With a certain amount of know-how, the cake tree is relatively easy to keep in the bucket. An optimal substrate, some fertilizer and regular pruning are important for growth.
The cake tree (Cercidiphyllum) comes from Japan and is a true rarity in our latitudes. Hobby gardeners are particularly impressed by the attractive color of the leaves and the intensive gingerbread scent of the autumn leaves. Since not every plant lover has enough space to turn the small cake tree into a sprawling giant tree, there are definitely alternatives.
The plants are sold at a height of about 50 centimeters and can therefore also be cultivated in tubs. Young plants grown as shrubs will last for a number of years. At some point, however, the day will come when the cake tree in the bucket will be too small and you should look for an outdoor location.
What substrate does the cake tree need?
The plant is quite demanding when it comes to the substrate. Accordingly, potted plants have less substrate available than the trees cultivated outdoors. Therefore, focus on a good growth basis in the bucket. The biggest enemy of the cake tree is waterlogging. This can best be prevented with potted plants with drainage. Gravel or shards of pottery are suitable for this, which are laid out on the bottom of the planter. You should spread garden fleece over the drainage holes of the container.
This is what the ideal floor looks like:
| Composition | A sandy or loamy soil is ideal. The plant tolerates a neutral to slightly acidic soil. |
| fertilization | If compost is mixed into the substrate during planting, the plant receives a long-term fertilizer, which is usually sufficient. |
| pH value | Soil with a pH between 5 and 7 is ideal for growing. |
| Soil condition | The soil should be loose and permeable so that moisture can drain off easily. Waterlogging in the planter can quickly become dangerous for the cake tree. |
Plant Cake Tree
- Do not choose a planter that is too small
- Upgrade potting soil with clay or loam if necessary
- Mix in compost as long-term fertilizer
- Do not plant root ball too deep
- Shake the plant slightly and fill up with soil
- Press substrate
- Water the cake tree well
The small trees available in specialist shops are suitable for keeping in pots. Cake trees grown from seeds can also be kept as container plants and given a sunny outdoor location when they have grown to about 40 centimeters. Older trees are not suitable for containers and should be cultivated outdoors as solitary plants.
Watering and fertilizing potted plants
An outdoor cake tree will prove to be much more robust and easy to care for than a container plant, which has a far higher liquid and nutrient requirement in a relatively small area. The cake tree unmistakably indicates a lack of water by letting the leaves hang. If you react to this and water it immediately, the plant will not be damaged and will develop well. However, a prolonged lack of water is often acknowledged by the potted plants with radical leaf fall.
» Attention: If the plants have become bare, do not throw them away! If it is thoroughly watered and then watered regularly, new shoots will quickly appear.
A shower with a garden hose is also good for the cake tree on particularly hot days. This should be done in the morning or evening hours and not in the blazing sun, as the leaves can then burn easily.
The nutrient requirements of the plant can be covered by incorporating compost. This should be done in spring, during transplanting. Compost acts as a long-term fertilizer and will provide the cake tree with all the important nutrients. If the plant pot was chosen to be particularly small or if the plant is in noticeably nutrient-poor soil, fertilizer can be applied at 14-day intervals during the growth phase. You can use commercial liquid fertilizer for this.
Wintering the cake tree in a bucket
While the cake tree in the field proves to be hardy and gets through the cold season without our intervention, the gingerbread trees in the bucket need some precautions to defy the frost.
The cake tree needs a bright and sheltered location. For example, the bucket should be pushed against a wall or house wall. The plant tolerates cold windsnot. Since the cold prefers to rise from the ground and damage the roots, the bucket should be placed on an additional base. A block of wood or a sheet of Styrofoam are suitable for this. Finally, the entire planter is wrapped with garden fleece. The soil can be protected with a layer of leaves or brushwood.
» Tip: On frost-free days, the cake tree can be watered so that the soil does not dry out.
Conclusion:
It is perfectly possible to keep the cake tree in a container, provided that the plants are small and young. If the cake trees are cut into shape every year, a small cake tree can be kept as a container plant for several years. It is particularly important to pay attention to waterlogging when cultivating as a container plant. While the water drains well outdoors, provided the soil is permeable, the water accumulates in the plant pot and ultimately leads to the death of the plant. Therefore, a drainage made of potsherds or another porous material should be laid.
» Tip: The drainage should not come into direct contact with the roots.
Even with regular pruning, the cake tree will grow in size over the years and increase in girth and should then be allowed to move to a suitable outdoor location.