small evergreen shrub from China, with small oval light green leaves, white or pink flowers in summer and purple fruits in autumn; the bark is brown and shows reddish spots where it peels. Always widely used as bonsai in China, it is also very popular in Europe, especially for its rapid growth and very small leaves; it is not a very suitable bonsai for beginners, because incorrect climatic or humidity conditions cause rapid drying of the leaves, moreover it is often attacked by parasites and diseases.
it is pruned throughout the year, given its large production of new branches; it often tops, leaving two three pairs of leaves to the shoots. This plant is not afraid of even drastic pruning, it is still advisable to cover the most extensive wounds with healing mastic.
It is possible to tie with metal wire all year round; both the shoots and the already lignified branches lend themselves to be tied.
-
Cotognastro, Cotonastro – Cotoneaster
Small plant native to China and the Himalayas, the genus has about 50 deciduous or evergreen species with an erect or prostrate posture (C. Horizontalis); widely used for hedges and borders for …
-
Murraia – Murraya paniculata
evergreen plant native to Asia, with light brown bark, silky to the touch. In summer it produces very fragrant white flowers, followed by yellow-red, oblong fruits, reminiscent of …
-
Carmona – Ehretia microphylla
Carmona is a shrub of tropical origin, it comes from China, where it has also been cultivated as bonsai for centuries; the most used species are carmona microphylla and carmona macrophlylla, which s …
-
Parasite under the bark of the viburnum
First of all, congratulations on your beautiful magazine that I receive every month! I have a problem to submit to you and for which I have not found answers on the internet. I have 9 viburnum plants that are alb …
likes very bright places, but not direct sunlight. In spring and summer it is advisable to put it outside, taking care to shade it on particularly hot days, to avoid burning the leaves. Do not expose it in too windy places. In winter it should be hospitalized in a cold greenhouse or at home, because it does not tolerate temperatures below 10 ° C.
Watering: it needs a large quantity of water, but without leaving the soil too wet. In the hottest periods, and even in winter if we keep it in a warm place, it is good to vaporize the leaves with water to increase the humidity. From March to October it is recommended to provide bonsai fertilizer every 15-20 days.
Soil: it can be potted in a common bonsai soil; we can prepare an ideal soil by mixing two parts of peat, two parts of sand and one part of clay. Repotting should be done every two years, pruning the roots for about a third of their length.
Multiplication: occurs by seed. It is also possible to propagate it by cuttings, taking 6-7 cm cuttings from the plant in spring; they must be buried in a mixture of peat and sand in equal parts, after having sprinkled them with rooting hormone and kept in a sheltered and humid place, at a mild temperature (15-20 ° C). The following spring they can be transferred to jars.
Pests and Diseases: it fears root rot if the soil is kept too moist. Sometimes the scale insects nest under the bark, and the whiteflies under the younger leaves.
Source: www.giardinaggio.it