Cinnamon Girl Distylium Care: Best Shrub for Your Garden

The bushes have always been an important part of any garden, these could be used as a specimen plant, for making hedges, or just as a potted baby. Its resistance to cold temperatures and diseases like rotting or leaf spots has popularized it among gardeners and many landscapers. It also makes it useful for many other purposes and reduces its maintenance cost by reducing dependency on Agrochemicals.

These bushes can also be used to purify air, absorb sound, to screen a few places in the garden , to make hedges, etc and help in creating a pleasant view in the garden. But bushes like Cinnamon Girl, show unique colour variations with changing seasons. It has coarse-textured, broad leaves that are plum-purple when they are young, and then turn shiny blue-green as they mature. A slight burgundy tint can be observed during winter, which adds a warm sensation in the garden.

Like many other shrubs, it is hardy, with little growth and high pruning needs. It also bears adorning red flowers during spring. To understand it better let us know Everything about Cinnamon Girl Distylium Care.

Also Read: How to Care for Elephant Bush

Cinnamon Girl Distylium Care | Lots of Plants

Common Name	Cinnamon Girl, Evergreen Witch Hazel, Witch Hazel
Scientific Name	Distylium ‘PIIDIST-V’
Family	Hamamelidaceae
Hardiness Zone	7-9
Plant type	Perennial Shrub
Height	1-3 Feet
Width	3-4 Feet

Features of Cinnamon Girl

Contents show

Cinnamon Girl Distylium Care: Physical Requirements.

Sunlight

Distylium thrives well in full sunlight to partially shaded conditions. As it is a shrub, there is no limit on the number of hours of sunlight it must receive. But it is not likeable to grow indoors or in shade, it will dry completely if it will not receive the least amount of sunlight. It is a slow-growing plant, so predicting its growth is quite difficult. Yet it can survive up to fifty years if taken under the right care.

Temperature

It grows well in a variety of temperature ranges. Cinnamon Girl is one of those rare shrubs that has adaptability to even the coldest of regions. It will show dormancy for some time during winter but regains its lushness ever after. Still, it performs best in a temperature range between 18-25°C.

Soil

Distylium is adaptable to many soil types including clay, sandy-loam or loamy, but its growth is vitalised in acidic soil(5-6.5). One can check the pH by taking the sample from the gardening area and testing it with the help of a soil testing kit or pH meter. To increase the acidity in the soil, one can add organic matter, compost, and Nitrogen-based fertilisers like Aluminium Sulfate. And lime can be added to increase the pH level.

The soil must have a good drainage system as the waterlogged condition is one big weakness of Distylium. To check the drainage in the planting area, dig a hole that is twelve inches deep and twelve inches wide. Pour the water and let it drain. Once the water is fully drained, again pour some water and note the time it is taking.

If it drains at a rate of one inch per hour then the soil has good drainage properties. If it drains at a faster rate then there is a need to add more topsoil as it is too light. If the water drains at a slower rate then it indicates that the soil doesn’t have good drainage properties. Prepare the mixture again.

Humidity

Extreme humid conditions are not favourable to Cinnamon Girl’s growth. Any area with low humidity is best. Cinnamon Girl Distylium is one of the best plants to be grown in Urban areas or areas with poor air quality due to its exceptional air purifying qualities.

Water

Like other shrubs, Distylium also has less water needs. It can thrive in low soil moisture as well, but the young plant cuttings need enough watering until they develop a sustaining root system.

To save the plant from environmental shock during transplanting in an area with high rainfall, use root growth-promoting hormones like IBA(Indole Butyric Acid). Distylium doesn’t need daily irrigation which leads to sogginess, and hence, invites rot in the plants. Water only when there are long dry spells and the upper few inches of soil becomes completely dry.

Pruning

Distylium doesn’t require pruning for health or growth purposes. It is done to remove the dead parts and to provide them with a good shape, as per the likeness of the owner.

Pruning should be done in late winter or early spring before the new growth starts. Although, pruning for dead parts can be done at any time of the year. To avoid any bacterial or fungal infection during pruning, always use sterilised equipment and for extra safety, fungicides like chaubatia paste can be applied in wounded areas.

Fertiliser Requirement

Distylum can grow well even without fertilisers. But for deep green foliage, the incorporation of slow-releasing fertilisers during spring is the best option. One can use manure and other organic fertilisers for the same. But the fertilisation must be stopped two weeks before the first frost date in the area. It is done to prevent damage to new growing shoots by frost.

Disease and Pests

Diseases and Pests are rare in Cinnamon Girl. Even on the infestation, no serious damage has been reported yet, except for the root rot caused due to waterlogged conditions. Only Aphids, Jassids and spider mites can be seen hosting the plant. But in case of serious infestation and as per the choice of the owner, the application of a foliar spray of insecticide such as Imidacloprid or Malathion @ 0.2% can be done. Although it is not a necessary step.

