Longevity flower

Kalanchoe Rosales Crassulaceae

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cv tom Thumb is also called Shouxing flower, pseudo Sichuan lotus, Christmas kale, dwarf kale. It belongs to Crassulaceae, and belongs to Kalanchoe. A succulent plant, which is green all the year round in its low clumps formed by fat and bright leaves. Spring, summer and autumn are planted in the open as trimming materials, and from December to April of the next year, bright flowers will appear. Each flower branch can have dozens of flowers with a flowering period of more than 4 months, hence the name of longevity flower. Longevity flower is an ideal potted flower for relatives, friends and elders during New Year's Day and Spring Festival.

Winter to spring flowers. Oxalis is a similar plant. The flowers are clustered and open very lively.

Basic Introduction

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cv tom Thumb is also called Shouxing flower, pseudo Sichuan lotus, Christmas kale, dwarf kale. It belongs to Crassulaceae, and belongs to Kalanchoe. A succulent plant, which is green all the year round in its low clumps formed by fat and bright leaves. In spring, summer and autumn, they are planted in the open as trimming materials, and from December to April of the next year, they will produce brilliant flowers. Each flower branch can have dozens of flowers with a flowering period of more than 4 months, hence the name of longevity flower. Because of its beautiful implication, Longevity Flower is an ideal potted flower to present to relatives, friends and elders on New Year's Day and Spring Festival.

Longevity flower likes warm temperature. The suitable temperature for growth is not more than 30 ℃ in the daytime and not less than 18 ℃ in the evening. If the temperature is too high or too low, its normal growth will be affected.

Longevity flower has a low demand for water. Watering shall be completed before noon, and leaves must be kept dry before nightfall. Short day plants will not flower until at least 6 weeks after treatment. There should be at least 14 hours of darkness every day during short day treatment. Generally speaking, the natural short date is from October 1 to March 1 of the next year. If the plants are planted in larger pots, they should be given long sunshine treatment at the initial stage of growth, so that the plants can be given short sunshine treatment after reaching a certain size to make them blossom. Otherwise, the plant may be smaller.

Longevity flowers are generally not picked in Europe and America, but can be picked as needed in China. The plant shape after pinching is generally good, and the single plant planted in a flowerpot of more than 15 cm should be pinched, and the pinching is generally carried out 3 to 4 weeks after the planting. Removing some buds when they first appear can promote the formation of more buds. Knock off the leftover flowers in time after flowering.

The flower language of longevity flower: good luck, long life, good luck.

morphological character

Evergreen perennial herbaceous succulent plant. The stem is upright, and the plant height is 10-30cm.

The single leaf is cross opposite, ovoid, 4-8cm long, 2-6cm wide, fleshy, with wavy blunt teeth on the upper edge of the leaf, and the lower edge is full, bright green, shiny, and slightly red. Panicles, straight, 7-10 cm long. Each plant has 5-7 inflorescences and 60-250 flowers. The flower is small, saucer shaped, 1.2-1.6 cm in diameter, with 4 petals in pink, crimson or orange. The flowering period is from January to April.

Longevity flower is originally a summer flowering plant. It can advance the flowering date through short sunshine treatment. It can blossom and be marketed in early spring, and can be seen almost all year round. Many small flowers are densely planted on the flower stems, like small bells. There are many horticultural varieties with varied flower shapes and colors.

Growth habit

Longevity is native to Africa. It prefers warm, slightly humid and sunny environment, and is not cold resistant. The suitable temperature for growth is 15~25 ℃. If the high temperature in summer exceeds 30 ℃, growth will be blocked. In winter, the indoor temperature needs 12~15 ℃. When the temperature is lower than 5 ℃, the leaves turn red and the florescence is delayed. In winter and spring, if the room temperature exceeds 24 ℃, flowering will be inhibited. If the temperature is about 15 ℃, the longevity flowers will bloom continuously.

Longevity flower is drought resistant and has no strict requirements on soil, and fertile sandy loam soil is preferred. Longevity is a short day plant, which is sensitive to photoperiod. The plants with good growth and development can flower buds after being treated with short day light (8-9 hours per day) for 3-4 weeks.

Main varieties

Common varieties include Caroline, with small leaves and pink flowers. Simone, a large flower, is pure white and blooms in September. Nathalie has orange red flowers. Arjuno, the flowers are dark red. Miranda, a large leaf species, has brownish red flowers. Nugget series with yellow, orange and red flowers. The tetraploid Vulcan, flowering in winter and spring, is a dwarf species. There is also Singapore. Mount Kenya, Sumba, Sensation, Coronado and other popular varieties.

The ornamental species of the same genus include K. fedtschenkoi, K. tomentosa and K. tubiflora.

Main purpose

Longevity flower has compact plant shape, crystal clear leaves, dense and beautiful flowers, and excellent ornamental effect. In addition, its flowering period is long and controllable in winter and spring when there are few flowers. It is a popular excellent indoor potted flower. In winter, halls and rooms are decorated with spring.

