文章
Miss Chen
2017年08月08日
Cactus plants are adapted to drought and extreme temperatures. One of the adaptations that allows them to survive their native desert conditions is slow growth. Saguaro cacti, for example, grow only 1 inch in the first eight years of life. These massive plants are usually 35 years old before they produce flowers, and at least 75 years old before they produce side arms.
Seed
Growing cactus from seed is an exercise in patience since the seeds may take up to a year to germinate. Once the seeds begin growing, it may be at least two or three years before the plant flowers. Sow the seeds in a sandy potting mix and keep the soil at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover the seed tray with plastic wrap to conserve moisture and warmth. Keep them in the starting tray until the plant stands 2 to 4 inches high, which may take up to two years.
Nursery Plants
Many nurseries and garden centers sell small cacti as houseplants. These plants grow very slowly and can remain in the same pot for two or three years. The plants grow during the spring and summer, followed by a dormant period in the fall and winter.
Care
To encourage reasonable growth, plant your cactus in a shallow pot with a coarse sand and soil mixture or a potting mix made specifically for cacti. Place the cactus outdoors in full sun during the summer, but bring it indoors in the winter. Water it every two weeks or so during hot weather. Provide water in the winter every three to four weeks. Cacti are prone to root rots and fungal diseases in damp conditions. Gradually move the plant each spring and fall to help it acclimate to its new surroundings. Moving it abruptly outdoors after a winter inside may scorch the plant.
Variety
Cacti vary in their growth rate, depending on the species. Try Christmas cactus, golden barrel or fire barrel cactus as houseplants. Other succulent plants that are often classified as a cactus, such as aloe, agave and sedums, may grow more quickly.
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文章
Miss Chen
2017年08月08日
Cactuses have a reputation for growing slowly, but among the 2,000-plus species is a wide variety of sizes and growth rates. Some never grow higher than a few inches while others may reach heights of 30 feet or higher. All cactus species grow fastest if they receive bright light and the correct amount of water and fertilizer. Making your cactus grow faster is a question of providing its ideal growing conditions during the warmer months of the year.
Step 1
Re-pot your cactus in a ceramic pot slightly larger than its current container. Use gloves to prevent the spines from piercing the skin and also to prevent damage to the cactus. Plant it in compost formulated for succulents or a mixture of equal parts of potting soil and coarse sand. Re-plant your cactus at exactly the same level that it sat in its original pot.
Step 2
Place your cactus on a bright, south-facing window sill or the sunniest spot in your home. Rotate the pot once a week to make sure growth is even. Aim to keep your cactus in an environment with temperatures ranging from 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer and 45 to 55 degrees during the winter.
Step 3
Water during the warmer months of the year, when the top inch of the soil is completely dry. Provide enough water to thoroughly moisten the compost and allow all excess liquid to drain away. During the winter, water only when the soil is completely dry or when your cactus starts to shrivel. Even then, provide only enough water to slightly moisten the soil.
Step 4
Fertilize your cactus once a month during the warmer months of the year with a low-nitrogen liquid fertilizer formulated for succulents. Do not fertilize during the winter.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月07日
Gardeners know that any manner of disease can befall their prized plants. In the case of Armillaria root rot, fungi are the underlying cause and the disease can be fatal. Armillaria root rot symptoms can by sly, starting out slowly with slowed growth and culminating with wood rot and mortality. Recognizing the disease and implementing a process of Armillaria root rot control can slow the disease. More information can be found by reading the article below. What is Armillaria Root Rot? Armillaria affects many ornamental and edible plants. What is Armillaria root rot? The disease is found through temperate and tropical regions of the world. Symptoms can be difficult to identify because the fungus responsible for the disease attacks roots deep in the soil. Once the disease has started to progress, it can be difficult or even impossible to arrest its effects. Armillaria stems from its mycelium harbored in the earth. The disease can persist for many years before above-ground symptoms emerge.
Typical Armillaria root rot symptoms can vary from species to species, making the disease even more difficult to nip in the bud. Additionally, the fungus spreads in groves or stands of trees from plant to plant through rhizomorphs, very similar to root rhizomes. It can also spread when mechanical soil movement occurs and transfers diseased wood chips. This makes the disease that much more insidious and challenging to manage. Armillaria Root Rot Symptoms One of the first symptoms of the disease is usually wilted, limp foliage. Leaves or needles yellow and fall, while upper limbs experience die-back. Definite diagnosis of the disease may involve cutting into the cambium of the affected tree.
The fungus appears in cambium as whitish in color and has a distinctly mushroom-like odor. Affected conifers may develop a bumper crop of cones, known as stress cones, and any sick tree is prone to attack by other disease and insect pests. Among the more interesting Armillaria root rot facts, is its natural presence in soil and symbiotic relationship with affected trees. Plants under environmental stress, other disease issues and in incorrect sites will be more quickly symptomatic than trees in excellent health. Armillaria root rot control depends upon early recognition of symptoms and superior cultural care of diseased plants. Treatment for Armillaria Root Rot Sadly, there is no absolute treatment for Armillaria root rot. The disease can be managed by consistent removal of dead trees and infected stumps.
Armillaria requires consistent moisture to survive, and in citrus groves, excavation around the root crown has been an effective deterrent but not an ultimate cure. Providing excellent care to trees has been shown to increase vigor and health, thereby reducing the plant’s symptoms. In large scale forests, affected stands are often removed and replanted with species that are naturally resistant to the disease. Occasionally, chemical fumigants are applied, reducing the spread of the disease. This practice isn’t practical for the home gardener, so cultural management, removal of infected plant material and good sanitation seem to be the best options in the home landscape.
Typical Armillaria root rot symptoms can vary from species to species, making the disease even more difficult to nip in the bud. Additionally, the fungus spreads in groves or stands of trees from plant to plant through rhizomorphs, very similar to root rhizomes. It can also spread when mechanical soil movement occurs and transfers diseased wood chips. This makes the disease that much more insidious and challenging to manage. Armillaria Root Rot Symptoms One of the first symptoms of the disease is usually wilted, limp foliage. Leaves or needles yellow and fall, while upper limbs experience die-back. Definite diagnosis of the disease may involve cutting into the cambium of the affected tree.
The fungus appears in cambium as whitish in color and has a distinctly mushroom-like odor. Affected conifers may develop a bumper crop of cones, known as stress cones, and any sick tree is prone to attack by other disease and insect pests. Among the more interesting Armillaria root rot facts, is its natural presence in soil and symbiotic relationship with affected trees. Plants under environmental stress, other disease issues and in incorrect sites will be more quickly symptomatic than trees in excellent health. Armillaria root rot control depends upon early recognition of symptoms and superior cultural care of diseased plants. Treatment for Armillaria Root Rot Sadly, there is no absolute treatment for Armillaria root rot. The disease can be managed by consistent removal of dead trees and infected stumps.
Armillaria requires consistent moisture to survive, and in citrus groves, excavation around the root crown has been an effective deterrent but not an ultimate cure. Providing excellent care to trees has been shown to increase vigor and health, thereby reducing the plant’s symptoms. In large scale forests, affected stands are often removed and replanted with species that are naturally resistant to the disease. Occasionally, chemical fumigants are applied, reducing the spread of the disease. This practice isn’t practical for the home gardener, so cultural management, removal of infected plant material and good sanitation seem to be the best options in the home landscape.
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成长记
stureburk
2017年08月07日
Some good growth. Sunshine has done this one some good. I have found two new pups on this one as well.
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0
成长记
Ueca
2017年08月04日
Re-united. They're so resilient, re-potting doesn't seem to interfere with their growth.
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0
文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月04日
The tree’s yearly cycle
Within a given year, plants go through various phases:
winter dormancy
revival and flowering
producing new growth and fruit
a short period of summer dormancy
consolidation of the new growth
preparation for the winter dormancy.
The start points and lengths of the phases are very much dependent on variations in the photoperiod (the relationship between the length of the daytime and of night) and climate, which can alter the periods of rest or activity. For example, if there are very high temperatures, above 32–35°C, that last for more than a very brief spell, this will slow down or inhibit photosynthesis: the plant will then go into a period of dormancy that will not end until normal conditions have been re-established.
When to intervene
The time to intervene on a bonsai is usually dictated by the plant’s life cycle. Sometimes the right moment is limited to a very short period of just a few days: this is the case for pinching buds on maples. Sometimes, on the other hand, the work can be carried out over an extended period, by adapting the procedures or replacing them with other solutions which, if carefully applied, may even be preferable: this is the case for the repotting of some broadleaves in summer.
