Native growing grounds and a description of the glue, how to take care of the room, the technique for reproduction, the fight against diseases and pests, facts to note, species. Clayera (Cleyera) refers to representatives of the flora that have a shrub or tree-like form of growth and are part of the Tea family (Theaceae). Native growing areas are in the regions of East Asia, as well as the Japanese islands, India, Mexico and Central America; you can find glue in the lands of the Himalayas and Korea. The above genus includes 18 varieties of such samples of the green world of the planet, which are extremely delicate evergreen plants.
This representative of tea houses is named after the Dutchman Andrew Kleyer, who was a famous physician of the 17th century. Despite the above amount of these plants, only Japanese glue (Cleyera japonica), which is called sakaki, is used in indoor floriculture. These trees are very good for the formation of hedges or when creating a mixed landscape, placed next to unique shrubs and flora with variegated foliage. The plant will require adherence to certain rules when growing, since the complexity of caring for it is average. However, at the same time, one cannot hope to get a large tree in a short time - its growth rate is not very fast, but with proper care of the glue it will delight you for a long time with non-falling green leaves.
In height, the parameters of glue representatives vary from 50 cm to 1.5–3 m. Their branches spread low, the crown is usually rounded in outline. The leaf plates on the surface are glossy, leathery, their shape is oval or oblong-oval. The length of the leaves varies within 6–10 cm, the color is dark green or bright green, against the background of the foliage, young shoots and leaves are clearly visible, tinted with bronze-red with a burgundy color scheme. There are varieties that have a milky strip along the edge of the leaf plate, providing an unforgettable shrub appearance. The sheets are arranged in opposite order.
When blooming, small nondescript flowers are formed, the petals of which are painted in creamy white or pale yellow tones. The flowering process begins with the arrival of summer days. The flowers have a pleasant aroma and a cupped shape. Corolla petals can be located either freely or almost never merging. The buds appear in the leaf axils, and the flowers grow both singly and gather in racemose inflorescences. Sometimes glue pollen can cause mild allergic symptoms in people.
When the fruit ripens, spherical berries appear, painted in greenish-yellow tones, but also their shade can vary from red to almost black. Inside there are many seeds with a smooth surface and brown color. This happens when the fruit is completely dry, which looks very effective on the plant.
Indoor adhesive maintenance tips
- Choosing a location and lighting level for the cultivation of this southern representative of the flora, it is worth equipping based on the conditions of its natural growth. Therefore, they try to ensure that during the cultivation of glue, bright, but at the same time, diffused light falls on it, which can be easily provided on the window sills of the windows of the eastern and western locations.
- Content temperature. Kleyera does not like to be kept in a room where the heat indicators are high enough. In the spring and summer months, it is recommended to maintain the temperature in the range of 18-25 degrees, and with the onset of autumn days it is gradually lowered to 10-12, but it should be remembered that the thermometer should not fall below 7 degrees. If there are no cool "wintering" conditions, the plant should be sprayed frequently.
- Air humidity in the room where the tree is located, it should be elevated, therefore, it will be necessary to spray the deciduous crown in the spring-summer period. If possible, the pot with glue can be put in a pallet, where a layer of expanded clay (pebbles) is laid and a little water is poured, only so that the bottom of the flowerpot does not touch the liquid. During winter maintenance, when the plant grows in a room where all kinds of heating devices and also batteries work, spraying the leaves with soft water is very important. The water must be warm and well-separated, otherwise whitish stains from lime will begin to appear on the leaves. Often, flower growers put a humidifier next to the pot, and if you don't want to bother, then just a vessel with water.
- Watering. The plant will "demand" from its owner for complete comfort, abundant and regular moisture in the potted substrate. But at the same time, the soil should be able to dry out to a depth of no more than 1 cm between waterings. It is recommended to use only soft and well-settled water, in which there are no lime impurities. Twice a month, lemon juice is added to the irrigation liquid (at the rate of a few drops per 1 liter of water), or you can use oxalic or citric acid (just a couple of crystals per liter jar). You can use rain or river water to humidify, or freeze tap water in the refrigerator and then thaw it (something like melted snow). In winter, watering becomes moderate, but the soil should not be allowed to completely dry out. Both the bay and the complete drying of the earthy coma will kill the glue.
