Shrubs or evergreen trees, growing to a height of 9 meters, with forked branching branches. Leaves are lanceolate-linear or linear, with keel, slightly grooved, acute-toothed along margins. The leaves are arranged in 3 rows, which have the shape of a dense spiral (because of what the plant received another name - a screw palm). Flowers in dense ears. Pandanus flowers in culture rarely.
The pandanus plant has powerful air roots. As soon as the roots appear above the ground and grow into the soil, the lower part of the trunk with the root system begins to die. The plant, thus, remains above the surface of the earth and rests on stilted roots.
Pandanus - a plant unpretentious and fast-growing. Often this plant is confused with dracenes and bromeliads and this is understandable, because sometimes the pandanus somehow resembles these species.
As the pandanus grows, it looks like a false palm tree, which has reached several dozen centimeters, has long, arcuate, curved leaves and a trunk that seems spirally twisted (this kind of trunk is due to the fact that it has scaly scars on it).
In a number of pandanus species, the middle vein and the edges of the leaves from below have a coating of strong sharp spines, so when purchasing this plant, one must take this feature into account so as not to get injured.
Pandanus needs a lot of free space, so he is like a solitary plant well suited for winter gardens and spacious halls.
Care for pandanus.
As already noted pandanus undemanding plant, so even a novice lover of indoor floriculture can grow it. The plant prefers a bright place or a little shaded.
House plant pandanus grows well near the western window and the east. At the southern window in the summer, from 11 pm to 5 pm, the plant should be shaded. A plant that does not last long can do without some sunlight. However, if a plant without light is too long, then the leaves begin to lose their strength and, as a result, bend. If the variegated forms are long in a room with insufficient illumination, then the leaves lose their original coloration.
In summer, the plant can be fed outdoors, but in a place where direct rays of the sun do not reach, precipitation and there are no drafts. If in summer the plant grows indoors, then it must be regularly ventilated.
In autumn, just like in winter, the plant needs good lighting, shading is not necessary at this time. Lighting is achieved with fluorescent lights. Lamps are located 60 cm above the plant, the lamp should be lit from 8 hours a day. In addition, during this period, the room needs to be ventilated, but there should be no drafts. A pot with a plant needs to be rotated from time to time, so that the pandanus develops equally from the sides.
The plant feels well in the room. The optimum temperature of the content is 19-25 degrees.
In summer, watering is abundant, and it needs to be carried out as the upper layer of the earth dries up. Over-drying of the soil is not permissible. Preference should be given to the lower watering with warm water. Excess water from the pan pours out thirty minutes after watering.
With the onset of autumn until the spring, watering is reduced to a moderate one and watered based on the temperature regime every 2-3 days. Watering is carried out by soft water, which is previously settled, the water temperature should be above room temperature by 2 degrees. If you pour water below 18 o , then the plant will fall ill.
This houseplant prefers moderate humidity. Spray and wash the plant is not necessary, otherwise the decay of the stem may start because of the water entering the axils of the leaves.
From the leaves, the dust is removed with a slightly damp cloth. It should be remembered that along the leaves there are thorns, so wiping should start from the bottom moving to the top. And it's better to wear gloves.
Emerging air roots (stilted) can not be cut. Stilted roots should not dry out, therefore it is recommended to cover part of the trunk and roots with moist peat or moss, and from time to time moisturize, it is especially important to do this in the summer.
Air roots in the room conditions are rare, this is due to low humidity, as a result, with age, the plant loses its stability. In addition, low air humidity leads to the drying of the tips of the leaves.
You need to feed every week or every two weeks with a flower fertilizer, starting from March until August. With the onset of autumn and until spring, the feeding is reduced to once in thirty days.
Dive the plant if the roots are covered with an earthen lump. Young plants can be transplanted every year, and adults can be transplanted every 3 years. Because of fragile roots, the plant is preferable to overload.
Earth composition: in equal parts humus, leaf earth, sand, turf land (pH = 6). If the plant is more than 5 years old, the earthen composition should be taken heavier.
The plant is planted in a deep container, the bottom of which is equipped with drainage for 1/3 of the capacity.
Air roots during transplantation do not need to be buried in the soil, the plant is planted in a new container at the same level as it grew before transplantation. Adult plants are planted in large containers, and the amount of turf land is taken not one part but three. A transplant should not be done if the plant grows in a tub. In this case, every year you need to pour fresh earth. During the dive, the prickly leaves of the plant are advised to collect and tie up in the form of a beam at the top.
Propagation by cuttings, seeds and division of the bush.
Precautions: spikes on the leaves.
Probable difficulties.
Due to the dry air, the tips of the leaves become dry, and turn brown. Therefore, with central heating it is advised to constantly humidify the air in the room. The reason for the dry tips of the leaves may be a lack of nutrition, which should be regular. Lack of moisture can also be the cause, the substrate should always be moist.
The lack of light leads to the fact that the leaves lose their diversity. A place for pandanus is better to choose light.
Excess lighting, watering with hard water, high calcium content in the ground, is the cause of light, almost white leaves.
It affects: a mealybug, a scabbard, a spider mite.