In general, the period for intervention more or less coincides with seasonal changes:
in winter, the tree is dormant because of very cold weather
in early spring, growth begins again
in spring and early summer, there is major growth
in high summer, the tree is dormant due to the heat
in early autumn, fruit is produced and growth stabilises
in late autumn, the tree prepares for the winter dormancy.
These are only rough guidelines, however. Geographical position and local microclimate are highly variable factors, so it is necessary to check the plant’s ability to adapt to the chosen location. Paying close attention to the biological cycle of plants to glean useful pointers and to choose the time and method of intervention is much more pertinent, and gives more accurate information than following tables of prescribed data.
Phase 1. During winter dormancy
Broadleaves are inactive during this period. The absence of leaves does not allow photosynthesis, and there is no activity in the organs. The part above ground has no need for either light or fertiliser. Stick only to routine maintenance, to avoid the possibility of infestation by parasites or fungus. The roots, on the other hand, need a certain amount of moisture in the soil to stay alive and not dry out. But take care not to over-water; otherwise you risk asphyxiating them. During this period, because of the low temperatures, water evaporates slowly and is not absorbed at all by the leaves. The soil dries so slowly that it is easy to forget to check it. This is a good period for a number of types of work on bonsai.
Repotting
Most bonsai can be repotted during the winter, but the best period for this is the weeks immediately prior to the early spring revival, when you judge that there is no longer a danger of intense cold that could damage the roots. If repotting a tree in the middle of winter, you need to remember to put it in a place where is safe from frost – although not in a heated room, because you do not want to stimulate premature growth.
Broadleaves are generally repotted after hosing down the root ball to clean it and leave the roots bare. This provides an opportunity to have a good look at all of the roots every two to three years. You therefore need to take advantage of it to improve them, by removing thicker ones so as to stimulate growth of finer ones which absorb nutrients dissolved in water. The improvements must concern either the buried roots, or those on the surface, and the nebari which should be attended to at each repotting.
The root mass of a vigorous broadleaf can be reduced by 60%, or even more, without causing any suffering to the plant.
Repotting conifers is more complicated and carries a slightly higher level of risk than that of broadleaves. It should never be done with bare roots; instead, part of the root ball must be kept intact. The fine roots of conifers generally have more trouble forming. To absorb food, they need mycorrhizas, which therefore need to be retained.
The time available in late winter for repotting broadleaves is rather limited. Repotting must be suspended as soon as the first buds start to open. A second possibility for repotting arises in June, when the leaves from the first budding are mature. The period for repotting conifers is much longer and can extend right up to the point when the candles open for pines, or to the growth of new foliage for junipers: in practice, it can last from the first half of February until mid-June, depending on the microclimate of the location concerned. Cutting back the roots during repotting stimulates the plant to quickly produce new roots, new growth, and to repair its wounds: healing is very speedy in this period.
Pruning
As for the above-ground parts of the plant, this late winter period is a good time for structural pruning, replacement pruning and maintenance pruning:
Structural, or ‘hard’, pruning is intended to give an initial form to virgin material, reducing the length of the trunk and accentuating the taper if this is part of the design conceived for the bonsai, or removing unnecessary branches.
Replacement pruning is used to reduce the height of a bonsai or the length of its branches. It thus serves to make the bonsai’s form more compact. This and the previous type of pruning use a smaller and shorter secondary branch to replace the one that has been cut off. If necessary, before growth starts again in the spring, this is the moment to carry out a second styling exercise, to go back over the design or perfect it.
Maintenance pruning. It is also possible to use a very light pruning to get back the shape that has been lost through the new growth from the last season. This type of pruning, which is usually combined with wire training, allows the bonsai’s form to be re-established and the foliage to grow correctly. Repeated every year, this procedure leads the bonsai towards maturity and encourages its growth activity to stabilise.
It is always best to treat the severed ends after pruning with cut paste or adhesive aluminium tape, to protect them from microorganisms and insects, and to retain a minimum level of humidity, which is necessary for the development of healing cells.
The use of adhesive aluminium tape (0.5 mm thickness) for healing has been adapted to bonsai by the master Harumi Miyao, renowned in Japan as the greatest expert on Japanese maple, Acer palmatum. The technique consists of covering the perfectly flat (not concave!) cut with a piece of aluminium tape which goes 2 centimetres beyond the edge of the cut all round. Healing then takes half the time that it does with other methods, and there is no swelling.
Other tasks for the dormant period
The winter dormancy is a good time for:
working on jin and shari (dead parts of branches or trunks), whether small or large
major work on deadwood on junipers, pines and Prunus
bending trunks and branches, small or large
treating deadwood with jin seal to prevent it from rotting
using jin seal as a preventative measure (dilute 1 part jin seal with 30 parts water) on trunks and major branches of broadleaves.
On pines, just before maintenance pruning and wire training, if it has not been done already, it is possible to remove the old needles to allow more light to penetrate, to activate the dormant buds inside the tree and to sort through the terminal buds at the ends of the branches to leave just two of them.
Phase 2. Reawakening in early spring
At the beginning of spring, broadleaves need to be carefully inspected to spot the first signs of budding. Some species, such as elm and hornbeam, should initially be left to bud freely. Only a few weeks later, when the new shoots have developed at least four to six leaves, is intervention necessary by cutting with scissors after the second leaf.
Others, however – especially in the case of bonsai that have already been styled – need intervention to keep overly vigorous growth under control and avoid compromising the elegance and refinement of the ends of the ramification. This is the case for Japanese maples in the styling phase: if they are left to grow unfettered, during the season they will produce thick, straight shoots a metre long.
On the other hand, on a maple that is in the phase of refinement, intervention on the buds is required every day, from the moment the first ones start to open until the last ones have finished budding. The procedure consists of opening the first two leaves, which will be retained, and removing the leaves inside. This operation, which is called “pinching”, induces the growth of new and smaller buds, which will sprout from the axils of the remaining leaves. The procedure, which needs to be constantly repeated and is often carried out alongside deleafing, generates small leaves and an elegant and slender ramification, which is what characterises Japanese maples. Beech is an unusual case, because it only buds once in the spring. This idiosyncrasy has the result of increasing the time required for the ramification to densify.
Phase 3. New growth in Spring
Pinching junipers
All varieties of juniper (Juniperus communis, J. chinensis, J. phoenicea L., etc.), if well cultivated (with the necessary sunlight, water and fertiliser), bud continuously from spring to autumn. New shoots should be pinched back with the fingertips every 10 to 15 days, or trimmed with scissors two or three times during the season. If you choose to use scissors, then cut by inserting the scissor blades parallel to the stalk of the shoot.
Pinching firs
As for firs, only large buds should be pinched, when they reach 2 to 3 centimetres (about an inch) long. Break them off with your fingers, halfway down. Leave small buds to develop, to balance the energy of the different areas of the tree.
Pinching broadleaves
Plants have a natural tendency to grow most in the areas that have the greatest amount of light, so that they can photosynthesise as much as possible. The bonsaist’s task is to spread the growth as evenly as possible, to balance out the energy across all areas of the plant. Pinching is needed for the most vigorous buds, to limit their development and encourage strengthening of the weaker ones. Usually you should only keep the first two buds, and remove the others. However, in particularly thick areas, it is better to leave only one, while leaving three or even four in the thinner areas.
This procedure should be repeated as and when necessary as the new growth comes out, and should continue throughout the growing season.
Flowering and fruiting plants are a separate case, because they should be left free to grow. They should only be pruned at the end of summer, after the differentiation between flower buds and leaf buds has been established. Flower buds develop at the bases of branches that have grown during the year.
If you prune the branches before the buds are differentiated, which generally happens around the end of June, the reduction of the leaf surface area obliges the plant to increase the number of leaf buds and abandon flower buds in order to re-establish a balance in the existing foliage.
Pinching pines
The months of May and June are a period of intense activity in pines. If you want make a pine into a bonsai, pinching candles and pruning new shoots are absolute musts. If small branches are not slowed down, they will continue to grow longer in all directions, seeking out as much light as possible. They will then be impossible to make more compact in order to create foliage pads. The energy will then be concentrated around the thickest areas – the branches at the top of the tree and the ends of the other branches – as is the case for almost all plants, which will increase the energy in these spots, to the detriment of the thinner areas which will end up perishing. To reverse this tendency, you need to cut off a greater or lesser amount of the candles. The period to do this is difficult to establish a priori, because it varies according to the specimens concerned and the geographical region. What you need to remember is that, on vigorous specimens, candles should be pinched when they have developed adequately, to somewhere around 3 centimetres (an inch and a quarter). To pinch them back, take the candle between your thumb and index finger and cut it off, while gently twisting it. You should not use scissors, because if you do, the ends of the needles will turn black as they develop. When candles do not open all at once, you need to pay careful attention and pinch them all back bit by bit, as they develop.
