Areca palm in the natural environment grows in very warm latitudes, usually in the tropics. But in regions of lowered average temperature, it is grown indoors. Exotic plant brings cosiness and freshness to the interior, therefore it is kept in apartments, offices, halls of educational institutions.
Areca palm - what kind of flower
A plant of the Areca family and the Palm family grows in natural conditions in very humid tropical forests. The area of its growth is mainly Malay and Solomon Islands.
Care for areca has several nuances.
Short description of what it looks like
Areca Palm or Areca is a tall plant, which, depending on the variety, can be from 40 cm to 10 m high. Its erect and thin stems have small scars in the shape of rings that can remain on them when the leaf plate grows. The sheets are elongated and arranged in pairs along most of the surface of the stems.
Note! Areca palm has inflorescences, from which then fruits with seeds appear.
The main varieties of Areca Palm
Despite the wide variety of species of areca (Areka) in nature, only a few of its species are grown at home.
Areca triandra (Areca triandra)
Triandra or Trehtychinkovy variety in the natural environment grows in East Asia. The plant has a double-barreled structure and reaches a height of 3-4 m. On the surface of the branches there are spherical scars characteristic of areca. Straight leaf plates do not bend in the form of an arc, like other grades. Fruits have a size of not more than 3 cm in length.
Areca catechu (Areca catechu), or palm betel
This species is also known by another name - Betel palm. In wild conditions, the culture grows mainly in the Malay Islands and the territory of India. A thin and tall trunk has a diameter of not more than 10 cm, and the height of the bush can reach 5 m.
The cirrus leaves of Catechu areca are shaped in an arc shape and hang slightly downward. Foliage is densely enough and densely located on shoots. Large yellow inflorescences in the form of panicles are formed on the lower deciduous sinuses, in the place of which 5-centimeter fruits with seeds soon appear.
Yellow Areca (Areca lutescens)
In the natural environment, this species of areca is found mainly in Malaysia. Thin, but very tall, its stem is covered with ring-shaped scales. Bright green cirrus leaves are slightly curved in an arc and have a length of 40 cm, and their width is only 3 cm.
Areca care at home
Due to the large size and heat lovingness of the shrub, careful care is required. Activities are easy to implement, but should be carried out regularly and in accordance with certain criteria.
Illumination and temperature
The main thing in caring for a palm tree areca at home is compliance with a certain temperature regime and lighting.
The bush needs the longest possible daily illumination, but without long exposure to direct sunlight. To this end, the pot is slightly pushed away from the windows in the summer, and in winter, on the contrary, is maximally pushed to the window.
Areca flower can tolerate heat at 60 ° C, but lowering the temperature very negatively affects its health. Already at 0 ° C the plant begins to turn yellow and dry. A pot with a palm tree should be kept in a room with a temperature regime of 30 to 35 ° C.
Watering rules and humidity
The palm does not tolerate excessive soil moisture. It should be watered only when the top layer of soil dries up 2-5 cm in depth. The use of chlorinated tap water for carrying out this procedure is absolutely unacceptable. It is better to let it stand for 4-5 hours in a wide container.
Important! 2 hours after watering, it is necessary to drain the excess fluid that has accumulated in the pan.
Areca feels normal with normal room summer humidity. However, in winter, room heating drains the air, so you need to increase the humidity indicators yourself. During this period, you need to spray the bush with clean water every day.
Top dressing and soil quality
It is necessary to feed the bush often and regularly. This is done from March to September twice a month. It is better to purchase complex mineral fertilizers designed specifically for palm trees. During flowering, it is necessary to exclude fertilizing with nitrogen preparations.
Note! In addition to root dressing, at least once every 2 months you need to feed the upper part of the bush by spraying it with a fertilizer solution.
The composition of the soil in the pot should be as follows:
- humus or compost;
- loose soddy soil;
- perlite or river sand.
Since the plant does not tolerate excessive moisture, it is necessary to lay a drainage layer on the bottom of the tank.
Flower Tank Size
The size of the container depends on the age of the plant. As a rule, in the first five years of transplantation, they spend every spring, choosing a larger pot than the previous one. The plant has a high and branched crown, so the capacity must be chosen wide and high. However, a too massive pot is not suitable for a small plant, the flower will not grow in it due to lack of nutrients.
Leaf care
The decorativeness of the palm tree lies mainly in its spectacular leaves, so they must be constantly looked after. Once a week you need to wipe them with wet wipes from dust and spray from a spray bottle. Rotten, yellowed and dried plates should be removed.
Division of the mother bush of the plant
Palm propagation methods
Areca can be propagated by seed and division of the bush. The fastest and most popular way is to separate the shrub and root system, but this method is carried out only with adult bushes.
Seed cultivation
Before planting, the planting material is soaked for about 20 minutes in a nutrient and disinfecting solution. Areca seeds are planted in a box with a nutritious and moistened substrate. From above, they must be covered with a film to create a greenhouse effect. The container is left in a dark but very warm room.
Important! Periodically, it is recommended to ventilate the sprouts and moisten the soil.
By dividing a bush
Reproduction by dividing the bush is carried out as follows:
- Take out the bush from the pot and divide it with a sharp knife into several parts.
- Immediately plant them in separate pots.
- Moisturize the soil and place the containers in a warm and protected from direct sunlight.
Areca Diseases
Diseases and Pests
Due to stagnation of moisture, the palm often gets sick with various fungal diseases. With root rot, withering of the bush begins and the formation of dark spots on the leaves. Often, due to a lack of minerals in the soil, the plant begins to fade, and its foliage becomes smaller. Due to prolonged exposure to the open sun, burns will also appear on it.
Common pests of palm trees:
- Mealy mealybugs - they release white mucus on the leaves, which then begins to darken and destroy the fleshy parts of the bush.
- Scaffolds - are located on leaf plates and suck their juices.
- Whiteflies - similar to small whitish moths, are located on the back of the foliage and provoke its drying and twisting.
- Spider mites - weave a thin web. Appear due to dry air, suck the juices from the bush, causing it to dry out and stop growth.
To combat parasitic insects, special chemicals are used - insecticides, among which Actellik, Fitoverm and Aktara are especially effective.
One of the most decorative and exotic varieties of palm trees is areca, home care for which includes certain procedures. The events are simple, and beginner gardeners can cope with them.
