Indoor Palm Rapis: Home Care

Many people dream of having a real palm tree in a large wooden tub at home, but it is not always possible to find the necessary amount of space for this tall and sprawling tree. Fortunately, there are special types of palm trees, as if specially designed for indoor cultivation. They do not take up much space, but are very decorative. A striking example of such palm trees in miniature is rape. We will tell you more about it.

Botanical description of the plant

The concept of "rapis" (Rhapis) combines the genus of low bushy bamboo palm trees, which includes about 10 different species. The homeland of these plants, also called Lady Palms, is the southeastern territories of Asia, partially capturing China, Japan and the Malay Archipelago. However, almost 2.5 centuries ago, these palm trees were brought to Europe and took root perfectly there, and mainly as houseplants.

Maximum sizesFrom 1.5 to 3 m - depending on the type
Root systemPowerful, horizontal type, deep from the surface of the earth does not go away
StemReed (bamboo) type, thin (diameter about 3-4 cm), densely covered with fibers
Leaf shapeFan-shaped, consisting of 7–10 finger-shaped segments. The width of each such segment at the base can be up to 5 cm, the length up to 30 cm. The dissection of the leaves is very deep, not less than 2/3, and sometimes almost to the very base. The short petiole has the same fleecy coating as the stems. Small leaf sizes
Leaf colorDark green with a beautiful sheen
Leaf structureHard
InflorescenceBranched, axillary type, collected in a brush
Flower shapeCalyx with 3 cloves, with club-shaped (in male flowers) or ovoid (in female flowers) corolla and 6 stamens
Flower typeBisexual and same-sex
Flower colorIvory
Fruit typeSpherical fleshy berry
Fruit colorWhite
The taste of fruitThe fruits are inedible
It should be noted that in indoor conditions Lady Palms almost never blooms, which does not detract from her decorativeness. Important! Young rape forms leaves, on which only two segments are first formed, which greatly upset inexperienced gardeners who believe that they mistakenly acquired some other plant. In fact, this is the age-related feature of the bamboo palm: as it grows, its leaves acquire the desired fan shape.

The main types

Among the most famous species of Lady Palms, which today are distributed far beyond the borders of their homeland, the following should be mentioned:

  1. Rhapis humilis (low rapis). This palm tree comes from China. It is compact in size, does not grow above a meter and a half in height, and until recently it was the only variety of Lady Palms that could be purchased at flower shops. In appearance, the plant resembles a lush spherical bush, consisting of a large number of decorative fan-shaped leaves. There are specially bred varieties of Rhapis humilis, the leaves of which are variegated. Such palm trees are especially popular and are often used to decorate modern offices and urban apartments with designer renovations.

  2. Rhapis excelsa, aka Rhapis flabelliformis (high rapeseed, or fan-leafed). This variety is of Japanese origin. It looks good in more spacious rooms, for this reason it is not suitable for everyone. However, in hotel halls or large private houses, such a spectacular plant looks unique. Unlike Rhapis humilis, tall and thin Rhapis excelsa can be easily seen thin and long stalks, similar to bamboo, but they end with characteristic spreading leaves characteristic of this type of palm tree, divided into finger-shaped segments. In height, the tree can grow up to 3 m. There are specimens with variegated leaves.

  3. Rhapis multifida (raspis multifractured). Externally, this variety of bamboo palm is almost no different from Rhapis humilis. However, its main feature is that the number of segments in a leaf plate in Rhapis multifida is not the usual 7-10 pieces, but much more - in adult plants, such fingers can be from one and a half to three and a half dozen on each leaf. Rhapis multifida is a rather rare variety of Lady Palms, although, according to many gardeners, this plant is the most spectacular.

  4. Rhapis subtilis (rapis thin). This species of bamboo palm tree native to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and the island of Sumatra is even less known than its multi-dissected "relative." It reaches a height of 3 m. The main distinguishing feature of the species is not so much its external characteristics as the usual habitat conditions. If the bamboo palm trees listed above grow in the subtropics, then Rhapis subtilis is a truly tropical plant. It does not tolerate cold air, it is quite demanding on humidity, so it is grown less often at home.

It should also be noted that in recent years there are a variety of hybrid forms of rape, characterized by durability, unpretentiousness and special decorativeness. Perhaps the most popular of them are Rhapis Alisia and Rhapis Nova Laos.

House growing conditions

Often, the temptation to buy a palm tree as a house flower is kept by the fact that at home it will not be possible to create favorable conditions for this inhabitant of the tropics, in particular, to provide sufficient light and an appropriate level of humidity.