- Fertilizers are introduced for this evergreen representative of teahouses from the beginning of the revitalization of spring growth until the very fall. It is recommended to carry out top dressing every 14 days, it is only important that there is no lime in the preparation and the consistency is liquid. There is evidence that fertilizers for orchids may be suitable. When the glue is still very young, then fertilizers should be used in which the dose of phosphorus is higher. Organics are often used, which are alternated with other dressings.
- Repotting and advice on soil selection. Since the growth rate of the glue is low, the grower has no problems with an annual transplant. Although it is recommended for young plants to change pots and substrate every year, and over time, only once every 2-3 years, or when the roots are already visible through the drainage holes of the pot. In a new container, make holes for excess moisture to drain so that there is no stagnation. And you will also need to lay a layer of drainage material.
The substrate must have sufficient permeability so that water and air can easily reach the roots. The acidity of the composition for transplanting should be in the range of pH 4, 5–5, 5. It is the acidic soil that is the key to success when growing glue. If the acidity indicators are low, then peat is added to the substrate. When compiling a soil mixture, leafy soil, sod soil, humus soil, peat and river sand are combined (in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1: 1). Also, experts recommend adding one part of the land from under coniferous trees to this composition, this will lighten the soil and make it sour.
If the florist does not want to suffer for a long time over the preparation of the substrate, then he can use ready-made soil mixtures for azaleas or rhododendrons. After transplanting, it is recommended to cut off some of the tops of the branches to stimulate bushiness.
Do-it-yourself glue breeding rules
It is possible to get a new plant with an ornamental leaf, if you sow seeds or cuttings.
Seed propagation is difficult and not all growers can successfully cope with it, but it's worth a try. Seed material is sown in late autumn or on spring days. For sowing, a container is taken with a peat-sandy substrate poured into it. The seeding depth should be 2.5 cm. Then the container with the crops is covered with a transparent lid or glass (polyethylene is suitable) and placed in a warm place so that the heat values vary within 20-24 degrees. It is required not to forget to air the crops every day for 10-15 minutes, and if the soil is dry, then it is moistened with a spray bottle. When the seeds hatch, the cover is removed from the container. Slightly grown seedlings dive when a pair of true leaves is formed on them.
Before sowing, the seeds are recommended to be stratified - they are placed in the refrigerator for 3 months to simulate wintering. It is better to place the seed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator at a heat reading of 3-5 degrees. If this temperature is lower, then the seeds will simply freeze.
When grafting take semi-lignified twigs - their tops and cut the cuttings with a length of at least 8-15 cm. This time is smoothed by the spring period or at the beginning of summer days. The cut of the cutting is carried out at an angle, the lower leaves should be removed so that they do not pull forces on themselves during rooting, while the upper ones can be cut in half. The cut before planting on the cuttings can be treated with heteroauxin. Twigs are planted in a peat-sand mixture or a composition of peat and perlite. Then they are covered with plastic wrap or placed under a glass vessel to help maintain the conditions of the greenhouse. The germination temperature should not be less than 21 degrees. Cuttings take root after 6–8 weeks. During this entire period, the cuttings are ventilated daily and, if necessary, moisten the soil. When rooting was successful (and this can be seen from the formed buds and young leaves), then it will be necessary to transplant into a more fertile substrate and pinch the top in order to stimulate the subsequent branching of the glue.
Methods of pest and disease control glue
Most often, due to violations of growing conditions, glue can be affected by spider mites, aphids, scale insects, thrips, mealybugs and whiteflies. As soon as you notice the presence of pests or their waste products, you must immediately carry out the treatment with insecticides (they can be Aktara, Fitoverm or Aktellik and Karobofos).
It should also be remembered that with strong drying of the substrate in a pot, low humidity in the room, the leaves of the glue acquire a yellow color and fly around. The same happens when the foliage is constantly exposed to direct sunlight. Also, a plant can lose leaf plates if watering was insufficient or the tree is under the influence of a draft.
