A whole group of genera from the Palm family belongs to the fan category. Such a classification is associated with a specific form of leaves, the plate of which is dissected into many parts, which are segments of one whole. All of them depart from the center and are distributed in the form of rays.
Many representatives are widely cultivated at room conditions under the general name "fan palm trees." Consider in more detail the most popular, as well as the features of caring for them.
Liviston
They are widespread in nature in Asia, Africa, Australia and Oceania, where they reach a height of up to 25 m. The diameter of the leaves is also very impressive - 0.6-1 m, they are dense and leathery, the glossy surface is dark green, sometimes with a gray tint, the form is in the form of a fan, and the petioles are often with teeth. In room culture, the most common livistona are southern, round-leaved and Chinese. This fan palm (photo above) requires bright but scattered lighting, a small amount of direct sunlight is permissible. The ideal location is the eastern and western windows, and periodically for uniform growth it needs to be rotated around its axis. The most favorable room temperature for a palm tree is from 16 to 20 ° , with a decrease during the winter to 16 ° .
Livistons prefer moist air and plentiful watering in the summer, drying out of an earth coma is unacceptable. Use warm, settled water. 2-3 hours after watering, drain the excess from the pan. In room conditions, the plant grows to 1.5-2 m, giving annually 2-3 new leaves. A transplanted fan palm of an adult age is 5 years after planting, young - annually. A neutral or slightly acidic soil with a good drainage layer is preferred. Reproduction by lateral processes is possible.
Washingtonia
The genus of fan palm trees, which includes only two species: washingtonia is strong and strong. They are characterized by rapid growth in a subtropical climate, able to withstand short-term cooling to -12 ° C. Cirrus leaves in nature reach up to 1.5 m in diameter, and the trunk itself is up to 30 m high. It is used for decorative landscaping of streets in the southern states of the USA (California, Florida). At room conditions, the size of the plant is more modest.
Palm tree care
Washingtonia is a fan-shaped palm tree, the care of which will not cause much trouble. She is photophilous, prefers eastern and western windows. In the summer, you can take it to a balcony or terrace, since the plant does not like stagnation of air. Palm prefers moderate temperatures - 20-25 ° C in summer and 10-12 ° C during winter dormancy. Humidity is important, but not critical. With regular spraying and washing with water, the leaves develop better.
Watering in summer is plentiful in combination with top dressing with mineral fertilizers (every 2 weeks from March to September). Washingtonia is sensitive to transplantation, so disturbing the plant once again is not recommended. Young specimens are replaced with a cache-pot every 1-2 years, and for adults - as necessary (the emergence of roots from drainage holes) by transshipment. Reproduction only in the seed way.
Rapis
This fan palm tree is originally from the East - common in Japan and China. Rapids are bush plants without a distinct trunk, unlike the previous two species. The leaves are fan-shaped, deeply dissected into 5-10 segments. In indoor floriculture, two types are common - rape low and high. Plants need a temperature between 20-22 ° C in the summer and 10-16 ° C in the winter.
The plant is sensitive to dry urban air in apartments, therefore it is required to spray it constantly and to wipe the leaves with a wet sponge in the warm season. It is watered with soft and settled water during the growing season abundantly, at cool temperatures with great care, so as not to provoke diseases.
Rapis soil (fan palm) is preferred slightly acidic or neutral, with the addition of peat and sand. The root system is superficial, so a transplant is needed only as needed. Once a year in large specimens, it is enough to change the topsoil. Simply enough, the plant multiplies by dividing the rhizome, the seeds germinate for a long time (up to 3 months).
Trachicarpus
A small genus of plants, including only nine species. Its representatives are long-livers and in the natural environment they grow for 150 years. In room culture, Fortune's trachicarpus is the most common, as well as tall and Martius. These are cold-resistant palm trees, fan leaves reach in nature up to 1 m in length. The room prefer a bright place, but without direct sunlight, shading is acceptable. The most favorable temperature regime: in the summer - 18-25 ° C, in the winter - 6-12 ° C.
It is recommended to take the plant to the open air in the warm season. Watering with soft water; plentiful in the summer and moderate in the winter (after drying out half an earthen coma). Transplanting by transshipment only after the entire pot is completely filled with roots. Trachicarpus is not sensitive to soil and grows equally well in the range from 5.6 to 7.5 pH. The main requirement is the presence of a drainage layer. Reproduction is seed.
Chamerops
The genus of fan palm trees, represented in nature by just one species - squat chameroops. This is a multi-stemmed, short-growing tree with a fluffy crown of large leaves with petioles covered with thorns. Under natural conditions, it reaches a height of 4-6 m. An unpretentious palm tree (fan-shaped), leaving at home for it will not cause special difficulties.
In an apartment, a chamerops needs a temperature of 23-25 ° C in summer (best taken outdoors) and half as much in winter. Watering during the period of active growth is plentiful (soft water) with periodic top dressing with mineral fertilizers. A transplant is only necessary. Reproduction is not only seed, but also vegetative - by processes from the root.
Sabal
Under this name, the genus of tall palm trees, including 16 species, is combined. Their appearance is vaguely reminiscent of chameroops. Fan-shaped leaves dissected into segments almost to the base on a long smooth petiole. Distributed in various areas: salt marshes, desert soils, shores of reservoirs, savannahs, swamps, sea coast.
They are appreciated for the excellent quality of wood, which does not rot in water and is used as a building material. Fibers extracted from the leaves are used to create coarse tissues, and young buds and leaflets are eaten.
In our latitudes, the plant is cultivated as a decorative foliage. Soil for palm pick up a neutral environment, with a good layer of drainage. The air temperature in summertime is preferable in the range of 23-26 ° , and in winter - not lower than 15 ° . This is a fairly rare fan palm. The leaves on it dry from a lack of nutrition or overflow. Watering in summer is plentiful, in the cold season - with caution.
The choice of palm trees cultivated at home is huge. You can find anything, any size and on any wallet. However, for beginner growers, we recommend starting with the most unpretentious species.