Layering
When the plant is at the height of its activity, it is the right moment for layering. Sap is flowing abundantly and all the organs are working at a good pace, which encourages roots to sprout quickly. Layering (also called marcotting) can be used to thin down an overly thick trunk, to create a new specimen by using an interesting part of an over-thick plant, to improve nebari that is not particularly attractive, etc. The procedure takes advantage of the capacity many plants have of rapidly producing new roots at a point where a ring of bark has been removed. Layering is an easy method of multiplying numbers of plants. It is used a lot to produce specimens with good proportions and interesting characteristics, and quite quickly at that.
Taking cuttings
Cuttings are a reproduction technique that allows plants with perfectly identical characteristics to the parent plant to be obtained. Again, this technique takes advantage of the capacity that certain species have – junipers and almost all broadleaves – to put out roots. Pines are not recommended here, because they usually have too slow a metabolism for the cutting to take root before it dries out. If the part destined for the cutting is well chosen, the new plant will have good characteristics, but will need plenty of time in order to reach the appropriate dimensions for creating a bonsai.
Phase 4. Summer
Summer repotting
Sometimes, for lack of time or by force of events, you cannot repot during the ideal period, which is generally at the end of winter. Some species can be safely repotted outwith this season, usually in June, by taking certain precautions. This summer repotting is done when broadleaves are mature – that is, when they have finished developing and are completely fulfilling all their functions (first and foremost of which is photosynthesis). They change slightly in colour (growing darker), as well as in texture – they become more resistant, and rubbing them between your fingers makes a sound similar to rustling a sheet of paper. This is the best time for an “off-season” repotting. In summer, roots should only be cut back by a maximum of 40 %, while in spring they can be cut back by up to 60%. In addition, it is likewise advisable to cut back the foliage, by defoliating to a greater or lesser degree, so as to improve the water balance – between absorbed and evaporated water. After repotting, it is important to protect the plant from direct sunlight and wind for a few weeks, and to shelter it in a bright spot. To ensure the substrate has the right level of moisture, which encourages the plant to sprout and develop radicles, on the surface where it dries out most quickly, cover the soil with a layer of small pieces of sphagnum; these can be left permanently in place.
If you work carefully, broadleaves generally withstand being repotted out of season without any problem at all. For conifers (pines and junipers), since their repotting period is longer, the need to repot them in June is eliminated, and all the more so since June is the month when candles develop and new needles and shoots are put out; and it is dangerous and not right to stress plants without good reason.
Pruning new shoots on pines
During June, and sometimes up to mid-July depending on the climate and the specific characteristics of each plant, new shoots on pines should be cut back with scissors. These new shoots are buds that have become candles and have sprouted needles. The aim of pruning new shoots is to keep the lengthening of the branches under control, to encourage dormant buds to be roused and consequently to form dense, compact ramification, as well as reducing the length of needles.
Summer dormancy
As high summer temperatures start to arrive – above 32-35°C (90–95°F) – almost all plants stop or considerably slow down their growth rate. Metabolism, photosynthesis, transpiration and gaseous exchange undergo major changes, forcing the leaves to put mechanisms in place that can reduce the absorption of heat and can dissipate it as much as possible through stomata. Plants stop growing and go into a state of rest. When conditions return to “normal” for them, all their mechanisms start to work normally again.
During this period, full attention needs to be paid to watering: often, very high temperatures and wind will dry out the substrate very quickly and literally burn the dehydrated leaves. The leaves begin to go dry (turn brown) on their outer edges, and if the plant is not quickly watered, including being sprayed with a fine mist, they will end up drying out completely. It is easy to understand that in order to function properly, plants need a quantity of water that is at least equal to that used to carry out all their functions. When the amount of water that is lost through foliar transpiration, evaporation from the substrate etc. is greater than the amount being absorbed, the leaves will wither.
If the imbalance is only slight and does not last long, normal conditions can quickly be re-established by watering, and no permanent damage will be recorded. Only photosynthesis and growth will be temporarily inhibited. Without watering, the loss of water will spread from the leaves to the trunk and right down to the roots, and the leaves will fall off within a few days. As with leaf loss in late autumn, the loss of all leaves in advance through drying out is not always a sign that the plant is dead. If the buds for the following spring have been produced, and the dehydration has not affected the branches, trunk or roots, the plant will bud normally in the spring.
If the plant is rehydrated, it may even recover during the season that is already underway, and reconstruct its root system and buds.
Phase 5. In autumn
Fertilising
Once the hottest period is past, in late August or early September (depending on the region), temperatures return to normal, below 30°C (86°F), and plants then readopt their normal growth activity. This is also the moment when attention needs to be focused as much as possible on fertilisation, which needs to supply the plant with the substances it needs to develop, consolidate new growth, reconstitute exhausted reserves and strengthen itself to best cope with the winter season.
In autumn, it is preferable to use fertilisers that are low in nitrogen, which is better for encouraging vegetative growth, especially for young plants and those that are in the construction phase. The feed also needs to be rich in phosphorus – to stimulate root growth and prepare a good flowering for the spring – and in potassium, to strengthen the plant, increase the roots’ assimilation capacity and consolidate the new growth that has been produced during the season.
Chemical fertilisers, which should be used with great care, can be put quickly to use by plants. Conversely, the nutrients of organic fertilisers need to break down by fermentation to be assimilated: this is why they can only be used by the roots 20 to 30 days after they have been applied.
Phase 6. Winter rest
Winter is the time when, after lavishing care and attention on plants, you can finally reap the rewards of your efforts and enjoy them: trees offer up bunches of little apples, orange kakis, a whole host of multicoloured berries and splendidly coloured leaves. But there are still some small tasks that need to be done, to guide plants towards their rest period as best as possible:
remove old pine needles – those that have not grown this season – to allow light to penetrate between the branches and activate the reawakening of dormant buds;
remove dead leaves on broadleaf trees, to prevent stagnation of the moisture from creating problems;
treat branches and trunks of broadleaves with jin seal to guard against disease and fungal infections (1 part jin seal to 30 parts water).
Within a given year, plants go through various phases:
winter dormancy
revival and flowering
producing new growth and fruit
a short period of summer dormancy
consolidation of the new growth
preparation for the winter dormancy.
The start points and lengths of the phases are very much dependent on variations in the photoperiod (the relationship between the length of the daytime and of night) and climate, which can alter the periods of rest or activity. For example, if there are very high temperatures, above 32–35°C, that last for more than a very brief spell, this will slow down or inhibit photosynthesis: the plant will then go into a period of dormancy that will not end until normal conditions have been re-established.
When to intervene
The time to intervene on a bonsai is usually dictated by the plant’s life cycle. Sometimes the right moment is limited to a very short period of just a few days: this is the case for pinching buds on maples. Sometimes, on the other hand, the work can be carried out over an extended period, by adapting the procedures or replacing them with other solutions which, if carefully applied, may even be preferable: this is the case for the repotting of some broadleaves in summer.
In general, the period for intervention more or less coincides with seasonal changes:
in winter, the tree is dormant because of very cold weather
in early spring, growth begins again
in spring and early summer, there is major growth
in high summer, the tree is dormant due to the heat
in early autumn, fruit is produced and growth stabilises
in late autumn, the tree prepares for the winter dormancy.
These are only rough guidelines, however. Geographical position and local microclimate are highly variable factors, so it is necessary to check the plant’s ability to adapt to the chosen location. Paying close attention to the biological cycle of plants to glean useful pointers and to choose the time and method of intervention is much more pertinent, and gives more accurate information than following tables of prescribed data.
Phase 1. During winter dormancy
Broadleaves are inactive during this period. The absence of leaves does not allow photosynthesis, and there is no activity in the organs. The part above ground has no need for either light or fertiliser. Stick only to routine maintenance, to avoid the possibility of infestation by parasites or fungus. The roots, on the other hand, need a certain amount of moisture in the soil to stay alive and not dry out. But take care not to over-water; otherwise you risk asphyxiating them. During this period, because of the low temperatures, water evaporates slowly and is not absorbed at all by the leaves. The soil dries so slowly that it is easy to forget to check it. This is a good period for a number of types of work on bonsai.
