The five main strains of rhododendrons
Rhododendron flowers, also known as Yingshan red, generally refers to the rhododendron family, rhododendron genus under the name, should be evergreen shrubs, which not only have brilliant and colorful flowers, but also fully include spring azaleas, summer azaleas, east azaleas, west azaleas and alpine rhododendrons, these five major types of plants, they have their own strengths, regardless of height, is not only China's traditional famous flowers, but also has a very important practical significance, can be used as an indicator plant of acidic soil. And today, Xiaohua will lead everyone to take a deeper understanding of the so-called five major strains of rhododendrons.
The first, the summer crane.
Features: Spring branches and long leaves, summer lush flowering.
According to legend, the summer crane is actually obtained from the hybridization of the Gaoyue rhododendron and the May cuckoo, and the name includes multiple varieties such as single petal, heavy petal, sleeve petal, etc., and the traits are round, light, soft, hard, wrinkled, and wavy... The plant is evergreen all year round, the flowers are constantly blooming, it can be potted or planted under relatively shady conditions, beautiful and chic, and the appearance is first-class. Among them, some special varieties of summer cranes can also be used to make bonsai, which are widely used and have great ornamental value.
The second species, the West Crane.
Commonly known as the Western azalea, because of the large color of the flowers, the amount of flowers, and the majority of flower friends love, at present, there are nearly two or three hundred species in China, different shapes of homemade varieties.
Features: Plants generally grow relatively low, slow, evergreen, short and thick branches; the true color of its branches depends mainly on the color of the flowers, for example, red branches bloom red flowers, while green branches are more white, pink, pink, pink flowers.
As far as the small flowers are concerned, the adaptability and even disease resistance of the western crane are weaker than people think, and it is generally the most appropriate potted plant. At the same time, we also need to strengthen the daily management of the plant, shade and sun protection in summer, and keep warm in winter.
The third species, the spring crane.
Due to the natural hairs on the surface of the leaves or the large leaves, the plant is often called the hairy rhododendron and the rhododendron macrophyllum, which is actually a hybrid of the white-flowered rhododendron and the splendid rhododendron.
Features: first flowering and then germination, the flowering period is often concentrated in mid-to-late April, early May or so; long speed, easy to reproduce; nature likes cool and moist, astigmatism sufficient environment, but also requires soil acidity, with good permeability.
The fourth species, alpine cuckoo.
That is, rhododendron family, alpine evergreen shrubs or small trees, the average height of the plant ranges from 1 to 3 meters, the flowering period is in April to May, before and after can be maintained for nearly a month, the more common flower colors on the market at present, are white, pink, yellow, peach and so on.
Due to the particularity of the native environment of the alpine rhododendron, the plant is naturally adaptable and tolerant, and is expected to become an evergreen ornamental flower with excellent character in landscaping.
The fifth species, the Eastern Crane.
Features: The flowers are extremely luxuriant, the so-called "no leaves only flowers", described as it. From the perspective of flowering, the eastern cuckoo will generally open a few days earlier than the hairy cuckoo, and then, almost in July and August, its old leaves will slowly wither, and at the same time, the buds will gradually take shape.
For the Eastern Crane, their biggest drawback is that the plant is not tolerant to strong light exposure, and appropriate countermeasures need to be taken if necessary.
That's all there is today, and finally, in the face of the high similarity of the remaining four except for the alpine rhododendron, the little flower here teaches everyone a little trick to help identify, that is, people can focus on their source, the shape of each part, cultivation and breeding, etc., and start at these points. If you have other confusions, you can continue to send private messages to Xiaohua, and we will see you in the next issue.