Content
- Zigzag shrub: care and plant
- ancestry
- leaves
- blossoms
- growth
- bonsai
- use
- Is zigzag shrub poisonous?
- Which location is suitable?
- Which soil does the plant need?
- Chevron shrub in the pot
- balcony
- proliferation
- sowing
- cuttings
- Cut the zigzag shrub properly
- Pour zigzag shrub
- Feed the zigzag shrub properly
- How do I properly plant?
- Diseases
- hardy
- Loses leaves
- Zigzag shrub does not bloom
- Tips
- sorts
The zigzag shrub is a houseplant of a special kind
Zigzag shrub: care and plant
Zigzag shrubs convince with an extraordinary growth. Their shape is determined by the branches in combination with the leaves. So that the shrubs show their star-shaped flowers, you should pay attention to the proper care and the pasen location.
ancestry
Corokia cotoneaster, as the zigzag shrub is scientifically titled, comes from the family Argophyllaceae. The natural range of the shrub is the forests of New Zealand. It occurs in the low to mid-high bush vegetation of the coastal regions. The locations are exposed to the wind.
leaves
Zigzag shrubs develop silver-green foliage. The leaves are very small and ovate or elliptical. The leaf margin has rough lobes, which are more or less deeply cut. The blade tip is tapered. On the underside the leaves are whitish due to the fine hair. The petioles are conspicuously long compared to the leaf blade. Their flattened form makes them appear very wide.
blossoms
The bizarre shrubs develop small flowers whose bracts are colored yellow. Each single flower is made up of two circles of three blossom bracts each. The flowers crowd to two to four in small groups together. They sit in the leaf axils or at the end of a shoot and emit a faint fragrance, which has a slightly sweet character. The bloom of the wild awake shrubs extends from December to January. Cultivated in Central Europe specimens bloom in late winter and early spring. The flowers are created before the leaves.
growth
Zigzag shrubs grow as small shrubs, whose shoots are covered by a white fluff. They throw their leaves in the fall and develop an extraordinary growth habit. After each leaf approach and node, the growth direction of the stem axis changes, resulting in a zigzagged overall picture. Through the small leaves, the bushes appear bald.
While the cultivated specimens of Corokia cotoneatser grow between 150 and 250 centimeters high, the wild-budding shrubs reach growth heights of up to two meters in their original distribution areas. Their annual growth is low. This growth form is an adaptation to the wind-exposed locations in the original distribution area, where the shrubs in areas with strong windy conditions remain particularly low and compact.
bonsai
Its slow growth rate and good cutting tolerance make the zigzag shrub the ideal plant for bonsai design. A cut is possible at any time. Zigzag shrubs can be shaped as broom or cascade bonsai. The wire used to create cascades does not cause them any problems.
The first step in breeding a bonsai is the design cut. It serves to give the bonsai a basic form. To remove some big branches, this decision is often difficult. This cut determines the later appearance of the tree.
To form a bonsai, the care cut is of great importance. Regularly remove the shoot tips, so that the tree does not grow in height, but remains small and branches its crown. A special variant is the leaf section, in which all leaves are removed in summer. The zigzag shrub develops new leaves that are smaller and better fit the overall appearance.
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use
The plant is an insider tip. Zigzag shrubs are cultivated as house plants, where they set special accents in the form of bonsai or shrubs. Their wild growth in combination with the sparse foliage give the shrubs a dramatic character. They are suitable for the embellishment of terraces and balconies.
Zigzag shrubs can be planted individually or in small groups of three in a bucket. Individually awake specimens form a tree-shaped shape if you cut the greenhouse accordingly. If several plants grow in one pot, their stems remain thin because of the small amount of space available. The arrangement looks shrubby. You can also combine the zigzag shrub with other woody plants or grasses.
Is zigzag shrub poisonous?
Zigzag shrubs contain no toxic substances. Both leaves and flowers and fruits are harmless. The red fruits, which develop on the plant in summer, tempt you to eat. It is not discouraged, but the taste of the fruit is considered inedible. Therefore, you do not have to worry about your children or pets when cultivating Corokia cotoneaster. For cats, dogs and guinea pigs, the plants pose no danger.
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Which location is suitable?
The unusual shrubs like a bright location with absonnigen conditions throughout the year. Ideal is a location in partial shade. In hot summer months, the plants gratefully show themselves over a cool and shady spot so they do not lose too much liquid over evaporation. Zigzag shrubs prefer cool temperatures that range between 15 and a maximum of 20 degrees Celsius.
In winter, the plants prefer a bright place on the windowsill, the temperatures should be as cool as possible. Ideal is a winter garden, which offers temperatures between five and ten degrees Celsius. If the thermometer rises over this area in winter, the flower may fail to bloom. Good ventilation is important to prevent pests from spreading.
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Which soil does the plant need?
The zigzag shrub likes a substrate with permeable proportions. He responds sensitively to waterlogging, so you should equip the bucket with a drainage. A humus-rich soil provides the plant with a good growth base. Potting soil is ideal. You can use the substrate neat or loosen up for better permeability.