Repotting
Most bonsai can be repotted during the winter, but the best period for this is the weeks immediately prior to the early spring revival, when you judge that there is no longer a danger of intense cold that could damage the roots. If repotting a tree in the middle of winter, you need to remember to put it in a place where is safe from frost – although not in a heated room, because you do not want to stimulate premature growth.
Broadleaves are generally repotted after hosing down the root ball to clean it and leave the roots bare. This provides an opportunity to have a good look at all of the roots every two to three years. You therefore need to take advantage of it to improve them, by removing thicker ones so as to stimulate growth of finer ones which absorb nutrients dissolved in water. The improvements must concern either the buried roots, or those on the surface, and the nebari which should be attended to at each repotting.
The root mass of a vigorous broadleaf can be reduced by 60%, or even more, without causing any suffering to the plant.
Repotting conifers is more complicated and carries a slightly higher level of risk than that of broadleaves. It should never be done with bare roots; instead, part of the root ball must be kept intact. The fine roots of conifers generally have more trouble forming. To absorb food, they need mycorrhizas, which therefore need to be retained.
The time available in late winter for repotting broadleaves is rather limited. Repotting must be suspended as soon as the first buds start to open. A second possibility for repotting arises in June, when the leaves from the first budding are mature. The period for repotting conifers is much longer and can extend right up to the point when the candles open for pines, or to the growth of new foliage for junipers: in practice, it can last from the first half of February until mid-June, depending on the microclimate of the location concerned. Cutting back the roots during repotting stimulates the plant to quickly produce new roots, new growth, and to repair its wounds: healing is very speedy in this period.
Pruning
As for the above-ground parts of the plant, this late winter period is a good time for structural pruning, replacement pruning and maintenance pruning:
Structural, or ‘hard’, pruning is intended to give an initial form to virgin material, reducing the length of the trunk and accentuating the taper if this is part of the design conceived for the bonsai, or removing unnecessary branches.
Replacement pruning is used to reduce the height of a bonsai or the length of its branches. It thus serves to make the bonsai’s form more compact. This and the previous type of pruning use a smaller and shorter secondary branch to replace the one that has been cut off. If necessary, before growth starts again in the spring, this is the moment to carry out a second styling exercise, to go back over the design or perfect it.
Maintenance pruning. It is also possible to use a very light pruning to get back the shape that has been lost through the new growth from the last season. This type of pruning, which is usually combined with wire training, allows the bonsai’s form to be re-established and the foliage to grow correctly. Repeated every year, this procedure leads the bonsai towards maturity and encourages its growth activity to stabilise.
It is always best to treat the severed ends after pruning with cut paste or adhesive aluminium tape, to protect them from microorganisms and insects, and to retain a minimum level of humidity, which is necessary for the development of healing cells.
The use of adhesive aluminium tape (0.5 mm thickness) for healing has been adapted to bonsai by the master Harumi Miyao, renowned in Japan as the greatest expert on Japanese maple, Acer palmatum. The technique consists of covering the perfectly flat (not concave!) cut with a piece of aluminium tape which goes 2 centimetres beyond the edge of the cut all round. Healing then takes half the time that it does with other methods, and there is no swelling.
Other tasks for the dormant period
The winter dormancy is a good time for:
working on jin and shari (dead parts of branches or trunks), whether small or large
major work on deadwood on junipers, pines and Prunus
bending trunks and branches, small or large
treating deadwood with jin seal to prevent it from rotting
using jin seal as a preventative measure (dilute 1 part jin seal with 30 parts water) on trunks and major branches of broadleaves.
On pines, just before maintenance pruning and wire training, if it has not been done already, it is possible to remove the old needles to allow more light to penetrate, to activate the dormant buds inside the tree and to sort through the terminal buds at the ends of the branches to leave just two of them.
Phase 2. Reawakening in early spring
At the beginning of spring, broadleaves need to be carefully inspected to spot the first signs of budding. Some species, such as elm and hornbeam, should initially be left to bud freely. Only a few weeks later, when the new shoots have developed at least four to six leaves, is intervention necessary by cutting with scissors after the second leaf.
Others, however – especially in the case of bonsai that have already been styled – need intervention to keep overly vigorous growth under control and avoid compromising the elegance and refinement of the ends of the ramification. This is the case for Japanese maples in the styling phase: if they are left to grow unfettered, during the season they will produce thick, straight shoots a metre long.
On the other hand, on a maple that is in the phase of refinement, intervention on the buds is required every day, from the moment the first ones start to open until the last ones have finished budding. The procedure consists of opening the first two leaves, which will be retained, and removing the leaves inside. This operation, which is called “pinching”, induces the growth of new and smaller buds, which will sprout from the axils of the remaining leaves. The procedure, which needs to be constantly repeated and is often carried out alongside deleafing, generates small leaves and an elegant and slender ramification, which is what characterises Japanese maples. Beech is an unusual case, because it only buds once in the spring. This idiosyncrasy has the result of increasing the time required for the ramification to densify.
Phase 3. New growth in Spring
Pinching junipers
All varieties of juniper (Juniperus communis, J. chinensis, J. phoenicea L., etc.), if well cultivated (with the necessary sunlight, water and fertiliser), bud continuously from spring to autumn. New shoots should be pinched back with the fingertips every 10 to 15 days, or trimmed with scissors two or three times during the season. If you choose to use scissors, then cut by inserting the scissor blades parallel to the stalk of the shoot.
Pinching firs
As for firs, only large buds should be pinched, when they reach 2 to 3 centimetres (about an inch) long. Break them off with your fingers, halfway down. Leave small buds to develop, to balance the energy of the different areas of the tree.
Pinching broadleaves
Plants have a natural tendency to grow most in the areas that have the greatest amount of light, so that they can photosynthesise as much as possible. The bonsaist’s task is to spread the growth as evenly as possible, to balance out the energy across all areas of the plant. Pinching is needed for the most vigorous buds, to limit their development and encourage strengthening of the weaker ones. Usually you should only keep the first two buds, and remove the others. However, in particularly thick areas, it is better to leave only one, while leaving three or even four in the thinner areas.
This procedure should be repeated as and when necessary as the new growth comes out, and should continue throughout the growing season.
Flowering and fruiting plants are a separate case, because they should be left free to grow. They should only be pruned at the end of summer, after the differentiation between flower buds and leaf buds has been established. Flower buds develop at the bases of branches that have grown during the year.
If you prune the branches before the buds are differentiated, which generally happens around the end of June, the reduction of the leaf surface area obliges the plant to increase the number of leaf buds and abandon flower buds in order to re-establish a balance in the existing foliage.
Pinching pines
The months of May and June are a period of intense activity in pines. If you want make a pine into a bonsai, pinching candles and pruning new shoots are absolute musts. If small branches are not slowed down, they will continue to grow longer in all directions, seeking out as much light as possible. They will then be impossible to make more compact in order to create foliage pads. The energy will then be concentrated around the thickest areas – the branches at the top of the tree and the ends of the other branches – as is the case for almost all plants, which will increase the energy in these spots, to the detriment of the thinner areas which will end up perishing. To reverse this tendency, you need to cut off a greater or lesser amount of the candles. The period to do this is difficult to establish a priori, because it varies according to the specimens concerned and the geographical region. What you need to remember is that, on vigorous specimens, candles should be pinched when they have developed adequately, to somewhere around 3 centimetres (an inch and a quarter). To pinch them back, take the candle between your thumb and index finger and cut it off, while gently twisting it. You should not use scissors, because if you do, the ends of the needles will turn black as they develop. When candles do not open all at once, you need to pay careful attention and pinch them all back bit by bit, as they develop.
Layering
When the plant is at the height of its activity, it is the right moment for layering. Sap is flowing abundantly and all the organs are working at a good pace, which encourages roots to sprout quickly. Layering (also called marcotting) can be used to thin down an overly thick trunk, to create a new specimen by using an interesting part of an over-thick plant, to improve nebari that is not particularly attractive, etc. The procedure takes advantage of the capacity many plants have of rapidly producing new roots at a point where a ring of bark has been removed. Layering is an easy method of multiplying numbers of plants. It is used a lot to produce specimens with good proportions and interesting characteristics, and quite quickly at that.
