Production method and picture appreciation of rhododendron bonsai

Rhododendron belongs to deciduous or semi-evergreen shrubs of Rhododendron family, with many and thin branches, densely covered with yellowish brown flat bristles; simple leaves alternate, often collecting branch ends, leaves ovate-elliptic or Obovate, both sides with stiff hairs, rose red flowers from March to May, Corolla funnel-shaped, 2'6 clustered branch tops, full of red flowers, brilliant flowers, is a very good bonsai flower.

Common species of rhododendron

1. Rhododendron, also known as noisy sheep flower, yellow rhododendron, deciduous shrub. Leaves long oval, densely pilose; flowering from April to May, golden yellow, bell-shaped or funnel-shaped, very beautiful.

2. White rhododendron, semi-evergreen shrub. The branches are sturdy, the leaves are lanceolate; the flowers are white, 3-or 4-fascicled, with double petals, large flowers and exuberant tree momentum.

3. Red mountains, deciduous shrubs. Leaves ovoid, often 2-or 3-leaf clustered branches; flowers usually doubly terminal, first leaves open, Corolla funnel-shaped, rose-red. Produced in the south of the Yangtze River Basin and Taiwan and other places.

4. Rhododendron, also known as cinnabar rhododendron, evergreen shrub. Sometimes flat, densely branched; leaves elliptic or Obovate, glossy; flowers 2-3 terminal, funnel-shaped, dark orange-red.

5. Honeysuckle, evergreen shrub. Leaves ovate or elliptic-ovate, surface dark green, glossy; flowers solitary, purplish white, with pink spots, Corolla funnelform, parted near base.

6. Cuckoo, evergreen shrub. Often 3 whorls, leaves set branch top, leathery, ovate-oval, surface glossy; flowers solitary leaf axils, often set branch ends, pink; flower buds, leaf buds are purple.

7. Yunjin rhododendron, also known as Tianmu rhododendron, evergreen shrub. The branches are stout and smooth; the leaves are long oval, leathery, the surface is bright green and glossy; the flowers are large and fragrant, rose-red, showing a terminal umbel with 6 flowers. Produced in Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and other provinces.

8. White rhododendron deciduous shrub. Branches densely, leaves ovate-elliptic, abaxially densely hirsute, surface dark green; flowers white or reddish.

The growing environment of rhododendron

Rhododendron is widely distributed in the provinces of the Yangtze River and Pearl River basins, as far as Yunnan and Guizhou in the west. It is the most common tree species in acid soil mountains.

Rhododendron likes light and is suitable for cool and moist climate. acid soil, calcareous soil and clayey soil with pH value of 4-5 are not suitable for growth. Avoid the scorching sun and do not tolerate water stains, but you must pay attention to drought prevention and moisturizing.

Propagation methods of Rhododendron

Rhododendron can be propagated by sowing, cutting, grafting, tillering and other methods. Generally give priority to cuttage, the procedure is simple, and the flowering is quick. The best cutting time is the rainy season. The cuttings are cut at the base of the cuttings after the new buds are formed, which is the easiest to survive. If the old branches of the next year are used as cuttings, it will be more difficult to take root. Cuckoo cutting, seedling bed soil should be acidic mud or sun-dried, weathered pond soil, rotten leaf soil, such as mountain mud cutting in a wooden frame.

Precious rhododendron varieties, in order to ensure survival, can be wrapped in moss around its incision to form a ball, inserted into the soil about 3-4 cm deep, easy to take root, after insertion to build a shed for shade, spray water several times a day to keep the seedbed moist. After about 2-3 weeks, the incision can gradually heal and take root, and after the cuttings take root, the light time can be increased. After about 2 months, thin cake fertilizer and water can be applied to promote its growth. It can be planted in pots in the following spring.

Sowing and reproduction can be sowed in a wooden frame or tile basin, the bottom of the basin should be covered with vermiculite or leaves to facilitate drainage, and the basin should place mud or rotten leaf soil mixed with an appropriate amount of sand, which is in line with the mouth of the basin (slightly shallower than the mouth of the basin), and then sift with a layer of fine soil, sowing seeds on it, no longer covered with soil, covered with glass, preferably lined with a newspaper to keep moist, about 3 weeks later, it can be germinated and unearthed. At this time, the glass cover should be removed, the light should be exposed, and water should be sprayed properly, and the seedlings should be divided into different plants when there are 3 or 4 leaves.

Bonsai production of rhododendron

1. Selection of pots: cuckoos generally use slightly deeper oval, rectangular or round pots with purple sand pottery or glazed pottery. The color of the basin should be darker and darker, in contrast to the color of the flower, it is best not to have flowers on the basin. When there is a cliff-type cuckoo, a thousand-barrel basin can be used; a shallower oval basin can be used for the exposed-root cuckoo.

2. Use soil: cuckoos should use fertile and loose rotten leaf soil or mountain soil in pine forest. Potted plants also often use sun-dried, freeze-loose pond soil or paddy soil, mixed with an appropriate amount of sandy soil.

3. Planting: it can be planted in pot in early spring, or after falling flowers. If the mountain wild tree stump is excavated, because the root has mycorrhiza, it needs to be planted with original soil. When planting, the taproot can be cut short, and chicken dung or bean cake can be placed at the bottom of the pot as base fertilizer. The branches and leaves should also be pruned properly.

Bonsai shaping of rhododendron

1. Processing: rhododendron seedlings can be processed in 3-4 years after they are put on the pot. The branches of rhododendron are brittle and should not be over-clambered, only the trunk branches are properly shaped, and it is better to climb with brown silk. Other branches are trimmed. When pruning, we should pay attention to adjust the strong and weak branches, heavy pruning of strong branches and light pruning of weak branches. Climbing is generally carried out in spring, and the branches are soft and easy to climb during the growing period.

2. Tree shape: the common tree shape of cuckoo is straight dry type, curved dry type, oblique dry type, and can also be processed into exposed root type, cliff type, stone attached type, connected root type and so on. Through artistic modeling, we can achieve the beautiful bonsai of watching flowers, appreciating dry flowers, looking at roots and discussing shape.

Pictures of rhododendron bonsai

Pictures of rhododendron bonsai

Pictures of rhododendron bonsai