Hong Loan Mai – the name sounds gentle, like a whisper of spring still hiding behind a thin layer of mist. In the world of ornamental plants that is so rich that there seems to be no room for novelty, Hong Loan Mai still manages to leave a unique mark thanks to its delicate pink flowers, graceful small tree shape, and especially the ability to transform into poetic bonsai works.
Not only is it a beautiful ornamental plant, Hong Loan Mai is also a symbol of peace and gentleness – something that many people seek in the hustle and bustle of modern life.
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| "Hong Loan Mai" is a cultivar of Mai Chiếu Thủy, also known as the Water Jasmine. |
Hong Loan Mai possesses a hidden charm from its name to its flower shape
Hong Loan Mai, also known as Mai Loan Hong, is a rare variant in the apricot family, bred or mutated from varieties such as mai chieu thuy or mai trang. The tree has a small woody trunk, usually about 1 to 3 meters tall if grown in the wild, but when shaped into a bonsai, it becomes much more graceful and neat.
The leaves are small, dark green and slightly glossy, the branches are soft and easy to bend as if ready to listen to the artist's hands. But what makes Hong Loan Mai stand out the most is the pink color of the flowers - not as bright as Nhat Tan peach, not as bright yellow as southern apricot, but a moderate pink tone, elegant like the ao dai of Saigon girls in the past. Each cluster of flowers usually blooms from 3 to 5 flowers, the gentle scent wafts in the wind, enough to make a morning more memorable.
Not only beautiful in spring, Hong Loan Mai can bloom sporadically all year round if well cared for, making it a vibrant highlight in the living space of plant lovers.
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| The most distinctive feature of Hong Loan Mai is its light, lingering scent in the early morning and late afternoon. |
Hong Loan Mai in bonsai hobby
Bonsai hobby is a combination of technique and art, meticulousness and emotion. Not all plants are suitable for shaping, but Hong Loan Mai has almost all the ideal characteristics for that. Flexible branches, thin and easy-to-bend trunks, moderate growth rate, and small foliage help players easily control the shape without having to prune too often.
One of the most attractive things about Hong Loan Mai is its ability to adapt to many different shaping styles. The tree can be bent into a simple upright position for beginners, or a horizontal - waterfall position full of improvisation for those who are experienced. Thanks to its ability to "obey" human hands, Hong Loan Mai is often likened to a living art material - where each person breathes into it their own personality and soul.
Besides the aesthetic factor, Hong Loan Mai is also highly appreciated in terms of feng shui. Many people believe that the gentle pink color symbolizes a smooth love life, a happy and fulfilled life. That is why in recent years, Hong Loan Mai has been chosen by many people as a Tet gift or used to decorate the tea table, living room as a subtle blessing.
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| A big advantage of Hong Loan Mai is that it can be grown as an ornamental plant or bonsai for enjoying tea and relaxing. |
How to care for Hong Loan Mai
Taking care of Hong Loan Mai is not difficult, but it also requires a little patience and sophistication. The plant loves light, so the ideal location is a place with light morning sunlight - such as a porch, an east-facing balcony or a covered corner of the yard. Light plays a very important role in helping the plant grow evenly, bloom beautifully and maintain its natural pink color.
Watering should be done regularly, especially for bonsai trees grown in small pots because the soil will dry out faster. However, avoid over-watering, causing the roots to become waterlogged - this is a common mistake among beginners. It is best to check the moisture by hand or observe the soil color, and only water when the soil surface begins to dry.
Regarding the soil, Hong Loan Mai is not too picky but still needs a type of soil that is loose, rich in nutrients and well-drained. Many people choose to mix light loam with rice husk ash, coconut fiber and compost to create an ideal growing environment. The soil should be changed once a year to help the tree grow steadily and limit pests and diseases.
Pruning and shaping is the most interesting part of playing bonsai. With Hong Loan Mai, pruning should be done after each flowering period to stimulate the tree to grow new shoots, while keeping the bonsai shape neat. When the tree is young, the player can use soft wire to bend the branches into the desired shape. To avoid damaging the bark, the bending wire should be covered with rubber or paper, and removed after a few weeks so that the tree does not have marks.
Like many other bonsai species, Hong Loan Mai needs to be supplemented with nutrients periodically. Decomposed organic fertilizer or balanced NPK (such as 10-10-10) will help the tree keep its leaves green, branches strong and bloom evenly. Avoid fertilizing with too much nitrogen because it will make the tree grow leaves strongly but be lazy to flower.
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| A bonsai work of Hong Loan Mai. |
In fact, what makes Hong Loan Mai so beloved is not only its appearance or shaping technique, but also the sense of peace that this tree brings. There is something very Vietnamese in the way the tree grows gently, in the soft pink color of the flowers, in the humble yet graceful posture.
With a Hong Loan Mai bonsai pot placed on a tea table or in a small corner of the yard, people seem to have an extra calm friend - not noisy, not fussy, just a little care is enough to bloom. And in each pale pink petal, there seems to be a message: live slowly, love more, and don't forget to take care of the little things.
