Lotus is an epiphytic cactus plant, with erect stems, many branches and clustered shrubs, and its height is about 50 ~100 cm. The trunk at the base of the plant is thin and round, and the branches are flat and arrow-shaped and green. The edge of the stem is blunt. The concave part of the tooth has a thorn seat with a fine thorn of 0.3 ~ 0.5 cm long. The midvein of the flat stem is obviously prominent. Flowers are expelled from the thorns on both sides of the stem node, and the flower tube is slender and trumpet-shaped, which blooms in the daytime. 1 flower only blooms for1~ 2 days, and the colors are purplish red, scarlet, pink, magenta, yellow, white and blue-purple, etc. It blooms in the daytime in summer, and the flowering period is May to July. Fruit osmium oval red berries, black seeds.
Cutting propagation
It is better to do it in March to April every year. First, cut healthy flat stems with a length of 10cm as cuttings, dry them for 2~3 days, and then insert them into moist sand or vermiculite, with the depth of 1/3 of the cuttings, and keep the temperature at 10~ 15℃, and spray water on them frequently, which can generally take root in one month.
propagation by grafting
It should be carried out at 25℃. The rootstock can be cactus. Cut a wedge-shaped mouth on the rootstock wood with a knife, then take 6-8 cm long stems of healthy lotus as scion, cut one knife on both sides of the scion to expose the pith of the stem and make it wedge-shaped, then insert it into the crack of the rootstock, tie it with hemp skin and place it in the shade for maintenance. After about 10 day, the grafted part can grow together, and the hemp skin is removed for normal maintenance. There are many branches sprouting from the lower part of old perennial plants, which can also be propagated by ramets.
Pot changing management
The water lily is changed once a year or every two years, and it is usually changed once every other year in spring and autumn. Sandy soil with organic matter is suitable for basin soil. When changing pots, remove some old soil and rotten roots, replenish new culture soil (4 points of humus soil, 3 points of garden soil, 2 points of compost soil, and mixed sand 1 minute), and add bone meal as base fertilizer. After changing the pots, the flowers should be shaded and maintained, and then placed in the sun to grow. Shading should be carried out in midsummer to avoid the harm caused by excessive light intensity, and the leaves should be moved indoors in rainy days. After beginning of autumn, you can fully see the light, otherwise the light is insufficient and it is not easy to bloom.
Fertilizer and water management
Watering is based on the principle of "dry and wet". In the growing season, the decomposed thin cake fertilizer is applied every 15~20 days. After the Spring Festival, liquid fertilizer should be applied once a day instead of 10, and excessive lateral buds and shoots sprouting from the base should be erased in time to reduce nutrient consumption and keep the plant shape neat and beautiful. Apply 1~2 quick-acting phosphate fertilizer in bud stage to promote the flowers to be big and colorful. Water and loosen the soil in time after each fertilization. During the period of growth and development, watering should be dry and wet, and no water should be accumulated in the basin, otherwise the roots will rot easily. When the flower buds are not open, only 70% to 80% water should be poured, otherwise it will easily lead to falling flowers and buds. In dry and windy spring and hot summer, it is necessary to spray abnormal stems with clear water and sprinkle water on the ground around the flowerpot to maintain high air humidity, which is conducive to growth and flowering. Fertilization should be stopped and watering should be controlled in winter. At this time, the pot soil is wet and low temperature, which is most likely to cause root rot.
Temperature control
Lingjian lotus is not cold-tolerant, and the northern area can enter the room around the cold dew festival. Put it in a sunny place after entering the room. From 1 1 month to next March, the temperature should be kept between10℃ and15℃. If the temperature is too high, the abnormal stems will easily grow in vain, which will affect the symmetry of plant types. From March to June, the temperature is easy to keep between 13℃~ 18℃, and the temperature is too low, which affects the pregnancy.
Bundle nursing
Because the abnormal stems of the lotus flower are soft, it is necessary to use thin bamboo poles as pillars in time, and it is best to tie them into oval brackets, and distribute the abnormal stems neatly and evenly on the brackets to bind them. This can not only prevent breakage, but also be conducive to ventilation and light transmission, remove branches and erase unnecessary side buds in time, and pay attention to the top with scissors, so as not to grow new buds at the top. Make the plant shape symmetrical and beautiful.
Bud management
During bud pregnancy, the water demand of plants is more than usual. At this time, it is best to water and spray water alternately to keep the pot soil in a slightly wet state. It is not allowed to water too much or make the pot soil too dry, otherwise it will cause bud withering. During the growing period, it is necessary to ensure the normal sunshine of plants, which is generally about 5~6 hours per day. The ambient temperature of plant growth is also related to air circulation. When the temperature is 15~20℃, it is helpful for plants to bud and blossom; When the temperature is too high, the bud that is differentiating tends to reverse into a bud. In the bud stage, plants grow too many branches, which will also compete with the buds for nutrients, so that the buds need insufficient nutrients, leading to withered buds, so the branches should be removed in time. Air circulation can eliminate the trapped ethylene and other gases that promote premature senescence of flower buds and play a role in protecting flower buds. Topdressing should be applied in time before the plant is pregnant, but it is not advisable to apply more topdressing after the bud is sprouted. Sometimes the plants grow very luxuriantly, but they don't bloom, mainly because the place is too shaded or the fertilizer is too large, which causes the plants to grow in vain. It is necessary to control fertilizer and water, pay attention to avoid excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer, see more sunshine properly, and apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer during bud pregnancy, which is beneficial to bud flowering. In winter, it is transferred to a medium-temperature greenhouse for wintering.