Cannonballs are native to Brazil, South America, cannonballs have 3 forked filamentous tendrils. Leaves opposite; stamens inserted in the middle of the corolla tube, filaments filiform, anthers forked. Ovary terete, densely fine pilose, style fine, stigma ligulate-flattened, style and filaments extend outside the corolla tube. Fruiting petals leathery, boat-shaped, containing seeds multilinear, seeds winged, thinly membranous. Flowering period is long, cannonball flower is more tenacious, vigorous growth, relatively easy to cultivate. It prefers sunny growing conditions and requires ventilation. It likes high temperature and high humidity, and the soil is preferable to acidic well-drained sandy soil. Prefer sunny environment and fertile, moist, acidic soil. Rapid growth, in southern China, can keep the branches and leaves evergreen, can be open ground overwintering. Because tendrils are mostly born in the upper branches of the stem nodes, so the whole plant can be fixed on other things to grow.
One, the cannonball flower propagation method: the cannonball flower is mainly with the pressure strip propagation or cuttings propagation.
1, pressure propagation: usually low-pressure and high-pressure propagation, low-pressure propagation is in the early spring, the selection of branches close to the ground, with a knife ring peeling 1 cm incision (the location of the incision to the branch down into the soil when the incision part is buried in the soil as good), will be part of the incision buried in the soil, with the stone pressed tightly, so that the branch upward, do not allow branches to swing on it, when planting the season, peeled open the press soil to observe, will have grown roots! When the planting season comes, peel back the pressed soil and observe, cut the pressed strip that has grown roots from the end against the mother plant and separate it from the mother plant, then it will become a planting seedling.
The other has been pressure strip propagation is high-pressure propagation, the choice of branches near the ground is not much, so it is necessary to use high branches to propagate, high-pressure propagation, also known as aerial pressure strip, is to select the more vigorous growth of 2-4 years in the crown of the vine, in its distance from the base branch 20-30 cm, first ring peeling method peeling one-half to two-thirds of the skin layer. One-half to two-thirds of the cortex, and then wrapped in fertilizer mud around the wound in the shape of a ball, the external plastic film wrapped moisturizing, high pressure time is generally carried out in the early spring in February - March, to the 8-9 months through the plastic film can be seen after the growth of white roots, it is from the pressure strip wrapped in the ball below the 3-5 cm. Saw off the pressure strip, take off the pressure strip must be immediately planted, magnolia general high pressure about 3 months after the roots.
2, cuttings propagation method: in the early spring before the gunpowder flowers did not bud for cuttings propagation, selection of sturdy without pests and diseases of the cane, the diameter of about 1 cm or so, cut into 8-15 cm long plugs, cuttings in the prepared bed, in the seedbed, according to the rows spacing of 15-20 cm line, every 3-5 cm with a small wooden stick, and then cuttings. In the seedbed, draw lines 15-20 cm apart in the rows and make pilot holes in the beds every 3-5 cm with a small wooden stick. Then insert one-half to two-thirds of the cuttings diagonally into the holes, compact the soil and press it firmly, along with watering once. The cuttings should be shaded and moisturized. In the cuttings can be used plant growth hormone treatment of magnolia spikes, to promote rooting has obvious work. Commonly used growth hormones are indole butyric acid, indole acetic acid, naphthalene acetic acid, 2,4-D, rooting powder and other treatments, which all have a good effect on promoting rooting.
Two, cultivation, the southern region are used in the ground, the cold climate can be taken in pots.
1, ground cultivation: cultivation location to choose the courtyard in full sun, ventilation and cool location. Cannonball flower is not strict on the soil requirements, but cultivated in rich organic matter, well-drained, deep fertile soil, the growth is more robust. Cultivation of Cannonball Flower planting hole appropriate larger, deeper, generally require planting hole diameter of about 30 cm, depth of about 30 cm, sufficient base fertilizer, base fertilizer using well-rotted compost and the right amount of cake fertilizer or bone meal. Every year in April-May when the temperature rises the cuttings or planting culture rooted seedlings transplanted into pots, before planting the cannonball flower plant broken roots, cracked roots, damaged roots and too long roots cut off. Then fill in the culture soil, and then put the Cannonball plant into the center of the pot upright, the root system should be stretched, fill the soil to half of the planting hole will be Cannonball plant gently lifting and shaking, compaction of the culture soil, planting should not be too deep, to keep the root stem and the ground level can be. Shallow affects the survival, deep affects the growth of Cannonball flowers after transplantation, after planting, watering a thorough watering.