Curious data on a note about glue
A variety of Japanese glue on the territory of the Japanese islands is considered a sacred tree of Shintoism - this religion (resembles the word "Shinto" meaning "the path of the gods") originates in the animistic faith of the ancient Japanese, which is based on the veneration and worship of such objects as the spirits of the dead and multiple deities … This direction in its development was influenced by Buddhism.
Description of types of glue
Japanese glue (Cleyera japonica) is also called Sakaki. It is the most popular variety suitable for indoor cultivation. The height of this shrub rarely exceeds 1 m, although in the wild its parameters in height and width reach 3–10 meters. The crown is dense with evergreen foliage. On the branches there are large leaf plates reaching 10 cm in length, which are distinguished by elongated-narrowed outlines. The color of the leaves is green, there is a decorative kayomka of a whitish, cream or milky tone.
When flowering in the summer, small white or white-cream flowers are formed, which will subsequently become fruit of first red and then black color. The shape of the bud is cupped, it has 5 petals, and there is a delicate aroma. Moreover, both flowers and fruits can be present on the plant at the same time. Flowers are formed singly in the axils of the leaves or are collected in three pieces in inflorescences. The size of the fruits does not exceed 0.3 cm in diameter, they are not suitable for food, although they are not poisonous.
There is a varietal variety "Tricolor", in which the foliage is quite effective due to the variegated color.
Most often, the plant can be found in the warm regions of Japan, as well as in Korea and mainland China. The plant is included in Shinto rituals, accessories (often combs) are made from wood, and can also be used as a building material or for heating homes.
Cleyera millettii is found under the name Adinandra millettii. It grows in the form of bushes or trees, whose height varies from 2 to 10 cm (rarely 16). Young branches are brown, bare. The branches of the current year are grayish-brown, appressed, with pubescence. The apical buds are compressed and also have pubescence. The length of the petiole is 3-5 mm, it is rarely pubescent, more often shiny. The shape of the leaf blade is oblong-elliptical, its dimensions are 4, 5–9 cm in length and up to 2–3 cm in width. The surface is leathery, painted in light green color to yellowish green, appressed, with pubescence. When the leaf is young, it is shiny, colored in a green tone and bare; secondary veins, 10–12 on each side, are clearly visible on the surface. The edge of the leaf is whole or with weak serrations, at the top there is a sharp point from short to rarely pointed with a blunt tip.
Flowers are arranged singly in the axils. Sepals ovate-lanceolate to ovate-triangular, 7–8x4–5 cm in size, slightly pubescent or shiny outside, ciliate and glandular margins, sharp apex. The petals have a white color, oblong shape, with parameters 9x4-5 mm, the surface is bare, the tip is pointed. The length of the stamens is about 6–7 mm, they number up to 25 units. Fruits ripen black, spherical, not exceeding 1 cm in diameter, with pubescence and many seeds inside. The seeds are cinnamon-colored, shiny. Flowering occurs in May-June, and the fruits ripen throughout August and until October.
The plant is found in thickets and forests on the slopes of mountains at altitudes of about 100-1300 m. The growing area includes the lands of Vietnam - Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi and others. Kleyera obovate (Cleyera obovata). It is because of the shape of the leaf plates that the variety received the specific name, they are obovate-oblong or oval-ovate, the edge is solid, the top is obtuse. The plant is represented by trees or bushes up to 4 m high. Young shoots are grayish-brown, branches of the current year are brown with light ribbing, glabrous. The petiole is glabrous, 1–1, 2 cm long.
Flowers appear in leaf axils, solitary or rarely gather in inflorescences of 3 buds. Pedicel glabrous, up to 1, 5–2, 5 cm long. Sepals are rounded, 2–3 mm in diameter, glabrous outside, ciliate. Petals in flowers are whitish, obovate or inversely rounded, with parameters 5-6x5 mm. The number of stamens is 25. Ripening fruit with an oblong to rounded shape, more than 10 seeds in it, fruit sizes 1–1, 8x0, 6–1 cm, with a pointed tip. Seeds are colored brown, compressed, spherical with a diameter of 2 mm, their surface is shiny. Flowering occurs in May-June, ripening of fruits - from August to September.
Most often found in dense forests on mountain slopes and peaks in Vietnam (Gaunsi).
