Palm tree as a houseplant has long ceased to be considered something exotic. She is rather capricious, but there are unpretentious species, easy to care for. One of these varieties is the palm of Liviston. It will become a real decoration of the interior, thanks to the bright green cirrus leaves, a bit like a fern.
Varieties of indoor palm trees Liviston
Sometimes this plant is mistakenly called the "Palm of Livingstone," the correct official name sounds like "Livistona." At The following varieties are considered the most popular domestic flower growers:
- Rotundifolia;
- Chinese
- South;
- Deceiving.
All plants belong to the Palm family. They differ from each other by the height of the adult plant and the shape of the leaves. Care for these species is approximately the same.
Liviston's palm will take its rightful place on the window
Interesting! Under natural conditions, the plant can reach 40 m in height. However, such giants are rare. Most often, a palm tree grows to 25-30 meters.
Livistona Rotundifolia - Rotundifolia (Livistona rotundifolia)
It is not difficult to guess that the Livistona rotundifolia variety got its name for the peculiar shape of leaf plates. The Latin name sounds like "Livistona Rotundifolia" (rotundifoli livistona).
If you decide to plant a palm tree of Liviston, round-leaved care at home does not take much time, this is one of the most undemanding and long-living species.
The main features are rounded fan-shaped leaves, clearly divided into segments, and brown cuttings resembling thorns. The plant can live up to 10 years, but never blooms.
The name of the flower has nothing to do with a scientist named Livingston, only a phonetic similarity
Livistona south (Livistona australis, Corypha australis)
If you properly care for the flower, at home it can quickly grow up to 2 meters in height. The leaves are round in shape, they have sharp thorns, so this species should not be planted if there are children and pets in the house.
Livistona Maria (Livistona mariae)
The flower has long light green leaves, similar in shape to arrows. A powerful gray trunk can reach 35-40 cm in diameter. Sheet plates are beautifully bent by an arc. The trunk is expanded at the bottom and gradually tapers towards the top.
The plant attracts gardeners with the beauty of the leaves.
The flowers are small, yellowish-green, do not represent aesthetic value.
Chinese Livistona - Latania (Livistona chinensis)
Chinese Livistona ("jade") is one of the most compact and beautiful species. The Latin name sounds like “chinensis livistona”. The flower slowly grows, but is undemanding to light and can well develop in the shade, partial shade. Large cirrus leaves have a saturated green color, there are no thorns on them.
Livistona deceitful (livistona decipiens)
In this species, the leaves are directed downward and appear drooping. On the reverse side they are light gray in color. Petioles are covered with small cloves. The flower is sensitive to temperature changes, but rarely affected by diseases and pests. Liviston is deceiving - a frequent “guest” in apartments, due to the compact shape of the bush and long (over 10 years) life expectancy.
Transplant after purchase
In all varieties of Liviston palm trees, a flower needs regular transplanting. It must be performed as follows:
- Carefully remove the palm from the pot, which has become cramped for her;
- Move the flower along with the ground to a new vessel and add pre-prepared soil with a nutrient mixture;
- Carefully cut off partially rotten roots (this problem often occurs with improper watering);
- Tamp the ground lightly.
You need to transplant the flower often, but very carefully
Many gardeners make a big mistake by carefully cleaning the roots of the flower before “moving” to a new pot. You do not need to do this. Any touch to the roots is a strong stress for the plant, so it’s better not to touch them at all, then the flower will adapt well and take root in a new place. The pot should be high enough and stable so that the drooping leaves do not outweigh the vessel.
The optimal time for transplantation is the last decade of March or the first decade of April, when daylight hours are significantly extended. If the roots have already grown to a hole at the bottom of the vessel, you should not hesitate with this procedure - prolonged exposure to crowded areas can significantly slow down flower development. The frequency of transplantation depends on the growth rate. If the palm tree quickly reaches up, you will have to transplant it more often.
Interesting! In nature, a plant forms a powerful trunk. However, when grown in a pot, the flower spends all its energy on the formation of leaf plates, so instead of a tree, a miniature shrub is obtained.
Soil for Livistona in a pot
Liviston's palm is quite demanding on the chemical composition of the soil. If you do not want to make a nutrient mixture yourself, it is best to purchase ready-made soil for plants of the Palmovy family in a specialized store. If this is not possible, a self-made mixture will not be inferior in quality to the purchased one. The main thing is that the composition includes:
- Turf;
- Peat;
- Leaf humus;
- River sand.
Mix all the components in equal proportions. A good effect on the development of the flower has an old rotted manure. In order to better absorb moisture, you can add charcoal to the pot, broken into small pieces.
Bone meal is often added to the soil. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, stimulates the active growth of the plant. Pebbles, gravel, expanded clay are well suited as drainage. It is known that a high level of soil acidity prevents the plant from assimilating nutrients, so it is better to choose a soil with a neutral and slightly acidic reaction.
The soil must be high in nutrients.
Particular attention must be paid to the drainage layer. Water should leave quickly and not stagnate in the pot. Increased soil moisture can cause rotting of certain parts of the flower and fungal infections.
Caring for Livistona at home
If a Liviston palm tree has settled at home, home care includes the following activities:
- Pruning;
- Watering and spraying;
- Creating the proper temperature;
- Top dressing.
An important role is also played by the control of diseases and pests.
Temperature mode
The recommended temperature in the apartment, contributing to the intensive development of the flower, is 26-28 degrees. In the warm season, you can safely take the plant to a balcony, terrace or veranda. If the palm tree has a trunk, it is able to withstand small frosts.
The flower loves abundant watering and does not tolerate cold
Location and lighting
The flower loves direct or diffused sunlight, the ideal location is the window of the house, facing south or east. In the summer, during the hottest time (from noon to 3 p.m.), the palm tree must be shaded so that it does not dry and does not get burns. Experts recommend once every 2 weeks to turn the palm of the other side to the window, so that it grows symmetrical.
How to feed
If the florist decided to plant a palm of Liviston, care necessarily includes regular fertilizing with complex mineral fertilizers. From April to August, the recommended frequency of root and foliar dressing is 3 per month. Good results are obtained by industrial fertilizer Mr. Palm. You should make it, focusing on the step-by-step instructions on the package.
Pests, diseases and possible problems
If you do not observe the watering regimen and improperly care, the flower is often affected by rot and fungal diseases. Typical symptoms are leaf wilting, tan leaf plates. To fix the problem, it is enough to adjust the watering mode, and the leaves of the indoor flower will no longer turn yellow.
Attention! The most dangerous pest is the scab. To combat it, it is recommended to use industrial insecticides.
Growing from seeds at home
A flower can be grown from seeds. The seeds are soaked for 2 days in water and planted in a pot (one seed each), the recommended planting depth is 1 cm. The container is closed with plastic wrap, until the seedling appears, the soil is periodically sprayed from the spray bottle. You can not sprinkle seeds with boiling water and immerse them in acid - this will lead to the death of sprouts.
Seeds germinate after 80-90 days. After that, you can remove the plastic film.
Also, the reproduction of some species is possible with the help of the lateral processes. You can only separate them from the plant with your hands, in no case using a knife or other sharp objects.
In order for the plant to please the eye for a long time, it is necessary to provide it with the proper temperature and monitor the humidity in the room. Regular top dressing and plentiful watering will help to avoid many problems and grow a strong healthy palm. The original flower will purify the air in the apartment and remind you of distant southern countries.