Flowering in Cinnamon Girl Distylium | alumni.uod

Uses of Cinnamon Girl Distylium

Due to its compact growth habit and beautiful foliage, this shrub is grown for different purposes :

For making Hedges.Foundation Planting.
Mass Planting for making Ground Cover.
Mixed Shrub Border.
Container Planting or Potting.
For Erosion Control.Wildlife Habitat for Birds.
Air Purifier.
Screening Purpose.

Cinnamon Girl is a single plant that serves many purposes, but the technique to care for each purpose is different.

Cinnamon Girl Distylium Care for Ground Purpose.

By ground, means for making a hedge, shrub border, Specimen Plant, Ground Cover etc. Usually, Distylium is propagated from stem cuttings. So first, if you are planning to grow Distylium from cutting, put it in a mixture of, IBA for root initiation. Once the root emerges the plant is ready to be sown in the ground. If the soil in that area does always have enough moisture, then it can also be sown directly but the chances of its survival are unpredictable. Distylium is also available in nurseries and can be brought from there.

The plant material to be sown must be checked properly for diseases.
The planting area needs to be sanitized and the drainage property of the soil must be tested. If not found suitable, then appropriate planting materials should be added. The location for planting must receive adequate Sunlight as well.
The plant should be carefully placed in the dug hole for placement if taken from the media.
If brought from the nursery, then the soil from the older pot should be loosened up first and then should be incorporated with the place where it is supposed to be planted.
Add manure if needed, and fill the hole with replaced soil. Press the soil to balance the plant with the help of your fingers.
If you are planning to grow more than one plant at a time, for mass plantation, hedge making, etc, then use Staggered Row Plant Placement Techniques. It allows the required number of plants at an appropriate distance and good visual effect.
Water the plant up to the depth of the root ball associated. It will allow the soil to settle down properly.
Spread an organic mulch around the plant, it will help in moisture conservation, provide essential nutrients and prevent diseases.
Water the plant as suggested above, and wait for it to grow.

Cinnamon Girl Distylium Care for Ground Purpose | Outdoor Design Source

Cinnamon Girl Distylium Care for Potting Purposes.

It is easier to maintain drainage and organic matter in a pot than in the ground. The pot used for Distylium must have a hole at the bottom for proper drainage. Allow the plant to grow for at least three years in the same pot. The clay pot is best for this purpose, as it allows good aeration in the pot mixture.

Add Crocks at the bottom of the pot to prevent clogging of drainage holes with soil, organic matter or roots.
Prepare a soil mixture suitable for its plant growth containing two parts of topsoil, one part of sand, one part of peat moss, one part perlite, and two parts of compost.
If it is supposed to be sown by seeds, then make a soil mixture of two parts of topsoil, two parts of compost, two parts of peat moss and one part of perlite or vermiculite.
Place the plant in the centre, up to the depth, so that all roots are inside the pot. Carefully fill the soil and press it to balance in the pot. Don’t fill the pot up to the brim, leave two to three inches, so that soil may not flow away during watering.
If the plant is brought upon from the nursery, then the root ball should be loosened up first with the help of fingers. Water it a bit before transplanting it into the pot to save it from the shock.
Water the pot after planting and check if drainage is working properly.
For the initial days, put the pot in a semi-shaded area until the plant stabilises with its surroundings.
Water requirements are less in this case, so water is only when the upper layer of soil becomes completely dry.

NOTE: The soil topsoil used should be 60% and compost should be 40% in the potting mixture vermiculite is added to allow proper aeration in the soil.

Cinnamon Girl Distylium Care for Potting Purposes | Reddit

Steps for Repotting of Cinnamon Girl Distylium

Repotting must be done only when the roots of the shrub become completely pot-bound.
The pot chosen for Repotting should be two inches larger than the previous pot in diameter. Too large a pot won’t provide any help.
First do, depotting, the previous pot should be watered at least one day or six hours before repotting. The soil in the previous pot will be moist and allow smooth depotting.
Tap the pot at a 45° angle on the ground so that the plant can come out with the fully intact root ball.
Cut or Prune the dead roots, as they will not function and may damage the pot.
The new pot to be used should be clean and sterilised properly. Use the same mixture as used for potting and place crocks at the bottom.
Fill the soil mixture in the pot, allow the plant to settle and place it in a semi-shady area for the initial few weeks.

NOTE: Repotting should be done during late summer and early spring.

Conclusion

Shrubs have been part of our garden from the very beginning. In any style or type of garden, shrubs play a major role in defining the boundaries, providing a shape, fixed geometry and sometimes as a specimen. Their perennial nature allows the garden to stay lushier all around the year.

Their hardy nature and ability to overcome stress ask for little care and timely pruning resulting in aesthetic garden views. Most of the succulents are drought tolerant and hate their feet in water for a longer time, and there are few shrubs like Distylium that are tolerant to frost as well. This is all you need to know about Cinnamon Girl Distylium Care, hope you will have a good time growing this amazing plant.This article has covered all the aspects one needs to know before using Distylium for any purpose.

Also Read: 15 Different Types of Holly Bushes

Latest Post