2, pots: pots planting Cannonball flowers have great limitations, pots are a special small environment, no matter what kind of soil alone, can not meet the needs of potted flowers on all aspects of the soil, so pots cultivation Cannonball flowers must be artificially formulated cultivation of the soil, used to replace the soil will be fixed in the flower pots, and has a certain degree of water retention, drainage, requires loose, fertile, It should be loose, fertile, well-drained, breathable, rich in humus and not too alkaline. Cultivation of flowers with the culture soil is generally used 40% of the garden soil, 40% of the yellow sand, 20% of the humus or household garbage formulated.
Apply a small amount of fertilizer to the bottom of the pot. When the temperature rises in April-May each year, transplant the cuttings or pressed seedlings into pots, and cut off the broken roots, cracked roots, damaged roots and overgrown roots of the Cannonball flower plants before potting. First of all, in the bottom of the pot put broken tiles, and then put some fermented mature cake fertilizer, bones, fish spines and other fertilizers, and then fill in the culture soil, and then put the Cannonball plant into the center of the pot upright, the root system should be stretched out, fill in the soil to the pot half of the Cannonball plant gently lifting and shaking, compaction of the culture soil, planting should not be too deep, and to keep the root stem and the mouth of the pot flat on can be. Shallow affects the survival, deep affects the growth of Cannonball flower after transplanting, after planting watering once. After cultivation in a shaded environment for a week or so, when the root system to recover and then moved to a sunny place to maintain.
Three, daily management: Cannonball flowers on the fertilizer plants, Cannonball flowers grow fast, bloom more, flowering and long, so the fertilizer, water should be enough. During the growth period need to be applied once a month fertilizer. Fertilizer should be used to rot thin cake fertilizer water or compound fertilizer, to promote its branches and leaves, bloom full of branches. To keep the soil moist, the number of watering should depend on the soil moist condition, in the hot summer in addition to watering, but also to the branches and leaves 2 ~ 3 times a day and sprinkled around the ground to improve air humidity. Autumn into the bud differentiation period, watering should be reduced, fertilizer should be turned to phosphorus-based fertilizer. Growing season is generally about 2 weeks or so to apply a combination of nitrogen and phosphorus thin liquid fertilizer. The pregnant bud period to apply a nitrogen-based liquid fertilizer, in order to facilitate flowering and plant growth. Watering should be dry and wet, never stagnant water in the basin. Summer temperatures are high, watering should be sufficient, at the same time to the ground near the pot to sprinkle water, in order to improve air humidity. Autumn began to enter the bud differentiation period, this time the watering needs to be appropriate less, in order to control nutrient growth, to promote bud differentiation.
In winter, the southern region can still be cultivated outdoors, in the northern cold areas need to move the Cannonball flower into the indoor or trellis. Indoor Cannonballs need to be placed in a sunny place and keep the room temperature above 10℃.
Pruning of Cannonballs. The canes that have bloomed will not bloom again, in daily management when the flowers fade you need to prune this part of the old branches in time, to promote the sprouting of more branches to ensure that the flowers continue to bloom. Branches grow to a certain height need to be topped to promote the sprouting of lateral branches, in order to facilitate more flowers. Some of the old branches, weak branches should be cut in time, so as not to consume nutrients, affecting the flowering. Potted flowers should pay special attention to picking, pruning and curving into a pattern, so that the flowers dwarfed. In winter, move the Cannonball flower indoors or in the trellis, moved indoors the Cannonball flower needs to be placed in a sunny place, keep the room temperature above 10 ℃, control watering.