Question
What are the care instructions for this plant?  How does one make it bushy all the way up instead of a stick with a mop of leaves at the top?

Answer
Hi Maria,

China doll (Radermachera sinica) is not an easy plant. It is a very finicky plant that drops foliage dramatically if anything upsets it. Moving it around and repotting are NOT good ideas. Prune it back; move it to a spot with lots of indirect or direct (indoor) light where you can leave it permanently. Keep it away from temps below 65 degrees and away from heaters or radiators. Water thoroughly as soon as the surface of the soil is dry.

The key to maintaining leaves at the bottom of a China doll is to keep them from dropping off in the first place. Once lower leaves drop off, they are not replaced. New growth is always at the top or ends of stems. Pruning back long stems will help, however. This is because the new growth on the cut stems will emerge just below the point of the cut.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]

If this information has been helpful, please remember to give me an AllExperts rating and nomination.