Taking cuttings
Cuttings are a reproduction technique that allows plants with perfectly identical characteristics to the parent plant to be obtained. Again, this technique takes advantage of the capacity that certain species have – junipers and almost all broadleaves – to put out roots. Pines are not recommended here, because they usually have too slow a metabolism for the cutting to take root before it dries out. If the part destined for the cutting is well chosen, the new plant will have good characteristics, but will need plenty of time in order to reach the appropriate dimensions for creating a bonsai.
Phase 4. Summer
Summer repotting
Sometimes, for lack of time or by force of events, you cannot repot during the ideal period, which is generally at the end of winter. Some species can be safely repotted outwith this season, usually in June, by taking certain precautions. This summer repotting is done when broadleaves are mature – that is, when they have finished developing and are completely fulfilling all their functions (first and foremost of which is photosynthesis). They change slightly in colour (growing darker), as well as in texture – they become more resistant, and rubbing them between your fingers makes a sound similar to rustling a sheet of paper. This is the best time for an “off-season” repotting. In summer, roots should only be cut back by a maximum of 40 %, while in spring they can be cut back by up to 60%. In addition, it is likewise advisable to cut back the foliage, by defoliating to a greater or lesser degree, so as to improve the water balance – between absorbed and evaporated water. After repotting, it is important to protect the plant from direct sunlight and wind for a few weeks, and to shelter it in a bright spot. To ensure the substrate has the right level of moisture, which encourages the plant to sprout and develop radicles, on the surface where it dries out most quickly, cover the soil with a layer of small pieces of sphagnum; these can be left permanently in place.
If you work carefully, broadleaves generally withstand being repotted out of season without any problem at all. For conifers (pines and junipers), since their repotting period is longer, the need to repot them in June is eliminated, and all the more so since June is the month when candles develop and new needles and shoots are put out; and it is dangerous and not right to stress plants without good reason.
Pruning new shoots on pines
During June, and sometimes up to mid-July depending on the climate and the specific characteristics of each plant, new shoots on pines should be cut back with scissors. These new shoots are buds that have become candles and have sprouted needles. The aim of pruning new shoots is to keep the lengthening of the branches under control, to encourage dormant buds to be roused and consequently to form dense, compact ramification, as well as reducing the length of needles.
Summer dormancy
As high summer temperatures start to arrive – above 32-35°C (90–95°F) – almost all plants stop or considerably slow down their growth rate. Metabolism, photosynthesis, transpiration and gaseous exchange undergo major changes, forcing the leaves to put mechanisms in place that can reduce the absorption of heat and can dissipate it as much as possible through stomata. Plants stop growing and go into a state of rest. When conditions return to “normal” for them, all their mechanisms start to work normally again.
During this period, full attention needs to be paid to watering: often, very high temperatures and wind will dry out the substrate very quickly and literally burn the dehydrated leaves. The leaves begin to go dry (turn brown) on their outer edges, and if the plant is not quickly watered, including being sprayed with a fine mist, they will end up drying out completely. It is easy to understand that in order to function properly, plants need a quantity of water that is at least equal to that used to carry out all their functions. When the amount of water that is lost through foliar transpiration, evaporation from the substrate etc. is greater than the amount being absorbed, the leaves will wither.
If the imbalance is only slight and does not last long, normal conditions can quickly be re-established by watering, and no permanent damage will be recorded. Only photosynthesis and growth will be temporarily inhibited. Without watering, the loss of water will spread from the leaves to the trunk and right down to the roots, and the leaves will fall off within a few days. As with leaf loss in late autumn, the loss of all leaves in advance through drying out is not always a sign that the plant is dead. If the buds for the following spring have been produced, and the dehydration has not affected the branches, trunk or roots, the plant will bud normally in the spring.
If the plant is rehydrated, it may even recover during the season that is already underway, and reconstruct its root system and buds.
Phase 5. In autumn
Fertilising
Once the hottest period is past, in late August or early September (depending on the region), temperatures return to normal, below 30°C (86°F), and plants then readopt their normal growth activity. This is also the moment when attention needs to be focused as much as possible on fertilisation, which needs to supply the plant with the substances it needs to develop, consolidate new growth, reconstitute exhausted reserves and strengthen itself to best cope with the winter season.
In autumn, it is preferable to use fertilisers that are low in nitrogen, which is better for encouraging vegetative growth, especially for young plants and those that are in the construction phase. The feed also needs to be rich in phosphorus – to stimulate root growth and prepare a good flowering for the spring – and in potassium, to strengthen the plant, increase the roots’ assimilation capacity and consolidate the new growth that has been produced during the season.
Chemical fertilisers, which should be used with great care, can be put quickly to use by plants. Conversely, the nutrients of organic fertilisers need to break down by fermentation to be assimilated: this is why they can only be used by the roots 20 to 30 days after they have been applied.
Phase 6. Winter rest
Winter is the time when, after lavishing care and attention on plants, you can finally reap the rewards of your efforts and enjoy them: trees offer up bunches of little apples, orange kakis, a whole host of multicoloured berries and splendidly coloured leaves. But there are still some small tasks that need to be done, to guide plants towards their rest period as best as possible:
remove old pine needles – those that have not grown this season – to allow light to penetrate between the branches and activate the reawakening of dormant buds;
remove dead leaves on broadleaf trees, to prevent stagnation of the moisture from creating problems;
treat branches and trunks of broadleaves with jin seal to guard against disease and fungal infections (1 part jin seal to 30 parts water).
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月04日
Basic file parts of fertilizer
The three basic elements of any fertilizer are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K), with each element serving different purposes. Nitrogen increases growth of leaves and stems (growth above ground), Phosphorus encourages healthy root growth and growth of fruits and flowers, Potassium promotes overall plant health. Different ratios of NPK are being used for different trees at different times of year, which is very important to take into account when fertilizing Bonsai.
When should I apply fertilizer?
Fertilize during the entire growth season of the tree; from early spring till mid autumn. Indoor trees can be fertilized around the year. Although sometimes disputed, do not fertilize repotted trees for about a month; also do not fertilize sick trees.
Which fertilizer to choose?
It is very important to choose the right fertilizer for your Bonsai plants: during the early spring time use a fertilizer with a relatively high Nitrogen content (something like NPK 10:6:6) to boost the tree’s growth. During the summer use a more balanced fertilizer (like NPK 6:6:6) while during the autumn use a fertilizer to harden off the tree for the coming winter (like NPK 3:6:6).
A few exceptions are worth pointing out: to encourage Bonsai to flower use a fertilizer with a high Phosphorous (P) content (like NPK 6:10:6) and for older trees you might want to use fertilizer with a slightly lower Nitrogen (N) content or reduce the quantity of fertilizer applied.
Although “Bonsai fertilizer” is fertilizer like any other, buying from (online) Bonsai shops will help you find the right NPK values. Any fertilizer with the right NPK value is perfectly fine. You can choose to use either liquid or solid fertilizer; which doesn't matter much, just follow the application guidelines as stated on the product’s packaging.
How to fertilize Bonsai trees?
Feed your Bonsai using the quantities and frequency as stated on the fertilizer’s packaging. You can choose to reduce the recommended quantity slightly for trees that are not in training anymore, to balance their growth instead of stimulating it. When using solid fertilizer it helps to use fertilizer covers, which make sure the fertilizer stays in place. Never overfeed your trees, as this will have serious consequences for their health.
The three basic elements of any fertilizer are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K), with each element serving different purposes. Nitrogen increases growth of leaves and stems (growth above ground), Phosphorus encourages healthy root growth and growth of fruits and flowers, Potassium promotes overall plant health. Different ratios of NPK are being used for different trees at different times of year, which is very important to take into account when fertilizing Bonsai.
When should I apply fertilizer?
Fertilize during the entire growth season of the tree; from early spring till mid autumn. Indoor trees can be fertilized around the year. Although sometimes disputed, do not fertilize repotted trees for about a month; also do not fertilize sick trees.
Which fertilizer to choose?
It is very important to choose the right fertilizer for your Bonsai plants: during the early spring time use a fertilizer with a relatively high Nitrogen content (something like NPK 10:6:6) to boost the tree’s growth. During the summer use a more balanced fertilizer (like NPK 6:6:6) while during the autumn use a fertilizer to harden off the tree for the coming winter (like NPK 3:6:6).
A few exceptions are worth pointing out: to encourage Bonsai to flower use a fertilizer with a high Phosphorous (P) content (like NPK 6:10:6) and for older trees you might want to use fertilizer with a slightly lower Nitrogen (N) content or reduce the quantity of fertilizer applied.
