The variety of indoor plants is truly amazing. There are a huge number of flowers, ornamental shrubs and trees, from which each person can choose the most suitable option for themselves. But one of the most exotic species is the palm of Howe Forster, a photo of which will be presented later in this article. It is often used to decorate the interior of both residential and commercial premises. However, in order for a flower to please its beauty, it needs to create suitable conditions of detention and ensure proper care. This and much more will be discussed later in this article.
general information
If we talk briefly about Howe Forster, then this plant is a representative of the palm family and belongs to the group of decorative and deciduous. In the wild, its greatest concentration is observed on the islands of Oceania and in some regions of Australia. The height of the palm tree can reach 15 meters, however, it grows very slowly. Today, the plant is widely distributed as ornamental throughout the world. The stem is not too thick, intercepted by deciduous rings over almost the entire height. The leaves are dark green in color and have a palmate-lobed shape. In the natural habitat, flowering occurs in late autumn, but when grown in a room, it does not occur. Inflorescences in shape resemble massive brushes formed from yellow flowers. Later, a fruit about four centimeters in length resembling a chicken egg appears on them.
Growing Features
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Howe Forster, who cares at home without any difficulty, belongs to ornamental plants, so she feels great not only in the garden, but also in the city apartment. Since the palm tree grows extremely slowly, adding only a few centimeters annually, it does not require regular transplants. With reproduction, there are also no special problems. About it will be described in more detail a little later. The main thing is to create a suitable microclimate for the flower and conduct timely dressing. Nothing more is needed for the plant. It is for its unpretentiousness that many flower growers choose it.
Optimal conditions
Howe Forster is an exotic plant species, so you need to create a special microclimate for it. The palm grows well at room temperature and normal humidity, and is also able to do without a lot of sunlight. However, in order for the plant to adapt well in a new place, it is necessary to transport correctly when purchasing. Rhizome must be wrapped in paper and film. In this case, it is not advisable to allow a flower to remain in the cold for a long time, since in this case it can freeze and die.
Lighting
So what do you need to know about this? Despite the fact that the palm of Howea Fortera is a representative of exotic plants, however, it does not require an abundance of sunlight. It grows well in partial shade, so flower pots can be placed even on the north side of the house.
But to create the perfect lighting, experts advise to adhere to the following rules:
- the level of illumination in the room should be in the range from 35 to 80 percent;
- the ideal location for a palm tree is the darkened side of the house;
- young plants under the age of five should be kept away from direct sunlight;
- if you live in a region with a short daylight hours, it is necessary to create additional sources of artificial lighting for Howe Forster;
- To achieve symmetrical plant growth, the pots should be turned from time to time so that it receives the same amount of light from all sides.
Subject to these recommendations, special problems with the maintenance and care of the palm tree will not arise.
Temperature and humidity
This aspect should be given special significance. Palm Howera Forster (Kentia) belongs to the group of thermophilic plants. But despite this, she is able for some time to be in conditions of low temperatures, unless, of course, we are talking about severe frost. However, the level of humidity in the room must be monitored, because if it is very low, the plant may be attacked by harmful insects.
To achieve the perfect microclimate, you must adhere to the following rules:
- in warm time, the temperature in the room should be in the range from 20 to 25, and in cold time - at least 18 degrees;
- optimal air humidity - 60-70%;
- daily it is necessary to spray a flower 2 times;
- in summer, pots with a palm tree should be taken out onto the street or balcony. However, it is not advisable to leave them in direct sunlight;
- It is not recommended that the air temperature drops below 12 degrees.
Adults Howera Forster, whose photos look simply amazing, can withstand even short-term frosts, but young ones can die from them. Therefore, it is very important to constantly maintain an optimal microclimate.
Landing soil
Palm trees perfectly adapt to any type of soil regardless of their nutritional composition, but loamy or purchased substrate is best suited for cultivation. In this case, a drainage system at the bottom of the pot is a prerequisite. Excess moisture can lead to rotting of the rhizome and death of the plant. To grow Howera Forster, you can make a substrate yourself. To do this, mix two parts of turf and deciduous land and 1 part of peat, river sand and organic fertilizers.
Plant transplant
To achieve better palm growth, they should be transplanted every year for the first five years of life. The pot is selected depending on the size of the rhizome. The optimal time for transplantation is considered to be mid-spring. In the process of doing work, you need to be very careful not to accidentally damage the root system. The transplant algorithm is as follows:
- First of all, you need to purchase a pot that is suitable in size and lay the drainage system on its bottom.