Longevity flower plant is small and compact, with green leaves and dense flowers. Ideal indoor in winter and spring

Potted flowers. The flowering period coincides with Christmas, New Year's Day and the Spring Festival. It is very suitable to decorate the windowsill, desk and desk. It is used for flower troughs, shop windows and halls in public places with excellent overall viewing effect. Because of the name longevity, a pot of longevity flower is presented to relatives and friends on the festival, which is very suitable and pleasing.

Longevity flowers like sunshine, and family cultivation should be placed in a place with direct sunlight all the year round. However, proper sunshade should be provided around noon in summer, and it can be moved indoors, otherwise, the light is too strong, which will easily make the leaves yellow. On the contrary, if the light is insufficient, not only the branches are thin and slender, the leaf surface is thin and the plant shape is not beautiful, but also the number of flowers is reduced, the color of flowers is not fresh, and a large number of leaves will fall off, losing the ornamental value.

The longevity flower is drought resistant, so it doesn't need a lot of water, just water it every 3-4 days to keep the soil slightly wet. Control watering in winter and rainy season to avoid root rot.

In peak growth season, thin compound liquid fertilizer can be applied every 2-3 weeks to promote its growth and blooming. After flower bud formation in November, if 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate or 0.5% calcium superphosphate solution was applied once or twice, the colorful flowers would last longer.

Pay attention to cold prevention in winter. The room temperature should not be lower than 12 ℃, preferably 15 ℃ - 18 ℃ in the daytime and more than 10 ℃ at night. If the temperature is too low, the leaves will turn red, and the flowering period will be delayed or cannot blossom normally, affecting the festival viewing.

The longevity flower has phototropism, so during the growth period, attention should be paid to changing the direction of the flower pot, adjusting the light, so that the plant receives light evenly, and promoting the branches to grow evenly in all directions. The residual flowers should be cut off in time after withering, so as not to consume nutrients and affect the next flowering quantity. Generally, the pot is changed every spring after the flower withers. The pot soil is made of 4 humus soil, 4 garden soil, 2 river sand, and a small amount of bone powder. This kind of culture soil is loose and fertile, has good drainage performance, and is slightly acidic, which is conducive to the growth and development of long-lived peanuts.

Reproductive Methods of Longevity Culture

Longevity flowers are mostly cuttage, and can also be sown and propagated by tissue culture.

1. Cuttage propagation: Longevity flower has strong rooting power and is easy to survive through cuttage propagation. It should be in March to May in spring and August to September in late summer and early autumn. If there is a greenhouse, it can be carried out all year round. Suitable wooden boxes can be used as cutting seedbeds, which shall be cleaned and disinfected strictly before use. The matrix can be perlite, vermiculite and peat, which can be loaded into the seedbed for standby. Select slightly mature fleshy stems, cut them 5~6cm long, and insert them into the seedbed. After watering, cover them with film, keep them at 15~20 ℃, have 15~18 natural roots, and can be transplanted one month later.

2. Seeding and propagation: select varieties with basically the same plant type, flower pattern and flower color for artificial pollination. The seeds can be sown in spring and autumn after harvesting. The seedbed can be made of wooden boxes. Before use, it shall be soaked and washed with clean water, and then soaked and sterilized with 0.1% potassium permanganate for 10-15 minutes. The substrate can be 4 parts of rotting leaf soil, 4 parts of pastoral soil and 2 parts of humus soil, fully mixed, stacked and decomposed, then dug and exposed to the sun, sieved, sterilized at high temperature before use, put into the planting wooden box, compact the soil, scrape the surface, evenly spread the seeds in the seedbed, covered with fine soil so that no seeds can be seen. After sowing, press the seedbed gently with a wooden board, and place the seedbed in the sink, Until the whole matrix is saturated with water. Then cover the seedbed with film and place it in a warm, shaded and ventilated place to wait for the seeds to germinate. After sowing, the soil should be kept moist, and the water should be supplied evenly. The seeds should not be dehydrated. The temperature of the seedbed should be controlled at about 20 ℃. The film can be opened in the morning and evening for a few minutes before being covered to ventilate. In general, new buds can grow in 12-15 days. At this time, the film shall be removed for weak sunlight. After a period of time, the light can be gradually increased. After the true leaves appear, the seedlings shall be irrigated with 0.05% potassium dihydrogen phosphate to promote healthy growth. After 2 or 3 true leaves grow out, the seedlings can be thinned. The seedlings sown in spring can be transplanted in summer. The seedlings sown in autumn can be transplanted before winter and put into the greenhouse for maintenance.

Cultivation method of longevity flower (basic knowledge)

1. Soil selection for longevity flower cultivation:

The longevity flower cannot be cultivated in sticky soil, or it will cause poor growth, rotten roots and fallen leaves, and even plant death in serious cases. Pot soil shall be mixed with 4 parts of rotten leaf soil, 4 parts of garden soil, 2 parts of river sand, and a small amount of bone powder. This kind of culture soil is loose and fertile, with good drainage performance, slightly acidic reaction and favorable root system development.

