air flow, but when opening doors and windows, do not let the cold wind blow directly on the branches and leaves, and do not move outside to bask in the sun at will to prevent freezing.

Brazilian wood has a wide range of adaptation to light, but it is not resistant to strong light, especially from May to October, the strong light will lead to leaf yellowing or leaf tip scorching, we should pay attention to shading and give bright scattered light. Although it is shady, but too shady will also make the leaf color dim, especially the variegated leaf varieties, the markings on the leaf surface are easy to disappear, reducing the ornamental value.

2. Moisture and humidity. Brazilian wood does not need much moisture, but it has higher requirements for humidity. After putting on the basin, pour enough water into the root and place it in a brighter room or shade shed for maintenance. The basin soil should be kept moist and should often spray water to the leaves to improve the air humidity of the surrounding environment, but it is not suitable for basin soil to accumulate water, so as to avoid rotting roots caused by poor ventilation. The long-term maintenance of northern Brazilian wood is in spring, summer and autumn, watering every 2 to 3 days in sunny days, and spraying water to the leaves once or twice a day. It is appropriate to control the amount of watering after the end of autumn and keep the basin soil slightly wet. Watering should be controlled in winter, and the basin soil should be kept semi-dry and semi-wet, such as excessive watering will rot roots and scorch leaves.

3. Soil and fertilizer. Brazilian wood is suitable for the loose, well-drained, humus-rich sandy loam of the Feiwo River. Potted Brazilian wood can be mixed with vegetable garden soil, rotten leaf soil, peat soil, river sand according to 3RV 2RU 2RU 3, or fertile pond mud dried and finely crushed 2max 3 and coarse river sand 1max 3 mixed to form culture soil. If the thick stem is selected for planting, the culture soil can be made of vermiculite, peat soil or vegetable garden soil and river sand. The potted Brazilian wood on the market is mostly fine sandy soil, which is used by producers to fully root plants, and long-term use will be not conducive to plant growth. For plants to thrive, they must be replaced with peat soil in stages. In addition, the basin of Brazilian wood should be changed once a year. When changing the basin, the old soil should be replaced by 1x3, and then replaced with new sandy soil to trim the aged and scorched leaves in the lower part of the stem and stem. In the process of growth, Brazilian wood needs to consume some of its own nutrients, and if it is not fertilized in time, it will cause lack of stamina and gradual degradation. During the growing period, organic fertilizer was first applied at the base or edge, and then liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer was applied once or twice every 15 to 20 days to ensure the luxuriant growth of branches and leaves. Fertilization should be thin fertilizer, do not thick fertilizer, fertilizer application period is from May to October every year. Stop fertilizing in winter and move indoors for the winter. For variegated varieties, attention should be paid to reducing the proportion of nitrogen fertilizer, so as not to cause excessive growth of leaves, and lead to dull or even disappear speckles.