How to propagate dragon blood tree

Layering propagation

Conditions for layering propagation

The trunks of dragon blood trees mostly grow upright and have few branches. After the plant has grown for several years, the leaves at the base fall off and naturally lose its ornamental value.

According to this situation, growers can carry out layering propagation during the hot and humid season from May to July.

Layering method

Make a ring-shaped cut at the appropriate position of the plant's stem, with a ring width of 1.8-2.2 cm and deep into the wood. Use a knife to peel off the cortex of the ring, wipe off the liquid overflowing from the incision with a clean wet cloth, smear the cortex on the upper end of the incision with 5000-1000ppm naphthaleneacetic acid aqueous solution, then tie a white plastic film at the lower end of the incision, straighten it into a funnel shape, load it with rooting stem material mixed with moss and mountain soil, wrap the incision, water it thoroughly, tie the upper end of the film tightly, and then place the plant outdoors for cultivation and strengthen fertilizer and water management.

After the Dracaena is pressurized, check whether the substrate is dry at any time and add water at any time. Generally, after 30 to 40 days of cultivation, new roots will appear at the ring-cut site, and in September to October, the plant can be separated from the mother plant and cultivated separately to become an independently growing plant.

Cutting propagation

Cutting time selection

Dracaena can also be propagated asexually by cuttings from May to June. This is the vigorous growth period of the dragon blood tree. The plant is rich in nutrients and is very easy to survive after cuttings.

Cutting branch selection

Before cuttings, you can select mother plants with higher ornamental value and take strong branches that have grown for more than two years. Each section should be about 10-20 cm long, with or without leaves.

Specific cutting techniques

The base of the cuttings is cut into a flat edge, and the leaves are retained after the upper part is cut horizontally. The upper and lower incisions can be soaked in clean water to wash away the overflowing juice. Place them in a cool and ventilated place to dry for a while, and then soak the base of the cuttings 2-3 cm with 500-1000ppm naphthaleneacetic acid. Generally, 5 seconds is enough and the cuttings can be inserted immediately after soaking.

For Dracaena cuttings, small earthenware pots can be used as the seedbed, and the substrate can be made of vermiculite, perlite or plain sandy soil that has been sterilized at high temperature. Cuttings can be carried out after the plants are potted. Place one plant in each pot, water it thoroughly after planting, place the seedbed where the flowers are illuminated, and maintain it carefully.

Cutting maintenance

The subsequent management work mainly involves keeping the substrate moist. The wounds of Dracaena heal quickly, take root early, and sprout quickly. Generally, callus tissue will be produced on the incision under the action of trauma hormones within 15 to 20 days. Root primordia will quickly appear on the cuttings under the action of endogenous hormones within 25 to 35 days, and new roots will sprout within 35 to 40 days. After two months, the plant can be repotted with culture soil and transplanted.