In some flower markets or high-end flower shops, you can see the branches of small shrubs with bright and tender leaves. A large branch costs nearly a hundred dollars. The branches (fresh-cut branches) can be grown directly in water, indoors. It can be viewed for one or two months if maintained in a cool place with water.
Most varieties of Pieris japonica (scientific name: Pieris japonica, also called japonica) will bloom in clusters of orchid-like flowers in winter. However, everyone should be reminded that the entire plant is poisonous, and horses eat its branches and leaves. It will fall into a coma, just like being drunk, so it is named "Ma Zui Mu".
In the past, some people cut off their branches and leaves and soaked them in water, and the resulting solution was sprayed on other plants to prevent diseases and pests. Remember to wash your hands after pruning this plant. Households with pets or children should keep it with caution.
1. Variety introduction:
There are many varieties of horse drunken trees in gardening. Be sure to look carefully before buying. Some varieties have green leaves, including the common Cavatine Pieris and Cavatine Pieris. These two varieties have low plants and are suitable for growing into pots. They generally grow to a height of 30 to 90 centimeters and generally no more than one meter. They have dark green leaves and bloom in winter and spring. The flowers have a light fragrance.
variegated pieris
If you like the Echinacea species with yellow leaves, you can choose the common Pieris 'Mountain Fire' (red leaves), Pieris 'Forest Flame' (fresh red leaves) and Pieris 'Forest flame' (orange leaves), variegated pieris (flowers) leaves), etc., the former is more cold-resistant and can survive in colder places in the north.
If you grow azaleas well, then there will basically be no problem raising azaleas.
Pieris Mountain Fire
Pieris Forest Flame
Pieris Forest flame
2. Growth environment
Horsetail wood is native to eastern my country, Japan and other places, and is a perennial green of the Rhododendron family Shrub plant , it likes acidic soil and has good cold tolerance. It will not grow well in places that are too hot.
When maintaining potted plants, the height of the plants is generally controlled to more than one meter, while when planted on the ground or without pruning, the plants can grow to 3 to 4 meters.
Pieris 'Mountain Fire'
The leaves of Pieris are smooth and narrow, and there are many varieties with mosaics and leaves. Those sold as cut branches usually have green leaves. The varieties with mosaics and leaves (such as variegated pieris, which have fewer flowers) are the best. It is even more attractive. There are white and green patterns on the leaves, and the new leaves are all red. Through pruning, it can grow many branches. When the new leaves grow, they are more beautiful than the flowers.
3. Note on daily maintenance:
. Light
The location where the horse drunken tree is planted must have more sunlight. If it is a place with relatively high temperatures in summer and autumn, it should be kept in a semi-shade place. It does not like excessive drought and heat. More than 4 hours of light per day is enough.
. Soil and container
Add more organic soil to the soil for planting horse drunken wood. For ground planting, you need to improve the soil in advance and dig a deeper hole. The soil can choose compost soil, leaf mold soil, peat soil , and you can add some decomposed soil appropriately. For manure (such as sheep manure or vermicompost, etc.), appropriately mix some coarse sand and coarse coconut shell to increase ventilation and drainage.
The same goes for potted plant care. If you add peat soil, remember to water it moistly in advance. When the soil is too dry, it is difficult to absorb water.
Horsetail is more suitable for growing as a potted plant. Do not use a flowerpot that is too large at the beginning (flowerpots that are too large are prone to water accumulation, root rot, and mold growth). If the environment is good, you can change the pot every year. When the roots have grown to the bottom of the pot, change the pot to a size one or two larger. It should be gradually transitioned to a large pot according to the growth status of the horse drunken tree.
. Fertilizer
During daily maintenance, pay attention to replenishing acidic fertilizer every one or two months in spring and summer. It is the fertilizer we usually use to maintain gardenia , camellia, azalea or jasmine, such as chelated iron, sulfuric acid Ferrous iron or vitriol fertilizer water.
. When pruning
potted or ground-planted eucalyptus, the environment should be kept ventilated and light-transparent, especially between the branches and leaves. It should not be too dense, let alone allow the branches and leaves to grow crosswise. If the environment is poorly ventilated, bacteria can easily breed. Excessive branches and leaves at the bottom can be cut off to make the bottom more transparent, which will help reduce pests and diseases and also create an independent trunk shape (lollipop).
Ma Zui Mu blooms on old branches (on the branches that grew the previous year). If you want to see its flowers every year, you cannot prune them after September (autumn), otherwise there will be no flowers in the next year. It is best to prune them after the flowers are in bloom. Prune after harvest.
. Propagation
If you want to propagate horsetail wood, you can choose to use branch cuttings in spring, or directly cultivate it using the method of high branch layering after the spring warms up. However, please note that it is a relatively difficult plant to take root, and the temperature is between 18 and 25 degrees. It is best to breed between the two, and pay attention to maintaining a humid and warm environment.
6. Watering
Every time before watering the horse drunken wood, check the dryness and wetness of the pot soil. The bottom 3 to 5 cm of the pot soil is dry. Then water it thoroughly. Do not let the pot soil dry often, especially when growing in spring and summer. peak season. When maintaining potted plants, the pot soil should not be kept wet all the time. If the soil does not dry out all the time, roots will easily rot. Pay attention to moving the potted plants to a place with more sunlight in time. Do not expose them to the sun when the temperature is high, and allow the potting soil to cycle dry and wet.
