- origin
- leaves
- blossoms
- growth
- bonsai
- use
- Is Zig Zag Shrub Poisonous?
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- Zigzag bush in pot
- balcony
- propagation
- sowing
- cuttings
- Cut zigzag bush correctly
- Water the zigzag bush
- Fertilize zigzag shrub properly
- How do I plant correctly?
- Diseases
- hardy
- Losing leaves
- Zigzag shrub does not bloom
- sorts
Zigzag shrubs convince with an extraordinary growth. Its shape is determined by the branches in combination with the leaves. In order for the shrubs to show their star-shaped flowers, you should pay attention to the right care and the right location.
The zigzag shrub is a special kind of houseplant
Table of Contents
Show all- origin
- leaves
- blossoms
- growth
- bonsai
- use
- Is Zig Zag Shrub Poisonous?
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- Zigzag bush in pot
- balcony
- propagation
- sowing
- cuttings
- Cut zigzag bush correctly
- Water the zigzag bush
- Fertilize zigzag shrub properly
- How do I plant correctly?
- Diseases
- hardy
- Losing leaves
- Zigzag shrub does not bloom
- sorts
- clay granules
- sand
- pumice
- Akadama
- direct sunlight
- too dark location
- waterlogging
- too high ambient temperatures
- Corokia buddleoides: Tree-like growth. Lush green leaves, velvety hairy underneath. yellow flowers.
- Corokia x vircata: Cross between Corokia cotoneaster and Corokia buddleoides. bark black. Small leaves resembling the foliage of Corokia buddleoides.
- Maori(R) Bonsai Green: Compact habit, between 40 and 60 centimeters high.
- Maori(R) Silver: twigs silvery. Frost hardy to -12 degrees Celsius.
origin
Corokia cotoneaster, as the zigzag shrub is scientifically called, comes from the Argophyllaceae family. The natural range of the shrub is the forests of New Zealand. It occurs in the low to medium-high bush vegetation of the coastal regions. The sites are wind-exposed.
leaves
Zigzag shrubs develop silver-green foliage. The leaves are very small and developed ovate or elliptical. The leaf margin has coarse lobes that are more or less deeply incised. The blade tip is tapered. The leaves are whitish on the underside due to the fine hairs. The petioles are remarkably long compared to the leaf blade. Due to their flattened shape, they appear very wide.
blossoms
The bizarre shrubs develop small flowers whose bracts are yellow. Each individual flower is formed from two circles of three bracts each. The flowers crowd together in small groups of two to four. They sit in the leaf axils or at the end of a shoot and give off a faint scent that has a slightly sweet character. The wild-growing shrubs flower from December to January. Specimens cultivated in Central Europe flower in late winter and early spring. The flowers appear before the leaves emerge.
growth
Zigzag shrubs grow as small shrubs whose shoots are covered with white down. They shed their leaves in autumn and develop an unusual growth habit. After each leaf attachment and node, the direction of growth of the shoot axis changes, resulting in a zigzag overall picture. The shrubs appear bare due to the small leaves.
While the cultivated specimens of Corokia cotoneatser grow between 150 and 250 centimeters high, the wild-growing shrubs reach heights of growth of up to two meters in their original distribution areas. Their annual increase is small. This growth habit is an adaptation to the wind-exposed locations in the original range, with the shrubs remaining particularly short and compact in places with strong wind conditions.
bonsai
Its slow growth rate and good pruning 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 wiring with which cascades are created does not cause them any problems.
The first step in growing a bonsai is pruning. It serves to give the bonsai a basic shape. To do this, remove a few large branches, which is often a difficult decision to make. This cut determines the later appearance of the tree.
In order to shape a bonsai, pruning is of great importance. Regularly remove the shoot tips so that the tree does not grow tall, but remains small and its crown branches out. A special variant is the leaf cut, in which all leaves are removed in summer. The zigzag shrub develops new leaves that are smaller and better match the overall appearance.
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use
The plant is considered an insider tip. Zigzag shrubs are cultivated as houseplants, where they set special accents in the form of bonsai or shrubs. Their wild growth combined with the sparse foliage give the shrubs a dramatic character. They are suitable for beautifying terraces and balconies.
Zigzag shrubs can be planted individually or in small groups of three in a container. Individually growing specimens form a tree-like shape if you prune the plant appropriately. If several plants grow in one pot, their trunks remain thin because of the limited space available. The arrangement looks like a bush. You can also combine the zigzag shrub with other woody plants or grasses.
Is Zig Zag Shrub Poisonous?
Zigzag shrubs do not contain toxic substances. Leaves, flowers and fruits are harmless. The red fruits that develop on the plant in summer are tempting to eat. It is not discouraged, but the taste of the fruit is considered inedible. Therefore, you don't have to worry about your children or pets when cultivating Corokia cotoneaster. The plants pose no danger to cats, dogs and guinea pigs.
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Which location is suitable?
The extraordinary shrubs like a bright spot with sunny conditions all year round. A semi-shaded location is ideal. In the hot summer months, the plants are grateful for a cool and shady place so that they do not lose too much liquid through 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 window sill, where the temperatures should be as cool as possible. A conservatory that offers temperatures between five and ten degrees Celsius is ideal. If the thermometer rises above this range in winter, flowering may fail to occur. Good ventilation is important to keep pests from spreading.
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What soil does the plant need?
The zigzag shrub likes a well-drained substrate. It is sensitive to waterlogging, which is why you should equip the bucket with drainage. A humus-rich soil offers the plant a good basis for growth. Potting soil is ideal. You can use the substrate pure or loosen it up for better permeability.