This material improves the substrate structure:
Chevron shrub in the pot
A cultivation of the bushes takes place exclusively in the bucket, because the plants would not survive the winter months in the field. You can cultivate the plant as bonsai in a shallow dish.
balcony
Zigzag shrubs can be placed on the balcony or terrace during the summer months. They like bright and warm locations, but prefer a place outside the blazing sun. Windy conditions do not cause problems for the plants. You can put the plants outside in the spring at flowering time. Then the nectar-filled flowers serve as a valuable source of food for bees and insects. Make sure that the temperatures do not drop below 15 degrees Celsius during the day. On cold nights you should bring the plant in the evening.
proliferation
You can multiply your zigzag shrub by seeds or cuttings. Sowing can be done all year round, preferably sowing seeds in spring or summer. Then you can provide the seed with enough light and warmth. The propagation of cuttings is more promising and easier. Offsprings are cut in the spring so that the young plants have enough time to mature and grow until the onset of winter.
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sowing
Before sowing the seeds, they must swell in lukewarm water. Fill a coaster with tap water and let the seeds rest for 24 to 48 hours. Fill a planter with seed soil that is loosened up with sand or perlites. Squeeze the seeds into the substrate, keeping them no deeper than one centimeter in the ground.
Place the plant pot in a bright and warm place. Ideal seed conditions are found at temperatures between 20 and 23 degrees Celsius. Keep the substrate evenly moist. For this you can cover the culture container with a transparent foil. Ventilate the film daily, otherwise the seeds tend to mold rapidly. Propagation over seeds is tedious and not always promising. Not all seeds germinate reliably.
cuttings
Cut woody shoots from the plant. The cuttings should be between ten and 15 inches long. The bottom leaves are removed. Place the offshoot in a potting soil filled planter and place in a warm and bright place. Make sure that the substrate remains evenly moist. Waterlogging should be avoided, as otherwise the instinctors including the newly developed roots can rot.
As soon as the first fresh leaves appear, you can pique the young plants and place one plant each in a larger planter. They then formed roots. If you pay attention to proper care and do not fertilize the plant in the first year, the offshoot soon becomes an aesthetic shrub.
Cut the zigzag shrub properly
You do not necessarily have to cut the zigzag shrub. If it is out of shape and develops too long branches that disturb the overall picture, you can shorten these branches at any time. The plant is well tolerated cut and forms at the interfaces new branches. When cutting, make sure that you do not cut back into the old wood.
Before you bring the shrub into its winter quarters, it is recommended to shorten long shoots. This prevents space problems and the shrub requires less energy. If you want to cultivate your zigzag shrub as a bonsai, you need to make some shape and design cuts.
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Pour zigzag shrub
The houseplant likes a constantly fresh substrate. When casting, make sure that no waterlogging forms. Before you pour, the upper layer of earth should be dried. The root ball must not dry out. Reduce the amount of water in winter, because the shrub needs less water in the hibernation.
Feed the zigzag shrub properly
During the growth phase between spring and autumn, mature plants enjoy regular fertilization, and the flowering period should be kept to a minimum. The plant often sheds its flowers when it is supplied with nutrients during this time. Give your plant a flower fertilizer every two weeks after the flowers have withered. In the fall, reduce the nutrient supply, so that the fresh branches are lignified and no new shoots are formed. Young plants should not be fertilized in the first year.
How do I properly plant?
Young plants are repotted every two to three years. The ideal time for this care measure is the spring, after the flowers have withered. Older specimens are placed in a larger planter as needed as soon as the roots grow out of the drain hole or the substrate is heavily rooted. The new plant pot should be about two fingers wider than the old pot.
If you are cultivating your zigzag shrub as bonsai, you should repot the shrub annually. In this measure, the roots are shortened, so that a balance between crown and root ball is formed. The cutting of the roots ensures that the shrubs remain small.
Diseases
Corokia cotoneaster proves to be a robust shrub that is very rarely affected by diseases and pests. Damage is often due to care mistakes or unfavorable site conditions.
hardy
Zigzag shrubs are only partially hardy. They can survive sub-zero temperatures just below zero. In most cases, the plants are harmed. Therefore, overwinter your shrub in the house.
Corokia cotoneaster needs a cool wintering quarter with temperatures between five and ten degrees Celsius. This cold period is important so that the shrub falls into a state of rest. The metabolism is reduced in this phase. Therefore, zigzag shrubs require little water in the winter and no fertilizer.
If the plants are wintered under bright and warm conditions, hibernation is eliminated. As a result, the flowering will be off next year.
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Loses leaves
In autumn, the shrubs shed their leaves as they prepare for the upcoming hibernation. If your zigzag shrub suddenly loses many leaves during the growth phase, you should check the care and location conditions.
This can lead to leaf loss:
In too hot locations, the water requirement of the plants increases enormously. If the shrubs can not maintain their fluid balance, they discard their leaves. A high loss of water can occur both in direct sunlight and in too warm rooms. In summer, place the bucket on a balcony or terrace and pay attention to a partially shaded location. The temperature should be around 15 degrees Celsius during the growing season.
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Zigzag shrub does not bloom
If the zigzag shrub does not develop flowers, it may be due to overheating. The plants need a cool location during the winter months, otherwise they will not go into hibernation. It is necessary for the flowers to open next spring.
An unsuitable location can also cause the flowers to fail. Make sure that the zigzag shrub gets a partially shaded location and check the care.
Tips
In order to create extraordinary arrangements in the tub, you should resort to at least three different plants with clearly distinguishable color shades or interesting growth forms. Contrasts and shape variability ensure that the design looks interesting. The zigzag shrub goes perfectly with silver leaf (Senecio bicolor) and Texas grass (Calocephalus brownii).