- Next, you need to carefully dig out the plant, save the earthen lump on the rhizome, and place it in a new container. At the same time, it is very important that Howea Forster is at the same level above the soil level as before.
- The free space is covered with earth and slightly compacted.
Adult palm trees over the age of five should be transplanted only as necessary, when the root system ceases to run out of space in the pot. This is done by transshipment, so you don’t have to spend a lot of time and energy. Large plants contained in large flowerpots do not need to be transplanted at all.
Breeding
Let's dwell on this in more detail. At home, the palm of Howe Forster can be planted by the seed method or by dividing the bush. The second method is the most common, since it has higher efficiency and allows much better preservation of the characteristics of the mother plant. In addition, the plant in the apartment almost never blooms, so getting seed is quite problematic.
According to experienced flower growers, the most optimal time for dividing the bush is considered mid-spring. In stores, a palm tree is sold in the form of a bush consisting of several stems. So she looks more magnificent and beautiful. After the plant grows a little and reaches medium size, it can be divided into 2 or 3 parts.
The whole process is performed as follows:
- Prepare a suitable vase and substrate, consisting of one part of turfy earth, and two parts of leaf humus and perlite.
- Carefully dig out one of the processes of the palm and carefully clean the rhizome from the ground.
- Manually divide the roots into several parts. This should be done quickly so that they do not have time to dry.
- In a new container at the bottom, lay a thick layer of drainage and lightly sprinkle it with soil. Then place the plant in it, fill the free space with soil and compact it a little.
When all the work is completed, the palm tree is watered abundantly and placed for maintenance in a room in which the air temperature is constantly kept in the range of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius.
Care
It takes 1-2 weeks to root a planted plant. Despite its exotic nature, the palm tree is notable for its unpretentiousness, so the algorithm for caring for Howe Forster is quite simple. It consists in timely watering, top dressing and rejuvenation. Even beginner gardeners who do not have much experience in breeding indoor plants can cope with all this. Further, each item will be described in more detail.
Watering
So what do you need to know about this? As noted above, the palm tree is characterized by slow growth, but despite this, it needs regular hydration. This is due to the fact that the plant does not have a distinct dormant period, so it needs watering throughout the year. However, they should not be too plentiful, because due to excess moisture, the leaves may begin to blacken and fall off. To achieve good growth of Howe Forster, it is advisable to care for it with the following watering recommendations:
- Moisturize the soil as it dries to a depth of two centimeters.
- Watering should only be pre-settled water.
- It is not advisable to waterlog the soil, as this can lead to damage to the rhizome by rot.
- In the hot months of the year, the number of irrigations is increased, and in the cold months they are reduced.
Also in the summer it is necessary to moisten the leaves with spray water so that they do not turn yellow and do not dry out due to the intense heat.
Top dressing
For her, it is best to use ready-made complex fertilizers with a balanced composition. If a palm tree grows on a nutritious type of soil, they will be quite enough so that it always remains beautiful and healthy. Top dressing is carried out from mid-spring to the end of summer. The frequency of fertilizer application is once every two weeks. Adults and ill palms need fertilizer more often than young ones, therefore they are also introduced in winter.
Rejuvenation
This aspect should be given special attention. Many beginner gardeners are interested in how to increase the vegetation of Howe Forster. The answer is very simple - cropping. In addition, this procedure will make the plant more decorative, so it will look much more beautiful. The essence of rejuvenation is that you need to remove all yellowed leaves. Trimming the trunk is strictly forbidden, as this can lead to the death of the palm. The amount of trimmings depends on the number of leaves grown over a certain period of time.
General tips and tricks
Howea Forster adapts well on virtually any type of soil and is unpretentious in maintenance. But, to further simplify your task, you can adhere to the following tips:
- In the hot season, the plant needs to be transferred to a cooler room.
- If the leaves are covered with spots, then this indicates an excess of sunlight. In this case, the damaged areas are cut with scissors, and the palm is rearranged in partial shade.
- If the air temperature in the room exceeds 26 degrees, then it is necessary to increase the humidity level in it.
- In the summer, rooms should be periodically ventilated, but at the same time, the flower should not be allowed to be in a draft.
- For the root system to develop well, it needs a sufficient amount of fresh air. To this end, the soil is occasionally fluffed up.
Here, in fact, are all the recommendations that will make palm care simple and time-saving.
Conclusion
Howe Forster is one of the most unpretentious indoor plants. It does not require any special events, rarely gets sick and is attacked by harmful insects, and also does not need frequent feeding. Guided by the recommendations given in this article, you can grow a beautiful palm tree, which will be a great decoration for your home or apartment.