Winter red fruit, also known as longevity fruit, Malus pear and Malus Christmas red fruit, is one of the new varieties of Malus begonia, belonging to Rosaceae, Malus deciduous shrub or small tree. The plants are short and the branches are grayish brown; Simple leaves alternate, the leaves are oval to wide oval, green, with rounded serrations at the edges, winter buds with imbricate scales, folded or swept in half in the buds, with stipules; Umbrella inflorescence with light pink flowers, which opens from March to April; Stamens15 ~ 50, with yellow anthers; Ovary inferior, 2 ~ 5 rooms; Styles 2 ~ 5, often connate at base; The oval pear fruit is green at first, then yellow gradually, and bright red when it matures. The skin is smooth, and it will not fall in winter, and it will last until February to March of the following year.
There are about 35 species of winter red fruits in the world, mainly distributed in the north temperate zone, including Asia, Europe and North America. There are 23 species in China, which are widely distributed, but mainly distributed in Shaanxi, Gansu and Sichuan provinces, followed by Yunnan, Shandong, Shanxi and Liaoning provinces. Now many provinces have horticultural cultivation.
The tree shape of red fruit in winter is compact, and the pale pink flowers in spring are full of branches, which are extraordinary, charming and beautiful. Pears are persistent, colorful and small, green as jasper in summer, red as rosy in yellow in autumn, purple as coral pearls in winter, full of branches and long fruit viewing period. It is a very popular small potted plant variety during the Spring Festival, and it is one of the high-quality materials for making bonsai, which is favored by the majority of potted friends.
There are many varieties of red fruits in winter, with slightly different colors and fruit shapes. Now, the more common variety is begonia, which has the advantages of easy flowering, large flowering volume and extremely high fruit setting rate. Almost a flower will sit on a fruit, but it will not drop fruit until late winter, and the whole tree is red and spectacular.
Winter red fruit has strong tillering ability, soft and elastic branches, and is resistant to pruning and rolling. It is suitable for making a variety of bonsai shapes, such as oblique dry type, horizontal dry type, curved dry type and stone-attached type, which has rapid forming and growth, so it is a variety cultivated in many nursery bases.
There are many articles about the cultivation and maintenance of winter red fruit, so we won't go into details here, just talk about some doubts of flower friends.
1. Grafting propagation or seed propagation?
The original species of Donghongguo is a wild variety, which can be propagated by seeds. However, it takes seven or eight years for seed propagation to set fruit, and the growth cycle is too long, so grafting propagation is often adopted.
Today's market varieties are mostly improved by gardening and grafted. Generally, the seedlings of apples, begonia and Vitex negundo are used as rootstocks. In bonsai production, piles with short plants and strange and simple shapes are selected, and strong branches or full buds slightly above the middle are used as scions, and grafting is carried out by splitting, cutting and budding.
From the actual production point of view, apple trees are the most suitable rootstock for grafting, especially in the north, and apple trees are often replaced and updated. Therefore, small old piles with low prices and strange shapes can be found in many places, and the period of making fine bonsai by grafting cultivation is short.
In addition, it should be noted that the rootstock must first go through the embryo-raising stage, and then be grafted in the second year after the root system survives. If it is a small bonsai, it can be directly grafted on the pot. If it is a medium or large bonsai, it is better to cultivate it in the ground, so that the grafted parts can be closely combined, grow rapidly and transition naturally, and then it is better to prune and shape it and then put it on the pot.
Second, self-pollination or cross-pollination?
There are often flower friends who ask whether the winter red fruit is self-pollinated or cross-pollinated. Different articles have different introductions, which has caused many people to wonder. In fact, the winter red fruit is self-pollinated, but the self-pollinated fruit bearing rate is low and the cross-pollinated fruit bearing rate is higher. Therefore, artificial pollination is mostly used to improve the fruit setting rate.
Generally, cross-pollination can be carried out by using the pollen of begonia or apple trees. During the flowering period and young fruit period, it should be thinned according to the needs of modeling, and it should be less and not more. After the flowering and fruit thinning, the winter red fruit is potted, and the fruit is large and bright, with a long fruiting period, which is very ornamental.
Third, is the winter red fruit deciduous or evergreen?
Winter red fruit is a deciduous shrub or small tree in nature, but it can become semi-evergreen or evergreen after artificial cultivation and temperature and humidity control. However, the ornamental value of the winter red fruit lies in flower viewing and fruit appreciation. Therefore, the author suggests that the winter red fruit should be properly dormant, so that it can flourish every year.
Four, winter red fruit daily management and maintenance matters needing attention
Winter red fruit has extensive management, simple maintenance, likes sunny, cool and dry environment, is cold-resistant and afraid of damp heat, and is suitable for growing in sandy soil with rich humus, loose and fertile soil and good drainage.
The growth of winter red fruit requires sufficient sunshine. If the sunlight is insufficient, it will affect the color, shape and fruiting of the fruit. Therefore, potted plants should be maintained in a place with sufficient sunshine and ventilation. In principle, watering means "don't do it, water it thoroughly", keep it moist in spring, increase the frequency of watering in summer, and don't accumulate water. Appropriate water withholding in early summer and autumn will promote the formation and differentiation of flower buds, and reduce the frequency of watering in winter, which is mainly dry.
Winter red fruit is not resistant to high temperature. If it is higher than 35℃ for a long time in summer, it is necessary to take measures of ventilation and cooling, and shade it properly to avoid burning leaves and forming fruit drop. In winter, it is best to let the winter red fruit sleep properly. You can put the flowerpot in a cold room at 0℃ to 10℃ for the winter. If the temperature is too high, the plant will germinate ahead of time and not get enough sleep, which will be detrimental to the growth of the next year.