This material improves the substrate structure:
Zigzag bush in pot
The shrubs are only cultivated in tubs, as the plants would not survive the winter months outdoors. You can cultivate the plant as a bonsai in a shallow dish.
balcony
Zigzag shrubs can be placed on the balcony or patio during the summer months. They like bright and warm locations, but prefer a place outside of the blazing sun. Windy conditions do not cause any problems for the plants. You can put the plants outside as early as spring when they are flowering. Then the nectar-filled flowers serve as a valuable food source 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 inside in the evening.
propagation
You can propagate your zigzag shrub from seeds or cuttings. Sowing can be done all year round, although you should preferably sow the seeds in spring or summer. Then you can provide the seeds with enough light and warmth. Propagation via cuttings is more promising and easier. Cuttings are cut in the spring, giving the young plants enough time to mature and grow before the onset of winter.
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sowing
Before you sow the seeds, they must be soaked in lukewarm water. Fill a saucer with tap water and let the seeds sit in it for 24 to 48 hours. Fill a planter with seed soil loosened up with sand or perlite. Press the seeds into the substrate, no deeper than an inch into the soil.
Place the plant pot in a light and warm place. The seeds find ideal germination conditions at temperatures between 20 and 23 degrees Celsius. Keep the substrate evenly moist. To do this, you can cover the culture vessel with a transparent film. Air the foil daily, otherwise the seeds tend to mold quickly. Propagation via seeds is tedious and not always promising. Not all seeds germinate reliably.
cuttings
Cut lignified shoots from the plant. The cuttings should be between 10 and 15 centimeters long. The bottom leaves are removed. Put the offshoot in a planter filled with potting soil and place it in a warm and bright place. Make sure the substrate stays evenly moist. Waterlogging should be avoided, otherwise the ends of the shoots, including the newly developed roots, can rot.
As soon as the first fresh leaves appear, you can prick out the young plants and place one plant in a larger planter. Then they took root. If you take care of the right care and do not fertilize the plant in the first year, the offshoot will soon develop into an aesthetic shrub.
Cut zigzag bush correctly
You do not necessarily have to cut the zigzag bush. If it is out of shape and develops branches that are too long and disturb the overall picture, you can always trim these branches. The plant tolerates pruning well and forms new branches at the intersections. When pruning, be careful not to cut back into the old wood.
Before you bring the shrub into its winter quarters, it is advisable to shorten long shoots. This prevents space problems and the shrub requires a little less energy. If you want to cultivate your zigzag shrub as a bonsai, shape and design cuts are necessary.
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Water the zigzag bush
The houseplant likes a constantly fresh substrate. When watering, make sure that no waterlogging forms. Before watering, the top layer of soil should be dry. The root ball must not dry out. Reduce the amount of water in winter, because the shrub needs less water during hibernation.
Fertilize zigzag shrub properly
Mature plants enjoy regular fertilization during the growth phase between spring and autumn, whereby the flowering period should be awaited. The plant frequently sheds its buds if given nutrients during this time. Give your plant a flower fertilizer every two weeks (€1.95) after the flowers have withered. In autumn, reduce the nutrient supply so that the fresh branches become woody and no new shoots are formed. Young plants should not be fertilized in the first year.
How do I plant correctly?
Young plants are repotted every two to three years. The ideal time for this care measure is 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 drainage hole or the substrate is heavily rooted. The new plant pot should be about two fingers larger than the old one.
If you cultivate your zigzag shrub as a bonsai, you should repot the shrub annually. With this measure, the roots are shortened so that there is a balance between the crown and the root ball. Cutting off the roots ensures that the shrubs remain small.
Diseases
Corokia cotoneaster turns out to be a hardy shrub that is very rarely affected by diseases and pests. Damage is often due to poor care or unfavorable site conditions.
hardy
Zigzag shrubs are only conditionally hardy. They can survive freezing temperatures just below zero. In most cases, the plants suffer damage. Therefore, overwinter your shrub indoors.
Corokia cotoneaster needs a cool winter quarters with temperatures between five and ten degrees Celsius. This cold period is important for the shrub to fall into a state of dormancy. The metabolism is reduced in this phase. Therefore, zigzag shrubs require little water and no fertilizer in winter.
If the plants are overwintered under bright and warm conditions, there is no hibernation. As a result, there will be no flowering next year.
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Losing leaves
In the fall, the shrubs shed their leaves as they prepare for the upcoming winter dormancy. If your zigzag shrub suddenly loses a lot of leaves during the growth phase, you should review care measures and site conditions.
This can lead to leaf loss:
In places that are too hot, the water requirement of the plants increases enormously. When the shrubs cannot maintain their water balance, they shed their leaves. High water loss can occur both in direct sunlight and in rooms that are too warm. Place the tub on the balcony or terrace in summer and make sure it is partially shaded. The temperature should be around 15 degrees Celsius during the growing season.
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Zigzag shrub does not bloom
If the zigzag bush does not develop any flowers, it may be due to overwintering that was too warm. 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 lead to the lack of flowers. Make sure that the zigzag shrub gets a semi-shady location and check the care.
tips
In order to create extraordinary arrangements in the tub, you should use at least three different plants with clearly distinguishable color nuances or interesting growth forms. Contrasts and shape variability ensure that the design appears interesting. The zigzag shrub pairs perfectly with Silver Leaf (Senecio bicolor) and Texas Grass (Calocephalus brownii).