2. Fertilization method for longevity flower cultivation:

The longevity flower cannot be cultivated in sticky soil, or it will cause poor growth, rotten roots and fallen leaves, and even plant death in serious cases. Pot soil shall be mixed with 4 parts of rotten leaf soil, 4 parts of garden soil, 2 parts of river sand, and a small amount of bone powder. This kind of culture soil is loose and fertile, with good drainage performance, slightly acidic reaction and favorable root system development.

In peak growth season, thin compound liquid fertilizer can be applied every 15-20 days to promote healthy growth and blooming. After flower bud formation in November, adding 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate or 0.5% calcium superphosphate once or twice will result in more flowers, bright colors and long flowering period.

3. Watering method for longevity flower cultivation:

Like other fleshy flowers, longevity flowers contain more water in their bodies and have strong drought resistance, so they do not need to be watered in large quantities. During the growing period, water should be poured every 2-3 days to keep the basin soil slightly wet. When the temperature is low in winter, watering should be controlled. If too much water is poured, the drainage is not smooth, and the basin soil is too wet, it is easy to cause root rot.

Although the longevity flower is drought tolerant, it can not lack water in the growing season. Usually, it can be watered every 2-3 days. At the stage of vegetative growth, the soil must be kept moist and watered appropriately at the right time. In summer, when the longevity flower is in the environment of high temperature, intense sunlight, large evaporation and dry air, it can be watered once every evening. When the winter is cold and the longevity flower enters the dormancy period, watering should be controlled or even not watered for a short time.

4. Light requirements for longevity flower cultivation:

Longevity flower likes sunshine, and family cultivation should be placed in a place with direct sunlight all the year round. In the hot summer season in the north, the light intensity is high, which is easy to make the leaves yellow. Therefore, it is advisable to shade appropriately around noon, or put them indoors in half shade, but pay attention to ventilation and cooling. If there is a lack of light for a long time when raising longevity flowers, not only the slender branches and thin and small leaves will affect the beauty of the plant shape, but also the number of flowers will be reduced and the color of the flowers will not be bright, which will also cause a large number of leaves to fall off and lose their ornamental value.

5. Temperature requirements for longevity flower cultivation:

The optimum temperature for the growth of longevity flower is 20~25 ℃. When the temperature is higher than 30 ℃ or lower than 10 ℃, the growth will obviously stop and enter the dormant or semi dormant state. In winter, if the temperature is lower than 10 ℃, move into the greenhouse for winter. If possible, the indoor temperature can be controlled at 16~20 ℃ in the daytime and 10~15 ℃ at night, so that the longevity flowers can bloom on New Year's Day and the Spring Festival.

The room temperature in winter should not be lower than 12 ℃, preferably 15~18 ℃ in the daytime and more than 10 ℃ at night. If the temperature is as low as 6-8 ℃, the leaves will turn red and the flowering period will be postponed.

The method of pinching the heart of Longevity flower culture

In the early stage of vigorous growth, attention should be paid to timely pinching to promote more branches, so as to facilitate the plump plant shape and improve the ornamental effect. After the flower withers, cut off the remaining flowers in time to avoid consuming nutrients and affecting the next flowering quantity.

Usually change the pot after the flowers wither every spring. When changing pots, pay attention to adding new culture soil.

The plant of longevity flower is short and compact, with green leaves and beautiful flowers. It blooms in the New Year and the Spring Festival. It is planted in small purple clay pots and placed on the windowsill or tea table. It can not only see the leaves but also enjoy the flowers.

Precautions for Longevity Flower Culture

1. Longevity flower has phototropism, so during the growth period, attention should be paid to changing the direction of the flower pot, adjusting the light to make the plant receive light evenly, and promote the branches to develop in all directions. If the pot is not turned for a long time, the plant will grow in one direction, affecting the ornamental effect.

2. In hot summer, proper shade shall be provided around noon, and ventilation and cooling shall be ensured. If you can't receive sufficient sunlight for a long time, the branches will become thin, the flower color will be dim, and the flowers will wither, and the leaves will soften and fall off, affecting the viewing.

3. The ambient temperature should be kept above 12 ℃. If the temperature is too low, the edge of the leaves will turn red and flowering will be delayed.

4. Longevity flower is a kind of short sunshine flower. The flower bud can be differentiated in the environment of 20 ℃ and 8 hours of sunshine. When the flower buds are formed, they should be exposed to scattered light before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. every day in summer according to the light requirements of plant flowering. At noon, they should avoid strong sunlight, and use a sunscreen to cover 40% of the light. At night, they should be placed under fluorescent lamps as far as possible, so that they can continue to blossom in summer. In addition to shading in midsummer, 60% of the light transmittance should be maintained during the growth period, and sufficient light should be provided in other seasons.

5. The pots of Changshou flower are usually changed once from September to October. Pot soil shall be mixed with peat, vermiculite and garden soil in a ratio of 2:2:1. After changing the pot, gradually increase the light, and start topdressing.