Indoor plants: palm of washingtonia

To the genus Washington (Latin Washington H. Wendl) belong to the family of palm trees or areca, two species of fan-shaped palm trees. These plants grow in the USA, more precisely, in Western Arizona and Southern California, and also in the west of Mexico. It is interesting that the genus of plants is named after George Washington, the first president of the States. It is rather popular to grow these plants at home. Indoor plants: the palm of washingtonia require special care, which will be discussed today.

The fan-shaped palm trees are trees, the trunk of which reaches 20-25 meters in height and 90 centimeters in diameter. The base of the tree is closer to the top and is covered by old leaves and a felt of light brown color. The barrel itself is bare and covered only with leaf scars. The leaves of the palms are in the form of a fan, divided into folded parts, and thickly cover the trunk. Parts of the leaves have two cuts at the ends, as well as long whitish hanging threads. The front ridge of leaves (or tongue) is short in length and underdeveloped. The petiole is also short, immediately turning into the leaf itself, looking naked and reaching a length of about one and a half meters. Its edges are bent in the opposite direction of small spikes. Inflorescence of palms long and paniculate, up to three meters in length. Flowers of plants have both pistils and stamens, but palm trees rarely blossom, the first bloom falls on 15-20 years of life.

Application.

Plants of the genus Washington have found their application in different spheres of life. So, in Mexico and the US, the seeds of palm trees are used for making flour, young fresh stems are cooked or eaten raw. In addition, from the fibers of the plant are good baskets.

The fan-shaped palm tree is quite a beautiful plant, in addition, it has good endurance. This became the reason for its popularity, and it is often found in the middle of green lawns and in the alleys of the Mediterranean countries.

Veer bearing palm trees can be grown at home. Young shoots can be kept indoors, but already grown palms are best transplanted into large tubs of wood and placed in the yard, in the open air. House plants of the genus Washingtonton will look great anywhere in the corner in a cool place. But remember, in order to emphasize the beauty of a palm tree, do not put other plants next to it.

Care of the plant.

Indoor palms are much lower than plants of the same age, but grown in greenhouses or outdoors. In addition, their foliage is not so thick. If you want to have a fan-shaped palm in your apartment, it is best to grow it from seeds, because then the plant will be much better adapted to room conditions. In order for the plant to become accustomed to climate change gradually and not hurt, it is better to buy it in the warm season, that is, late spring or summer, until early August. If you live in the south, you can purchase a palm tree until October. A plant acquired in the cold season, as a rule, drops most of its leaves.

Best Washington grows in a familiar atmosphere for her, that is, in a warm room, where there is a lot of light. A young fan-shaped palm tree requires a lot of sunlight, however direct sunlight can damage the plant, so do not forget to push it slightly into the shade. Ideal - to put a tub with a plant near the windows facing east or west. The fan-shaped palm should be periodically turned by different sides to the light - this will allow the crown to develop evenly.

The lack of natural light can be compensated for by artificial light. To do this, it is necessary to include lamps located at a distance of approximately 30-60 cm above the palm tree for 16 hours a day.

In hot weather, it is best to take out washington to fresh air, but in case of precipitation, it must be ensured that it is protected. In addition, remember that the palm is not recommended to leave in dark and damp places. If you leave the plant in the open air is not possible, then constantly ventilate the room in which it is located.

The most acceptable temperature for Washington is 20-25C, but if the temperature is higher, the plant must be provided with access to fresh air. Otherwise, Washington can simply overheat. If this still happened, then put a tub of palm in a cool place, and then spray with water from a spray gun and pour. In the winter, the palm tree feels well at a temperature of 10-12 ° C, since it is at such temperatures in its homeland at this time of year. In addition, the plant is resistant to short short-term frosts (up to -7C).

These houseplants are moisture-loving, especially in spring and summer, so they need to be watered with plenty of warm, settled water. In autumn and winter you can water much less often. However, one should not overdo it with irrigation, since it is very harmful for the root system, it is also impossible to tolerate the drying out of the earth.

The palm of Washington should be kept in a room with moistened air. If the air is dry, then the leaves should be sprayed with water twice a day. It is desirable to wipe the plant leaves with a damp sponge, but be careful and do not forget that it has thorns.

Feeding.

Veeriferous palm trees require periodic fertilizing with mineral fertilizers with a high iron content (approximately every two weeks). However, do not do this in the fall and winter. If the plant is sick, avoid feeding.

You should carefully monitor the dried leaves of the fan-shaped palm. Snatch them only if it's dried and petiolate, otherwise it can damage other leaves. In principle, you can not completely remove these leaves, they will surround the trunk with a peculiar "skirt".

Transfer.

Transplanting plants Washingtonton should not be before spring, it is best to do this from March to April, that is before they begin to grow. To transplant a young palm is better in 1-2 years. When the plant reaches the age of 7-8 years, then in two to three years, at the age of 8-10 years - every three to four years. If your plant is older than 15 years, then transplant it every five years. Remember that transplantation does not have the best effect on the plant, so do it as little as possible. Washington feels great in tubs made of wood, filled with the following mixture: humus (1 part), turf (2 parts), leafy earth (2 parts) and sand (0, 5 parts). When planting a plant, the soil mixture is best fertilized. Each plant needs 5-7 kg of fertilizer. It happens that the roots of Washington come from the earth. In this case, sprinkle them with earth.

Reproduction.

Propagates the fan-shaped palm with seeds that appear in the spring.