Chinese parasol (Firmiana simplex)

Firmiana simplex is a large tree

Image - Wikimedia / Cillas

La firmiana simplex It is a very interesting species of deciduous tree to provide shade to a garden, as its crown is very leafy and wide enough to rest under its branches. In fact, it is also used in urban gardening, planting in parks and even on the streets for this reason.

It grows well and fast in different types of soils, from acidic to alkaline, although in those that have a low pH and are also not very heavy, it takes root much better than in alkaline-clayey ones, which are more compact.

What are the characteristics of the firmiana simplex?

The Chinese parasol is a deciduous tree

Image – Wikimedia/I, KENPEI

The Chinese parasol or China parasol, as it is known in popular or common language, is a deciduous tree native to China, Japan and Vietnam. Its trunk has a vertical development and reaches an approximate height of 12 meters. The leaves are green and palmately lobed, with a glabrous upper side and a slightly pubescent underside. In autumn, before falling to the ground, they turn yellowish and then orange.

The flowers are yellow and bloom in spring., after the leaves have appeared. They are grouped in large panicles, which dry as soon as these flowers wither. And the seeds are glabrous, and about 2 centimeters long.

What is?

In the West we only use it for one thing: decorate. Whether parks, gardens or the streets of the city or town, the Chinese parasol is a tree that adapts very well to different environments, and also does not require very complicated care.

Now, in China it does have another use. There is a medicinal tree whose seeds are consumed to treat pharyngitis and mouth ulcers, among others.

What are the care of the firmiana simplex?

Firmiana simplex is a large tree

Image - Wikimedia / A. Bar

La firmiana simplex It is a tree that, although it is very resistant, can only grow well if we find the most suitable place for it in the garden. This is why it is so important to know what their needs are, because with this information we will make our plant look beautiful and also be healthy, which is ultimately what matters:

Do you need sun or shade?

It is a plant that he needs sun since he is young. It is important that the seedbeds are in sunny places so that the seedlings have a normal development from the beginning, and that it is avoided to put them in the shade later on because, if we did, the branches would be etiolated (that is, they would grow a lot at the same time). which would become finer and weaker towards stronger light).

How often do you have to water?

The Chinese parasol can go without water for a relatively long period as long as it is a mature tree that has been planted in the ground for years. If it is young and/or in a pot, we will have to water it several times a week., especially during the summer. Avoid going to the extreme of letting the soil stay dry for too long to the point where cracks begin to form, but also try not to overwater.

But every time we have to rehydrate it, we will pour water on it until the soil is soaked. This means that if we are growing it in a pot, we will water it until the water that has not been absorbed comes out through the holes in the container.

When should it be paid?

La firmiana simplex it can be fertilized while it is growing, that is, in spring and summer, but if we have the tree in the garden it is not strictly necessary, unless the soil is very poor in nutrients. But if it is growing in a pot and/or we are interested in fertilizing it, then we can do so by applying natural and ecological fertilizers whenever possible, since in this way we avoid harming the environment and in particular pollinating insects.

For example, it is possible to put a little compost around the trunk and mix it with the soil, or irrigate it with water and liquid guano (for sale here) diluted following the instructions for use that we will find on the package.

Is it to be pruned?

No, but you can remove the dry branches. In this way, it will look more beautiful and healthy.

How does it multiply?

Firmiana simplex is multiplied by seeds

Image – Wikimedia/小石川人晃

The Chinese parasol is multiplied either by seeds in spring, or semi-woody cuttings in summer. In the first case you have to be very patient, since it can take 6-8 weeks to germinate with mild temperatures of about 20ºC; and in the second, it will take an average of two weeks to produce roots.

What is its rusticity?

Frost resistant up to 10 degrees below zero, but we recommend growing it in places that have slightly higher temperatures. It is important that the thermometer drops below 0 degrees for the tree to rest, but moderate frosts can cause damage.

After what you have read, do you dare to have a firmiana simplex in your garden?


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