Such fears are partly true, but of all the types of palm trees, rapis is perhaps the most unpretentious. That is why he is so loved by gardeners.

Lighting

All palm trees, like any other tropical plants, need an abundance of light. Even direct midday rays for these trees are less dangerous than a dull shadow. However, under indoor conditions, it is still recommended to place the flowerpot near windows facing the east or west side, and on the southern windows in the summer, slightly shade to keep the light scattered.

Indoor palm trees have the ability to adapt to the proposed lighting conditions and adapt to new ones very hard, so the flowerpot should not be moved from one place to another, but the newly acquired flower must first be shaded and then lighting added gradually.

Important! For variegated varieties of bamboo palm trees, having good lighting is especially important. If such plants do not receive a sufficient amount of sunlight, their leaves lose their decorativeness and become monophonic.

But at the same time, in order for the plant to develop evenly and form a beautiful crown from all sides, it must be periodically rotated around its axis so that all leaves receive the same amount of light.

Ventilation

If it is possible to take a flowerpot with a bamboo palm to the open air (to a balcony or to a summer residence) in the summer, this must be done. A constant stay indoors slows down the development of an unpretentious flower, but a light breeze will strengthen its immunity and protect it from diseases for a long time.

If the plant is kept in the office, the window near which it grows needs to be opened more often in warm times, providing the leaves with fresh air. Nevertheless, ventilation should be distinguished from draft, its effect is harmful to flowers as well as to people.

Temperature mode

Rapis develops well at ordinary room temperature. Only temperature differences are undesirable because of the air conditioners switched on in summer, and the +18 ºC favorite mode for many office workers for a palm tree is still very cool. The optimal conditions for the plant are the range between +20 and +22 ºC, and it can be adhered to both in winter and in summer.

Did you know? The world's tallest palm is Ceroxylon quindiuense, or a waxed Kindio palm. This wonderful tree grows in Colombia, reaching over fifty meters in height for more than a hundred years of its life, while having a trunk diameter of only half a meter at the base.

In the cold season, many indoor flowers need a dormant period, accompanied by a decrease in temperature and a decrease in irrigation intensity, however, this condition is not necessary for the decorative-deciduous and practically non-blooming palm house. If the flower is not contained in the living room, the dormant phase will not harm it, but in this case it is advisable to ensure that the temperature does not fall below +16 ºC (+10 ºC for a thermophilic plant is a critically low indicator).

Air humidity

Contrary to frequently expressed fears, bamboo palm trees do not feel the need for high humidity. The parameters normal for a living space of 60–65% are quite acceptable for this plant. Nevertheless, rapis will respond to a refreshing shower and regular spraying of leaves with great gratitude, it is especially important to carry out such procedures in rooms where the air is warm and dry, and ventilation is not carried out (during the heating period these conditions are present in many city apartments and offices) .

How to care at home

Caring for Lady Palms is easy. You only need to know the basic requirements for watering and fertilizing, transplant the plant on time and make sure that it does not hurt and is not exposed to pest attacks.

Palm trees such as butium and chrysalidocarpus are also looked after at home.

Watering

All palm trees need plentiful watering. Frequent, but limited in volume of application of fluid to the soil leads to drying out of the roots, so during irrigation it is very important to ensure that not only the top layer of the soil is moistened, but also the entire earthen lump to the bottom. A vivid evidence of this is the appearance of water in the pan, which, however, does not need to be left in it: it should be carefully drained.

You need to water the rape seed with soft and warm water up to +20 ... + 23 ° С. It is better not to use tap water for such purposes, but if there is no choice, it must first be defended in an open container for at least a day.

In winter, irrespective of whether the plant is introduced into the dormant phase, watering is usually reduced, because due to lack of lighting and lower air temperature, the flower's moisture requirements are greatly reduced.

Along with root watering, it is also useful to use surface water by spraying warm water from a spray bottle onto the green parts of a palm tree. The latter method should not be applied if the room temperature drops below +18 ° C.

You can also learn how to properly water dracaena.

Top dressing

In order for rape to develop successfully, it needs to be fed regularly. This procedure should be carried out only during the period of active vegetation (it begins at the end of February with an increase in the length of daylight and ends approximately in the middle of autumn). The frequency of the procedure depends on the condition of the flower and the time that has passed since it was transplanted into a new fertile substrate, but on average fertilizers are applied about twice a month.

In specialized stores you can find a wide range of complex fertilizers for palm trees, for example, among the most popular brands include:

  • Activin;
  • “Mr. color. Palm";
  • Bon Forte;
  • "Florovit";
  • "Growth" (Palm);
  • "Success";
  • crystalline fertilizer "For palms" TM Royal Mix;
  • "Standart NPK for palm trees" and many others.

