The flower "palm" is a very popular means of decoration of any room. He “came” to us from tropical regions and was adapted for care and cultivation at home. The name indicates that the flower, similar to a palm tree, is completely similar to its counterpart in the natural environment. Having such a plant in your room, you will feel that you are in a tropical paradise. In order for the flower to please you with its appearance, you need to know the rules for caring for it.
general description
First you need to understand that a flower that looks like a palm tree can grow quite tall. Under natural conditions, a tree can reach fifteen meters in height with a two-meter crown in diameter. As for the houseplant, then he will not see such growth. But still, this parameter must be considered when choosing a view. If the size of the room does not allow, then you should not choose a large type of flower. Speaking about the features of care, it is worth mentioning the main problem of this plant - drafts. They can cause flower disease and even lead to death. Other factors have an effect depending on the type of plant.
Types of "palm trees"
The names of flowers, "palm trees" are very different. But behind each of them hides a special appearance and growing conditions. Let's take a quick look at some of the most popular varieties:
- Brahea. It is very popular among the population due to its unpretentious nature and beautiful magnificent crown. The rich green color of the leaves takes you directly to the tropics. It grows quickly and adapts to small frosts.
- Butia. With its external beauty, the flower has a very capricious character. The plant does not like dry soil, too moist soil. Needs constant irrigation and requires careful care.
- Washingtonia. A lover of sunlight. It has a large crown and requires a lot of space. It does not tolerate stagnation of water.
- Gioforba. A medium-sized plant that requires lighting, heat and constant irrigation with lime water.
- Hamedorea. Unpretentious grade. The second name of the flower is reed palm.
- Cariota. A small plant that can bloom annually. Large leaves attract the eye with its unusual shape.
- Sowing. The unpretentious nature and beautiful appearance makes it very attractive for lovers of flora.
- Date palm. A beautiful crown with cirrus leaves will decorate any room.
Care Features
Flower "palm" requires proper care. Do not underestimate the importance of your attention to the plant. Even the most unpretentious species require basic care. Therefore, it is recommended to follow the advice of specialists. So, the indoor flower "palm", the name of which reflects its appearance, needs the following activities:
- Temperature condition. The average figures at which he will be comfortable range from sixteen to twenty-two degrees. Some species can tolerate even lower temperatures: up to 8 ºC.
- Irrigation mode. Water the palm tree as much as the soil requires. Drying of the earth must not be allowed. In the spring and summer periods we water more often, in the winter - less often. Constant irrigation helps to maintain the necessary humidity. Daily spraying is not necessary. It is enough to do this twice a week in a hot period. In winter, it is enough once a month. Washing of leaves with a soft sponge is also allowed. At the same time, water should be settled.
- Lighting mode. By nature, a flower loves light, but it doesn’t like direct sunlight. This leads to burns of deciduous cover and harms the plant. Make sure the place is well lit, but there should be no draft. No kind of palm trees can tolerate it.
- Priming. It is recommended to purchase one that suits your particular type of palm tree. If you want to make the mixture yourself, then the ratio should be this: sheet earth, humus, sand - 2: 1: 0.2.
Transplantation and reproduction
The “palm” flower, the care of which is described here, also needs a transplant. While the plant is young, the procedure should be carried out annually. Then - every three years. When transplanting to the soil, add sod and shavings (three kilograms per 1m 3 of the total mass of soil). Pay attention to the process, as it is very important not to damage the root system. Inspect it and remove any rotten or dry parts.
Take these pots to plant so that they are tall enough. The palm should be stable. After you have transplanted the flower, cover the top of the ground with moss so that the ground does not dry out. The plant propagates both by seeds and processes. Manipulation is very easy. Seeds need to be sown in a pot of sand and sawdust. Take care of the drainage. Each type of palm tree has its own seed germination period. It varies from nine days to six months.
Top dressing
The flower "palm", like other plants, needs timely recharge. It is recommended to purchase the product intended for this and act in accordance with the instructions. In winter, you need to feed once every twenty days, and in the summer - once every ten days. After the procedure, it is necessary to loosen the earth to give oxygen free access to the root system.
Possible problems
The home flower "palm" may have some problems that you need to know about:
- Leaflets begin to turn yellow - watering is too rare, the soil is dry.
- The appearance of brown tips in the leaves is a lack of moisture in the air, poor watering, the plant touches something cold, a draft.
- Dark spots on the surface of leaflets - the use of water that has not settled, too frequent watering and stagnation of water in the pot.
- The leaves acquired a dark brownish tint - either a natural withering away of old foliage, or too frequent watering.
Pests
Like all plants, the palm flower is periodically attacked by pests. Among the most frequent guests:
- Scale: leaves begin to dry, brown spots appear, foliage begins to fall.
- Spider mite: the appearance of cobwebs on the plant, the decay of the deciduous cover.
- Mealybug: deformation of the leaves, followed by falling, leads to the death of the entire plant.
All pests must be dealt with equally. First you need to thoroughly wipe the leaves with a soap solution using a soft sponge. Make sure that all traces of the presence of the pest disappear. Then you need to spray the flower with a product consisting of 0.15% actellica. It must be diluted in the ratio: two grams per one liter of water. Summing up all of the above, I want to note that the features of care and sometimes capricious in no way affect the love of flower growers for such a luxurious plant as a room "palm".