Although “Bonsai fertilizer” is fertilizer like any other, buying from (online) Bonsai shops will help you find the right NPK values. Any fertilizer with the right NPK value is perfectly fine. You can choose to use either liquid or solid fertilizer; which doesn't matter much, just follow the application guidelines as stated on the product’s packaging.
How to fertilize Bonsai trees?
Feed your Bonsai using the quantities and frequency as stated on the fertilizer’s packaging. You can choose to reduce the recommended quantity slightly for trees that are not in training anymore, to balance their growth instead of stimulating it. When using solid fertilizer it helps to use fertilizer covers, which make sure the fertilizer stays in place. Never overfeed your trees, as this will have serious consequences for their health.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月03日
Family - Salicaceae
Stems - Multiple from the base, woody, erect to ascending or reclining. A shrub to +5m tall. Twigs glabrous or with a few sparse hairs, terete, with spongy white pith, green or reddish in strong sun. New growth sericeous, green.
Leaves - Alternate, short-petiolate. Petioles to 3mm long, whitish green, glabrous or with some sericeous hairs. Blades linear-oblong, , mostly glabrous above, sericeous or not below, deep shiny green above, dull green below, acute, with unevenly-spaced shallow teeth on the margins (the teeth small and less than 13 per inch).
Inflorescence - (pistillate) - Terminal spike on new season's growth. Spike to +/-4cm long in flower, elongating in fruit to +8cm long. Axis of the inflorescence sericeous to tomentose, light green. Each flower subtended by and partially enclosed by one cupped bract. Bracts enclosing the flowers for about 2/3 of the total flower length. Bracts light green, ovate, sericeous, rounded at the apex, 2-3mm long in flower, -2mm broad. Flowers ascending, tightly overlapping, spiraled around the axis.
Flowers - (pistillate) - Green, sericeous, to +4mm long in flower, longer in fruit. Stigmas 2, each divided and appearing as 4, white in flower, -1mm long, spreading, sessile. Styles wanting. Ovary with many ovules. Staminate flowers not seen. Fruits brown, splitting into 2 halves vertically. Seeds comose. Coma white, like silk, 5-8mm long. Seeds brown, -1mm long, .2mm broad, cylindric.
Flowering - May - June.
Habitat - Sand bars, gravel bars, mud flats, streambanks, oxbow lakes, river bottoms, flood plains.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This species of Willow is common throughout nearly all of Missouri except in the bootheel of the state, where it is apparently absent. This species is typically found as a small shrub on gravel bars and mudflats. The plant spreads by underground stems and can form large colonies if left unchecked.
The pubescence of all parts of the plant is variable.
Stems - Multiple from the base, woody, erect to ascending or reclining. A shrub to +5m tall. Twigs glabrous or with a few sparse hairs, terete, with spongy white pith, green or reddish in strong sun. New growth sericeous, green.
Leaves - Alternate, short-petiolate. Petioles to 3mm long, whitish green, glabrous or with some sericeous hairs. Blades linear-oblong, , mostly glabrous above, sericeous or not below, deep shiny green above, dull green below, acute, with unevenly-spaced shallow teeth on the margins (the teeth small and less than 13 per inch).
Inflorescence - (pistillate) - Terminal spike on new season's growth. Spike to +/-4cm long in flower, elongating in fruit to +8cm long. Axis of the inflorescence sericeous to tomentose, light green. Each flower subtended by and partially enclosed by one cupped bract. Bracts enclosing the flowers for about 2/3 of the total flower length. Bracts light green, ovate, sericeous, rounded at the apex, 2-3mm long in flower, -2mm broad. Flowers ascending, tightly overlapping, spiraled around the axis.
Flowers - (pistillate) - Green, sericeous, to +4mm long in flower, longer in fruit. Stigmas 2, each divided and appearing as 4, white in flower, -1mm long, spreading, sessile. Styles wanting. Ovary with many ovules. Staminate flowers not seen. Fruits brown, splitting into 2 halves vertically. Seeds comose. Coma white, like silk, 5-8mm long. Seeds brown, -1mm long, .2mm broad, cylindric.
Flowering - May - June.
Habitat - Sand bars, gravel bars, mud flats, streambanks, oxbow lakes, river bottoms, flood plains.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This species of Willow is common throughout nearly all of Missouri except in the bootheel of the state, where it is apparently absent. This species is typically found as a small shrub on gravel bars and mudflats. The plant spreads by underground stems and can form large colonies if left unchecked.
The pubescence of all parts of the plant is variable.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月02日
Family - Anacardiaceae
Stems - Woody, single or multiple from base, branching, to 3m tall, reddish, glabrate, with lenticels. New seasons growth puberulent to tomentose.
Leaves - Alternate, odd-pinnate, petiolate. Petiole reddish above(adaxially), green below(abaxially), puberulent to tomentose, to 6cm long. Rachis between leaflets winged. Wings to 4mm broad, shiny green. Leaflets 5-11, sessile, elliptic-lanceolate, entire, acute to acuminate, often slightly oblique at base, puberulent on midrib and veins above, pubescent below, deep green above, dull green below, to +7cm long, +3.5cm broad. Terminal leaflet sometimes divided, abruptly contracted at base and appearing to have a petiolule.
Inflorescence - Terminal thryse to +15cm long. Axis and branches of thryse tomentose. Plants polygamodioecious.
Flowers - Petals 5, greenish-yellow, 2.1m long, 1.2mm broad, with minutely ciliolate margins, spreading to reflexed. Sepals 5, pubescent, broadly ovate, green, 1mm long, 1mm broad. Pistillate flowers - Style 3-parted, .5mm long, yellow, thick, sparse pubescent. Stigmas capitate, yellow-orange. Ovary globose, tomentose to puberulent, .9mm in diameter. Staminal vestiges often present in pistillate flowers. Staminate flowers - Stamens 5, erect, exserted, alternating with petals. Filaments white, to 1.5mm long. Anthers yellow-orange, 1mm long. Drupes to 4mm in diameter, reddish, with simple and glandular pubescence.
Flowering - May - November.
Habitat - Prairies, thickets, open woods, glades, roadsides, railroads.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This species is common throughout most of Missouri with the exception of most of the northern counties. The plant is easy to ID in the field because of its winged leaves and the fact that it is a more compact species than any other Rhus in this state. The leaves turn a brilliant crimson red in the fall. Like many of the genus, this plant was used by indians to treat ailments such as dysentery and mouth sores.
Stems - Woody, single or multiple from base, branching, to 3m tall, reddish, glabrate, with lenticels. New seasons growth puberulent to tomentose.
Leaves - Alternate, odd-pinnate, petiolate. Petiole reddish above(adaxially), green below(abaxially), puberulent to tomentose, to 6cm long. Rachis between leaflets winged. Wings to 4mm broad, shiny green. Leaflets 5-11, sessile, elliptic-lanceolate, entire, acute to acuminate, often slightly oblique at base, puberulent on midrib and veins above, pubescent below, deep green above, dull green below, to +7cm long, +3.5cm broad. Terminal leaflet sometimes divided, abruptly contracted at base and appearing to have a petiolule.
Inflorescence - Terminal thryse to +15cm long. Axis and branches of thryse tomentose. Plants polygamodioecious.
Flowers - Petals 5, greenish-yellow, 2.1m long, 1.2mm broad, with minutely ciliolate margins, spreading to reflexed. Sepals 5, pubescent, broadly ovate, green, 1mm long, 1mm broad. Pistillate flowers - Style 3-parted, .5mm long, yellow, thick, sparse pubescent. Stigmas capitate, yellow-orange. Ovary globose, tomentose to puberulent, .9mm in diameter. Staminal vestiges often present in pistillate flowers. Staminate flowers - Stamens 5, erect, exserted, alternating with petals. Filaments white, to 1.5mm long. Anthers yellow-orange, 1mm long. Drupes to 4mm in diameter, reddish, with simple and glandular pubescence.
Flowering - May - November.
Habitat - Prairies, thickets, open woods, glades, roadsides, railroads.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This species is common throughout most of Missouri with the exception of most of the northern counties. The plant is easy to ID in the field because of its winged leaves and the fact that it is a more compact species than any other Rhus in this state. The leaves turn a brilliant crimson red in the fall. Like many of the genus, this plant was used by indians to treat ailments such as dysentery and mouth sores.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月02日
Family - Rhamnaceae
Stems - Woody, a shrub to +2m tall. Twigs glabrous, tannish-red, terete. New growth terete, glabrous or puberulent. Pith of the twigs white, spongy, solid.
