Prunus Mume Pendula: Graceful Plum Blossom Varieties

The Prunus mume pendula, belonging to the Rosaceae family and the Prunus mume species, is a variety characterized by naturally drooping or slanting branches. It is distributed in the Yangtze River basin and regions to the south.

Its branches naturally droop, presenting a tree form that is elegant and graceful. When in bloom, the flowers cascade like a waterfall, making it a superior variety among plum blossoms.

The Weeping Prunus mume blooms from late February to mid-March each year, with flower colors ranging from white, pink, red, to deep red.

The main varieties include the Snow Weeping Prunus, Single Green Weeping Prunus, Double Green Weeping Prunus, Bone-Red Weeping Prunus, Brocade Red Weeping Prunus, and Pink-Skinned Weeping Prunus.

I. Common Types

The main subtypes are River Plum Weeping Prunus, Pink Flower Weeping Prunus, Five Treasures Weeping Prunus, Snow Weeping Prunus, White Green Weeping Prunus (divided into single and double green), and Bone-Red Weeping Prunus.

• River Plum Weeping Prunus: The wood is faintly dark purple, with white or pink single-petal flowers, and purplish-red sepals. It is a native true Weeping Prunus.
  
• Pink Flower Weeping Prunus: The wood is greenish-white, with red or pink single, double, or heavy petal flowers, and purplish-red sepals. The main varieties include Single Pink Weeping Prunus, Single Red Weeping Prunus, Pink Skin Weeping Prunus, Han Pink Weeping Prunus, and Wu Clothing Weeping Prunus.
  
• Five Treasures Weeping Prunus: The wood is greenish-white, with red or pink single, double, or heavy petal flowers, and purplish-red sepals. The main variety is Jumping Snow Weeping Prunus.
  
• Snow Weeping Prunus: The wood is faintly dark purple, with white double-petal flowers, and purplish-red sepals. The main varieties include Snow and Han Snow Weeping Prunus.
  
• White Green Weeping Prunus: The wood is green or gray-green, with white single or double petal flowers, and green sepals. The main varieties include Single Green Weeping Prunus and Double Green Weeping Prunus.
  
• Bone-Red Weeping Prunus: The wood is faintly dark purple, with red or purple-red single to heavy petal flowers, and purplish-red sepals. The main varieties include Bone-Red Weeping Prunus, Brocade Red Weeping Prunus, and Brocade Life Weeping Prunus.

II. Growth and Distribution

Sun-loving, prefers warm climates, fairly drought tolerant but fears waterlogging, and has a long lifespan. It is found in the Yangtze River basin and regions to the south.

III. Characteristics

Branches naturally droop or hang diagonally, with flowers in various colors such as red, pink, and white.

IV. Cultivation Method

Tree Shape Selection

Based on the drooping feature of the weeping plum branches, the tree is generally pruned into an umbrella shape. The high trunk grafting should fully utilize the existing tree shape in order to quickly form a crown.

Shaping Pruning Techniques

(1) Main Stem Shaping. After 2-3 years of cultivation, when the trunk diameter reaches 3cm, the grafting is done 80-120cm above the ground. Weak saplings can be grafted slightly lower, while robust saplings slightly higher.

Branch sprouts below the grafting point should be thinned out from the base to concentrate nutrients. Branches at different heights on the trunk are selected as the main branches, which should be about 30-40cm apart.

After spring budding, other buds and sprouts are removed at any time. During the dormancy period of the following year, the first layer of secondary branches are pruned short to 20-30cm, leaving 3-4 strong buds to encourage branching and form an umbrella-shaped framework with clear layers.

Pay attention to the direction of the bud at the pruning cut, preferably choosing a bud located higher up the branch.

(2) Pruning of Large Saplings. During the annual dormancy period pruning of weeping plums, dead branches, diseased branches, parallel branches, and interior branches are cut off, side branches are pruned short, leaving outer buds to expand the crown.

After spring budding, pay attention to timely removing dense or upright new shoots. For main branches that are too low, choose more upright branches on the main branch to gradually raise them.

When the main branch is bent, it can be corrected with a bamboo stick or a rope. The main branch should have an appropriate angle with the trunk, evenly distributed, and at a suitable distance.

Remove overgrown branches and overlapping branches that affect the growth of the main branch. The buds and sprouts on the base and trunk should be pruned in a timely manner.

(3) Thin out small side branches, cut lower branches, and leave upper branches, especially removing the buds of the drooping parts. For side branches that are too vigorous, choose a bud located higher up the branch to prune, or leave the bud on the side that fills the gap in the crown.

For large fruit plums cultivated through high grafting to weeping plums, the existing fruit plum skeleton should be fully utilized. If there are parts with missing branches, stimulate latent buds to sprout branches, and graft after the branches become robust.