CATDOLL : CATDOLL: What are the methods of raising crabs in summer?

1) Morphological characteristics and varieties

It is a perennial evergreen plant, and the base of old plants is often woody. The branches and stems are modified into sheets, with dark purple-red surfaces, many branches, often drooping in clusters and extending in all directions, with short internodes and obvious nodes, dividing the modified branches into many small segments, 4 cm to 4.5 cm long, 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm wide, with 2 to 4 sharp teeth at both ends and edges, like crab claws, and the central skull is obvious and prominent. Flowers bloom at the top of the stem nodes from winter to early spring, and are symmetrical on both sides. Different varieties have a variety of flower colors such as pink, dark red, white, orange, and yellow. The flower tube is light brown with 4 edges, and the perianth is 3 to 4 whorls, stacked in a tower shape. The petals are opened and curled, 6.5 cm to 8 cm long, and the 2 to 3 whorls at the base are bracts, which are petal-shaped and extend flatly to the surroundings. Because the corolla grows drooping, it can self-pollinate. The fruit is pear-shaped or broadly oval, smooth and dark red, see Figure 3-13.

Since Christmas cactus was discovered and cultivated in 1918, people have bred more than 200 horticultural varieties through hybridization. The flower colors vary greatly, and there are also varieties with lace. As long as the cultivation and management are proper, a grafted plant that has been cultivated for several years can have 200 to 300 flowers at the same time, which is very spectacular.

Among the same genus are:

Croton cactus (z.crenatus), the flowers are red and the stems are lavender.

Beautiful Christmas cactus (Z.delicatus), the flower buds are white and pink when blooming.

Red-flowered Schlumbergera (z.altesteinii) has magenta flowers and grows vigorously.

2. Ecological habits

Originally from the tropical forests of eastern Brazil, it often grows on tree trunks or in shaded and humid valleys in its natural environment, with drooping branches forming...

1) Morphological characteristics and varieties

It is a perennial evergreen plant, and the base of old plants is often woody. The branches and stems are modified into sheets, with dark purple-red surfaces, many branches, often drooping in clusters and extending in all directions, with short internodes and obvious nodes, dividing the modified branches into many small segments, 4 cm to 4.5 cm long, 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm wide, with 2 to 4 sharp teeth at both ends and edges, like crab claws, and the central skull is obvious and prominent. Flowers bloom at the top of the stem nodes from winter to early spring, and are symmetrical on both sides. Different varieties have a variety of flower colors such as pink, dark red, white, orange, and yellow. The flower tube is light brown with 4 edges, and the perianth is 3 to 4 whorls, stacked in a tower shape. The petals are opened and curled, 6.5 cm to 8 cm long, and the 2 to 3 whorls at the base are bracts, which are petal-shaped and extend flatly to the surroundings. Because the corolla grows drooping, it can self-pollinate. The fruit is pear-shaped or broadly oval, smooth and dark red, see Figure 3-13.

Since Christmas cactus was discovered and cultivated in 1918, people have bred more than 200 horticultural varieties through hybridization. The flower colors vary greatly, and there are also varieties with lace. As long as the cultivation and management are proper, a grafted plant that has been cultivated for several years can have 200 to 300 flowers at the same time, which is very spectacular.

Among the same genus are:

Croton cactus (z.crenatus), the flowers are red and the stems are lavender.

Beautiful Christmas cactus (Z.delicatus), the flower buds are white and pink when blooming.

Red-flowered Schlumbergera (z.altesteinii) has magenta flowers and grows vigorously.

2. Ecological habits

It is native to the tropical forests of eastern Brazil. In the natural environment, it often grows on tree trunks or in shaded and humid valleys, with branches drooping to form a hanging shape. It likes warm, humid and semi-shady environments, and requires fertile leaf mold and peat in the soil. The suitable temperature during the growing period is 20°C to 25°C. It is not cold-resistant, and the winter temperature should not be lower than 10°C.

(III) Reproduction methods

It can be propagated by cuttings, grafting and sowing.

Cuttings can be made in spring by cutting well-growing modified stems, which will easily take root. However, after cutting the stem nodes, they must be placed in a cool place for 1 to 2 days. Wait until the incision is slightly dry before inserting it into the sand bed. The humidity should not be too high after insertion to avoid rot of the incision. It will take root after 3 weeks.

For example, in order to cultivate an umbrella-shaped hanging plant shape and increase the ornamental value, grafting is generally used for propagation. Compared with cuttings, grafting has a strong growth potential and blooms early. Grafting is best in spring and autumn. Because the temperature is suitable, the survival rate is high. Grafting in the hot and humid summer season is prone to infection and rot, and the survival rate is low. All cactus plants can be used as rootstocks, but Hylocereus undatus and Pereskia aculeata are preferred. When grafting, choose a strong and thick plant with a height of 30 cm as the rootstock, cut off the top 10 cm, leaving 20 cm, and cut it into a wedge-shaped mouth, then cut the full Christmas cactus scion (3 to 5 nodes are suitable), cut the lower end into a duckbill shape, and immediately insert it into the wedge-shaped crack after cutting. The insertion depth is more suitable to be deep to the woody part in the center of the rootstock. To prevent the scion from slipping, it can be fixed with a pin or a long cactus thorn. Some rootstocks can be grafted with 2 to 3 scions. If you use a leaf cactus as a rootstock, cut a slit in the top of the rootstock, then insert the scion that has been cut at the bottom, tie it with thin strips of plastic film, or fix it with the long thorns of the cactus. After grafting, place it in a cool place with high air humidity. After about 10 days, if the scion remains stiff and fresh green, it has healed and survived, and needs careful maintenance. After one month, you can set up a wire ring rack to evenly place the scion on the rack, and gradually put it in a sunny place for normal management.