Leaves - Leaves alternate, petiolate. Petioles to 5mm long, pubescent on the adaxial margin and with an adaxial groove. Blades lanceolate to elliptic, serrulate, acute, mostly glabrous but with some hairs on the midrib below, deep dull green adaxially, shiny light green abaxially, to +5cm long, +2cm broad.
Inflorescence - Single flowers from the leaf axils on the new-season's growth. Pedicels 3-4mm long, glabrous. Plants polygamodioecous (with male and female flowers on different plants and with some perfect flowers on the same plant).
Flowers (staminate) - Petals 4, alternating with the sepals, adnate at the apex of the calyx tube, erect, folded around the stamens, small, 1-1.3mm long, .5mm broad, glabrous, purplish, notched at the apex. Stamens 4, alternating with the calyx lobes, erect, adnate just below the petals. Filaments -1mm long, compressed, widest at the base and tapering to the apex, glabrous, translucent-green. Anthers to .7mm long, whtish to gold. Pistil reduced, .5-.6mm long, glabrous, green, superior, tapering to the apex. Calyx tube green, glabrous, 1-1.5mm long. Sepals 4, 2mm long, 1mm broad, acute, entire, green and sometimes with brown tips.
Flowering - April - June.
Habitat - Open wooded slopes, usually on limestone.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This shrubby species can be found throughout most of Missouri but is apparently absent from the bootheel counties of the state. The plant is fairly non-distinct and easily missed when traversing the woods. Habitat is probably the best character to use when trying to locate this plant in the wild. In the Ozarks this species is not nearly as common and the larger R. caroliniana Walt.
Stems - Woody, a shrub to +2m tall. Twigs glabrous, tannish-red, terete. New growth terete, glabrous or puberulent. Pith of the twigs white, spongy, solid.
Leaves - Leaves alternate, petiolate. Petioles to 5mm long, pubescent on the adaxial margin and with an adaxial groove. Blades lanceolate to elliptic, serrulate, acute, mostly glabrous but with some hairs on the midrib below, deep dull green adaxially, shiny light green abaxially, to +5cm long, +2cm broad.
Inflorescence - Single flowers from the leaf axils on the new-season's growth. Pedicels 3-4mm long, glabrous. Plants polygamodioecous (with male and female flowers on different plants and with some perfect flowers on the same plant).
Flowers (staminate) - Petals 4, alternating with the sepals, adnate at the apex of the calyx tube, erect, folded around the stamens, small, 1-1.3mm long, .5mm broad, glabrous, purplish, notched at the apex. Stamens 4, alternating with the calyx lobes, erect, adnate just below the petals. Filaments -1mm long, compressed, widest at the base and tapering to the apex, glabrous, translucent-green. Anthers to .7mm long, whtish to gold. Pistil reduced, .5-.6mm long, glabrous, green, superior, tapering to the apex. Calyx tube green, glabrous, 1-1.5mm long. Sepals 4, 2mm long, 1mm broad, acute, entire, green and sometimes with brown tips.
Flowering - April - June.
Habitat - Open wooded slopes, usually on limestone.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This shrubby species can be found throughout most of Missouri but is apparently absent from the bootheel counties of the state. The plant is fairly non-distinct and easily missed when traversing the woods. Habitat is probably the best character to use when trying to locate this plant in the wild. In the Ozarks this species is not nearly as common and the larger R. caroliniana Walt.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月01日
Family - Anacardiaceae
Stems - To +2m tall, woody, multiple from base, erect to ascending, fragrant. Branches glabrous below, becoming puberulent to pilose above in new growth.
Leaves - Alternate, trifoliolate, petiolate, deciduous. Petioles to +/-2cm long, pubescent to glabrous. Leaflets sessile, nearly entire to serrate, lobed or not, to +5cm long, +4cm broad, glabrous to densely pubescent, acute to blunt.
Inflorescence - Catkins produced at the end of the growing season, typically 1-1.5cm long and 4mm in diameter but expanding in the spring before anthesis, often in a compound spike. Flowers appearing before leaves or with the first leaves.
Flowers - Polygamodioecious. Petals 5, yellow, to 3mm long, with sparse cilia internally, free. Stamens 5, erect, yellowish. Anthers, .5mm in diameter, yellow-orange. Style 1, 3-lobed. Ovary surrounded by yellow disk. Sepals 5, united at base. Drupes red, subglobose, 5-7mm in diameter, densely pubescent.
Flowering - March - May.
Habitat - Rocky open woods, thickets, glades, bluffs, knobs, railroads.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This is a common and highly variable species with 3 varieties in Missouri and many more to our west. The leaves are variable in shape and pubescence. The twigs and branches are variable in pubescence. I won't go into the varieties here but for the most part they are clearly distinguishable in the field. Consult Steyermark if you wish to separate the plant into its varieties. The leaves and stems of the species are fragrant when crushed or bruised. The fruits, as with most of the genus, can be brewed into a tasty tea. The species is also widely cultivated.
Stems - To +2m tall, woody, multiple from base, erect to ascending, fragrant. Branches glabrous below, becoming puberulent to pilose above in new growth.
Leaves - Alternate, trifoliolate, petiolate, deciduous. Petioles to +/-2cm long, pubescent to glabrous. Leaflets sessile, nearly entire to serrate, lobed or not, to +5cm long, +4cm broad, glabrous to densely pubescent, acute to blunt.
Inflorescence - Catkins produced at the end of the growing season, typically 1-1.5cm long and 4mm in diameter but expanding in the spring before anthesis, often in a compound spike. Flowers appearing before leaves or with the first leaves.
Flowers - Polygamodioecious. Petals 5, yellow, to 3mm long, with sparse cilia internally, free. Stamens 5, erect, yellowish. Anthers, .5mm in diameter, yellow-orange. Style 1, 3-lobed. Ovary surrounded by yellow disk. Sepals 5, united at base. Drupes red, subglobose, 5-7mm in diameter, densely pubescent.
Flowering - March - May.
Habitat - Rocky open woods, thickets, glades, bluffs, knobs, railroads.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This is a common and highly variable species with 3 varieties in Missouri and many more to our west. The leaves are variable in shape and pubescence. The twigs and branches are variable in pubescence. I won't go into the varieties here but for the most part they are clearly distinguishable in the field. Consult Steyermark if you wish to separate the plant into its varieties. The leaves and stems of the species are fragrant when crushed or bruised. The fruits, as with most of the genus, can be brewed into a tasty tea. The species is also widely cultivated.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年07月31日
Family - Onagraceae
Stems - With various growth patterns from erect to repent, on land or floating, herbaceous, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, often reddish, from fibrous roots, to +50cm long.
Leaves - Alternate, petiolate, glabrous, oblong to elliptic, tapering to base, acute at apex, entire, to +/-12cm long (with petiole), +2cm broad.
Inflorescence - Single axillary flowers on long peduncles. Peduncles to +/-6cm in flower, elongating in fruit, glabrous or very sparse pilose pubescence, erect, with two sub-opposite bracts.
Flowers - Floral tube to 1.2cm in flower, 5-angled, tube subtended by two green scalelike bracts. Petals 5, free, yellow, 1.7cm long, 1.2cm broad, glabrous. Style 6-7mm long, glabrous. Stigma flattened, 3mm broad. Stamens 10. Filaments to 4.5mm long, glabrous, pale yellow. Anthers yellow, 2.1mm long. Ovary inferior, many seeded. Sepals 5, lanceolate, 1cm long, 3mm broad, acute, glabrous. Capsule (fruit) to -4cm long, +/-4mm in diameter, glabrous or with sparse pubescence. Seeds many.
Flowering - May - October.
Habitat - Shallow still water, muddy soil, pond margins.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This species can be found scattered throughout much of MIssouri but is mostly absent in the northern 1/4 of the state and also in the central Ozark region. The petals of this plant, and most of the plants related to it, fall off very easily. In still areas the plant can be quite showy when in full flower. In windy or high traffic areas the flowers may hold their petals only a short time.
If the plant is rooted in wet soil it can creep over dry ground for a good distance. The stems are "spongy" internally and easily broken.
The most modern synonym for this species is Ludwigia peploides (H.B.K.) Raven. Jussiaea diffusa Forsk., and Ludwigia ascendens (L.) Hara are older synonyms.
