Firecracker flower is a vine plant of Bignoniaceae and Firecracker genus, also known as eel vine, firecracker flower, golden coral, torch flower, Buddleja, and flame vine. Firecracker flower is mostly planted in courtyards, as well as fences, flower racks or used for vertical greening. The flowers of firecracker flower are in strings like firecrackers, which is a very good ornamental flower. The flowering period of firecracker flower is generally from January to June every year, and the flowering period can sometimes last for more than half a year. The flowers are beautiful, orange-red flowers, very prosperous. During the peak flowering period of firecracker flower, it can be said to be a joyous and beautiful scene. Firecracker flower is an important climbing flower in South China. In the northern region, dwarf varieties can be selected, coiled into a pattern shape, and cultivated as potted flowers. It has been widely cultivated as a garden ornamental vine plant in Hainan, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi and other places.

The firecracker flower is native to Brazil in South America. It has three-pronged filamentous tendrils. The leaves are opposite; the stamens are born in the middle of the corolla tube, the filaments are filamentous, and the anthers are forked. The ovary is cylindrical, densely covered with fine soft hairs, the style is thin, and the stigma is tongue-shaped and flat. The style and filaments extend out of the corolla tube. The fruit petals are leathery and boat-shaped, with multiple rows of seeds inside. The seeds are winged and thin. The flowering period is long, the vitality of the firecracker flower is relatively tenacious, the growth is vigorous, and it is relatively easy to cultivate. It likes a sunny growth environment and requires ventilation. It likes high temperature and high humidity, and the soil is preferably acidic sandy soil with good drainage. It likes a sunny environment and fertile, moist, acidic soil. It grows rapidly. In southern China, it can keep its branches and leaves evergreen and can overwinter in the open field. Since the tendrils are mostly born at the nodes of the upper branches and vines, the whole plant can grow on other objects.

1. The propagation method of Firecracker Flower: Firecracker Flower is mainly propagated by layering or cuttings.

1. Layering propagation: Low-pressure and high-pressure propagation are usually used. Low-pressure propagation is to choose branches close to the ground in early spring, use a knife to ring-bark a 1 cm incision (the position of the incision should be such that the incision part is just buried in the soil when the branch is pressed down into the soil), bury the incision part in the soil, press it tightly with stones, make the branch head face upward, and prevent the branch from swinging. When the planting season comes, dig up the pressed soil and observe, cut off the layering that has grown roots from the end close to the mother plant, separate it from the mother plant, and it becomes a planting seedling.

In addition, layering propagation is high-pressure propagation. There are not many branches close to the ground, so branches at high places must be used for propagation. High-pressure propagation is also called aerial layering. It is to choose 2-4 year old vines with relatively vigorous growth on the crown, and use the ring peeling method to peel off one-half to two-thirds of the bark at a distance of 20-30 cm from the base branch. Then wrap the wound with fertilizer mud to form a ball, and wrap the outside with plastic film to keep it moist. The high-pressure time is generally carried out in early spring from February to March. When white roots can be seen growing through the plastic film in August and September, the layering strip is sawed off 3-5 cm below the layering ball. The removed layering strip must be immediately transplanted. Purple magnolia can generally take root about 3 months after high pressure.

2. Cutting propagation method: Cutting propagation is carried out before the firecracker flower sprouts in early spring. Choose thick and pest-free rattan with a diameter of about 1 cm, cut into 8-15 cm long cuttings, and carry out cuttings on the prepared cutting bed. On the seedbed, draw lines with a row spacing of 15-20 cm, and use a small wooden stick to make holes on the bed surface every 3-5 cm. Then insert one-half to two-thirds of the cuttings obliquely into the hole, compact the soil, and water it once. Shade and moisturize after cutting. Plant growth hormones can be used to treat the cuttings of purple magnolia during cutting, which has a significant effect on promoting rooting. Commonly used growth hormones include indolebutyric acid, indoleacetic acid, naphthylacetic acid, 2,4-D, rooting powder, etc., all of which have a good effect on promoting rooting.

2. Cultivation: Ground planting is adopted in southern regions, while potted planting can be adopted in areas with cold climates.