Stems - With various growth patterns from erect to repent, on land or floating, herbaceous, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, often reddish, from fibrous roots, to +50cm long.
Leaves - Alternate, petiolate, glabrous, oblong to elliptic, tapering to base, acute at apex, entire, to +/-12cm long (with petiole), +2cm broad.
Inflorescence - Single axillary flowers on long peduncles. Peduncles to +/-6cm in flower, elongating in fruit, glabrous or very sparse pilose pubescence, erect, with two sub-opposite bracts.
Flowers - Floral tube to 1.2cm in flower, 5-angled, tube subtended by two green scalelike bracts. Petals 5, free, yellow, 1.7cm long, 1.2cm broad, glabrous. Style 6-7mm long, glabrous. Stigma flattened, 3mm broad. Stamens 10. Filaments to 4.5mm long, glabrous, pale yellow. Anthers yellow, 2.1mm long. Ovary inferior, many seeded. Sepals 5, lanceolate, 1cm long, 3mm broad, acute, glabrous. Capsule (fruit) to -4cm long, +/-4mm in diameter, glabrous or with sparse pubescence. Seeds many.
Flowering - May - October.
Habitat - Shallow still water, muddy soil, pond margins.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This species can be found scattered throughout much of MIssouri but is mostly absent in the northern 1/4 of the state and also in the central Ozark region. The petals of this plant, and most of the plants related to it, fall off very easily. In still areas the plant can be quite showy when in full flower. In windy or high traffic areas the flowers may hold their petals only a short time.
If the plant is rooted in wet soil it can creep over dry ground for a good distance. The stems are "spongy" internally and easily broken.
The most modern synonym for this species is Ludwigia peploides (H.B.K.) Raven. Jussiaea diffusa Forsk., and Ludwigia ascendens (L.) Hara are older synonyms.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年07月30日
Family - Fabaceae
Stems - To +/-2m tall, multiple from caudex, glabrous, herbaceous, erect, with "zig-zag" growth pattern near apex.
Leaves - Alternate, petiolate, even-pinnate, to +20cm long, with +/-20 leaflets. Petiole with pair of glands at base. Glands cylindrical, 2.5mm long, 2mm in diameter, brown. Leaflets glabrous, oblong to narrowly ovate, to +5cm long, -2cm broad, mucronate. Margins of leaflets ciliate and yellowish in color. Petiolules to 2.5mm long, sparse pubescent.
Inflorescence - Dense axillary racemes to 6cm long. Peduncle with black glands. Pedicels to 1.5cm long, with black glands, sparse pubescent.
Flowers - Petals 5, yellow, spreading, free, subequal, to 1.3cm long, 5mm broad, rounded at apex, glabrous, spatulate. Stamens 10, unequal. Upper 3 stamens much reduced. Lower 3 stamens to 1.2cm long. Filaments glabrous, yellow. Anthers brown, flattened to terete. Style green, 3mm long. Ovary 8mm long, densely pubescent in opposing vertical lines. Sepals 5, yellow, 5-6mm long, 3-4mm broad, acute, ciliate margined, glabrous, reflexed. Fruit a thin flat pod to +/-10 cm long, +/-1cm broad, black.
Flowering - July - August.
Habitat - Open rocky woods, thickets, wet meadows, bases of bluffs, slopes.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This is a common plant in the state. It seems to prefer a moist soil location and bright sun.
Being a perennial and having a shrubby growth habit, it seems ideal for cultivation and frequently is planted for ornamental use.
Stems - To +/-2m tall, multiple from caudex, glabrous, herbaceous, erect, with "zig-zag" growth pattern near apex.
Leaves - Alternate, petiolate, even-pinnate, to +20cm long, with +/-20 leaflets. Petiole with pair of glands at base. Glands cylindrical, 2.5mm long, 2mm in diameter, brown. Leaflets glabrous, oblong to narrowly ovate, to +5cm long, -2cm broad, mucronate. Margins of leaflets ciliate and yellowish in color. Petiolules to 2.5mm long, sparse pubescent.
Inflorescence - Dense axillary racemes to 6cm long. Peduncle with black glands. Pedicels to 1.5cm long, with black glands, sparse pubescent.
Flowers - Petals 5, yellow, spreading, free, subequal, to 1.3cm long, 5mm broad, rounded at apex, glabrous, spatulate. Stamens 10, unequal. Upper 3 stamens much reduced. Lower 3 stamens to 1.2cm long. Filaments glabrous, yellow. Anthers brown, flattened to terete. Style green, 3mm long. Ovary 8mm long, densely pubescent in opposing vertical lines. Sepals 5, yellow, 5-6mm long, 3-4mm broad, acute, ciliate margined, glabrous, reflexed. Fruit a thin flat pod to +/-10 cm long, +/-1cm broad, black.
Flowering - July - August.
Habitat - Open rocky woods, thickets, wet meadows, bases of bluffs, slopes.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This is a common plant in the state. It seems to prefer a moist soil location and bright sun.
Being a perennial and having a shrubby growth habit, it seems ideal for cultivation and frequently is planted for ornamental use.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年07月29日
Family - Hypericaceae
Stems - Woody, sprawling to erect, much branched, multiple from base, bark shredding, to 30cm tall, from thick roots. New growth glabrous, winged. Bark bronze to reddish in color.
Leaves - Opposite, decussate, sessile, punctate, glabrous, oblanceolate, rounded at apex, entire, to +/-2cm long, +/-6mm broad.
Inflorescence - Terminal and axillary pedicillate flowers. Pedicel to 3mm long. Flower subtended by pair of brown attenuate bracts to 2mm long.
Flowers - Petals 4, yellow, 7-8mm long, 2.5-3mm broad, glabrous, blunt to acute at apex, lying flat on large sepals below, in two opposing pairs. Stamens +/-20, erect. Filaments 3-4mm long, filiform, yellow, glabrous. Anthers yellow-orange, .1mm in diameter. Ovary superior, flattened-ovoid, 3mm long, 1.5mm broad at base, glabrous. Styles 2, .5mm long. Sepals 4, in two pairs. One pair of sepals much larger than second pair, to 7.5mm long, 5mm broad, ovate, acute, glabrous. Small pair of sepals 1mm long, scalelike, acute, decussate to larger sepals. Fruit an ovoid capsule, many seeded.
Flowering - July - October.
Habitat - Dry rocky open woods, upland slopes and ridges, ravines.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This plant is common in the southern half of the state. It is easy to ID in the field because of the distinctive flowers, which have the four petals in opposing pairs, and the reddish shredding bark.
Steyermark lists two varieties for the species. Var. muticaule (Michx.) Fern., is much more common in the state and is described above. Var. hypericoides has a more erect growth pattern, typically a single main stem which is branched, and leaves varying from linear to narrowly elliptic.
Stems - Woody, sprawling to erect, much branched, multiple from base, bark shredding, to 30cm tall, from thick roots. New growth glabrous, winged. Bark bronze to reddish in color.
Leaves - Opposite, decussate, sessile, punctate, glabrous, oblanceolate, rounded at apex, entire, to +/-2cm long, +/-6mm broad.
Inflorescence - Terminal and axillary pedicillate flowers. Pedicel to 3mm long. Flower subtended by pair of brown attenuate bracts to 2mm long.
Flowers - Petals 4, yellow, 7-8mm long, 2.5-3mm broad, glabrous, blunt to acute at apex, lying flat on large sepals below, in two opposing pairs. Stamens +/-20, erect. Filaments 3-4mm long, filiform, yellow, glabrous. Anthers yellow-orange, .1mm in diameter. Ovary superior, flattened-ovoid, 3mm long, 1.5mm broad at base, glabrous. Styles 2, .5mm long. Sepals 4, in two pairs. One pair of sepals much larger than second pair, to 7.5mm long, 5mm broad, ovate, acute, glabrous. Small pair of sepals 1mm long, scalelike, acute, decussate to larger sepals. Fruit an ovoid capsule, many seeded.
Flowering - July - October.
Habitat - Dry rocky open woods, upland slopes and ridges, ravines.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This plant is common in the southern half of the state. It is easy to ID in the field because of the distinctive flowers, which have the four petals in opposing pairs, and the reddish shredding bark.
Steyermark lists two varieties for the species. Var. muticaule (Michx.) Fern., is much more common in the state and is described above. Var. hypericoides has a more erect growth pattern, typically a single main stem which is branched, and leaves varying from linear to narrowly elliptic.
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