1. Ground planting: The planting site should be a sunny, ventilated and cool place in the courtyard. Firecracker flower is not strict about soil, but it grows stronger in fertile soil rich in organic matter, good drainage and deep soil. The planting hole for cultivating firecracker flower should be larger and deeper. Generally, the planting hole is required to be about 30 cm in diameter and 30 cm in depth. Apply enough basal fertilizer, which is decomposed compost and appropriate amount of cake fertilizer or bone meal. After the temperature rises in April and May every year, the rooted seedlings cultivated by cuttings or divisions will be transplanted into the flower pot. Before planting, the broken roots, cracked roots, damaged roots and overlong roots of the firecracker flower plants will be cut off. Then fill in the culture soil, and then put the firecracker flower plant in the center of the flower pot upright, the root system should be stretched, fill the soil to half of the planting hole, lift the firecracker flower plant lightly and shake it, compact the culture soil, and it should not be too deep when planting, just keep the rhizome level with the ground. If the depth is too shallow, it will affect the survival; if it is too deep, it will affect the growth of the firecracker flower after transplantation. Water it thoroughly once after planting.

2. Potted plants: There are great limitations to planting firecracker flowers in flower pots. Flower pots are a special small environment. No matter which kind of soil is used alone, it cannot meet the needs of potted flowers for soil in all aspects. Therefore, potted firecracker flowers must be cultivated with artificial soil to replace the soil to fix the flowers in the pot. It must have certain water retention and drainage properties, and must be loose, fertile, well-drained and breathable. It must contain rich humus and the soil is not alkaline. The cultivation soil used to cultivate firecracker flowers is generally made of 40% garden soil, 40% yellow sand, and 20% leaf mold or domestic garbage.

Apply a small amount of basal fertilizer at the bottom of the pot when potting. Transplant the seedlings grown by cuttings or layering into pots after the temperature rises in April and May every year. Cut off the broken roots, cracked roots, damaged roots and overlong roots of the firecracker flower plants before potting. First, put broken tiles at the bottom of the pot, and then put some fermented cake fertilizer, bones, fish bones and other basal fertilizers, and then fill in the culture soil, and then put the firecracker flower plant upright in the center of the pot. The root system should be stretched. Fill the soil to half of the pot and gently lift and shake the firecracker flower plant to compact the culture soil. It should not be planted too deep, just keep the rhizome level with the pot mouth. Shallowness affects survival, and depth affects the growth of the firecracker flower after transplantation. Water it thoroughly after planting. After cultivation, maintain it in a shaded environment for about a week, and move it to a sunny place for maintenance after the root system recovers.

3. Daily management: Firecracker flower is a fertilizer-demanding plant. Firecracker flower grows fast, blooms a lot, and has a long flowering period, so fertilizer and water are sufficient. Topdressing should be applied once a month during the growth period. Topdressing should be done with decomposed and thin cake fertilizer water or compound fertilizer to promote its luxuriant branches and leaves and full of flowers. To keep the soil moist, the number of watering should depend on the moisture of the soil. In the hot summer, in addition to watering, water should be sprayed on the branches and leaves 2 to 3 times a day and sprinkled on the surrounding ground to increase the air humidity. In the autumn, when the flower buds are differentiated, watering should be reduced, and fertilization should be mainly based on phosphorus fertilizer. Generally, a thin liquid fertilizer combining nitrogen and phosphorus is applied once every 2 weeks during the growing season. During the bud formation period, apply liquid fertilizer mainly composed of nitrogen fertilizer to facilitate flowering and plant growth. Watering should be done when the plant is dry and wet, and water should not be accumulated in the pot. In the summer, when the temperature is high, watering should be sufficient, and water should be sprinkled on the ground near the flower pot to increase the air humidity. Autumn begins the period of flower bud differentiation. At this time, watering needs to be reduced appropriately in order to control vegetative growth and promote flower bud differentiation.

In winter, the southern region can still be cultivated outdoors, but in the cold northern region, the firecracker flower needs to be moved indoors or into a flower shed. The firecracker flower moved indoors needs to be placed in a sunny place and the room temperature should be kept above 10℃.

Pruning of firecracker flowers. A vine that has bloomed will not bloom again. In daily management, when the flowers wither, it is necessary to prune these old branches in time to promote the sprouting of more branches and ensure the continuous blooming of flowers. When the branches grow to a certain height, they need to be topped to promote the sprouting of side branches to facilitate more flowering. Some old branches and weak branches should be cut off in time to avoid consuming nutrients and affecting flowering. For potted firecracker flowers, special attention should be paid to pinching, pruning and twisting into patterns to dwarf the firecracker flowers. Move the firecracker flowers indoors or into a flower shed in winter. The firecracker flowers moved indoors need to be placed in a sunny place, keep the room temperature above 10℃, and control watering.