Before applying the nutrient solution to the soil, it must be abundantly watered, otherwise the concentrated mineral mixture may burn the roots. After transplantation and during the illness, indoor plants do not fertilize.

Find out how to feed indoor plants.

Pruning

Bamboo palm trees do not need forming or rejuvenating pruning, but at the beginning of the growing season, in order to increase the decorativeness of the plant and give it new strength for growth, carefully remove all dried, yellowed and wilted leaves.

In order to avoid infection of the aerial part of the flower with a fungal or bacterial infection that can get into an open wound, including with water, the rape seed should not be sprayed after pruning for at least a week.

Transfer

Unlike many other indoor plants that need to be replanted annually, rape seedy does not tolerate such a procedure, and therefore should not be carried out too often. Updating the soil mixture in the pot is enough to pour a fresh layer directly on top of the old one.

In the process of palm growth, its root system fills the entire pot with itself and, if you do not provide the plant with additional area for development, it will begin to hurt and may even die. It is easy to determine the critical moment: if, having picked up a flower, you see fragments of roots sticking out of the drainage holes of the pot, it means that the palm is already cramped in its former capacity.

Since moving to a new place for a rape that is sensitive to changes in external conditions is a serious stress, it is better to postpone the transplant for about two weeks. In other cases, the procedure is best carried out in late winter or early spring, at the start of a new vegetation cycle. Important! Regardless of the size of the pot, indoor plants purchased in flower shops should always be transplanted to new land. This is due to the fact that manufacturers use special transportation substrates for sale, containing an increased amount of vitamins, but completely unsuitable for colors as a permanent soil. Palm trees, especially adults, need to be transplanted exclusively by transshipment, trying not to disturb the root system and not destroy the earthen lump.

The roots of the rape are located close to the surface of the earth and grow horizontally rather than vertically, so it is best to choose a wide and not very deep pot. Despite the painful attitude of the plant to the transplant, you should not take a flowerpot much larger than the previous one. To make the flower easier to root, relying on the walls of the pot, it is best to give preference to a container whose diameter is only 2-3 cm larger than the size of the former.

First, drainage is introduced into the prepared pot. Expanded clay is traditionally used in this capacity, but instead of it you can take small pebbles, sifting, crushed stone or coarse sand. The thickness of the drainage layer must be at least ¼ of the volume of the pot.

Then a small amount of soil mixture is poured into the tank. It is best for this purpose to purchase special substrates for palm trees, although you can prepare the soil yourself. To do this, turf ground, rotted compost and peat are mixed in equal proportions, after which a little river sand, hydrogel or marsh moss is added to the resulting mixture to increase its lightness.

After the pot is prepared, the palm must be very carefully removed from the previous container, put in a new one and quickly compacted with fresh soil mixture from all sides. So much earth is added to the surface of the pot so that at least 2 cm remains to the edge, otherwise the plant will be difficult to water. After filling the pot, the substrate must be well tamped and, if necessary, add an additional layer of earth.

It is advisable to protect the newly transplanted palm during the first three weeks from direct sunlight, not to fertilize it, but to regularly water and ventilate it.

It will be useful for you to find out how and when to transplant indoor plants.

Breeding

There are three main ways to reproduce bamboo palm trees:

  • root offspring;
  • division of the maternal rhizome;
  • seeds.
The first method is considered the most common, it is simple to execute and does not require special skills. It is enough to carefully separate one of the numerous shoots that the bush has launched from the main rhizome, and plant the stem with a root fragment in a prepared nutrient substrate.

If the root, which was able to be separated along with the handle, turned out to be too small, the shoot can be placed for some time in water with the addition of a rooting stimulating preparation. As for the two other methods of propagation of the rape, we need to talk about them in more detail.

Rhizome division

During the transplantation of a well-clotting bamboo palm tree instead of a larger pot, you can simply divide the plant into several parts, each of which can be planted in a separate flowerpot. In this case, it is advisable not to completely destroy the earthball, and not to expose the roots.

With a sharp knife, starting from the surface of the earth, the bush is cut in height into 2 or 3 parts so that each fragment has an equal number of shoots and rhizomes.

Then, with each part, the usual transplant procedure is performed according to the scheme described in detail above. Quarantine for such a plant must be provided for longer, because damage to the root system is always a serious stress for the palm.

Seeds

Growing a palm tree from seeds is a long-term business, but it is fascinating.

Important! Seeds of bamboo palm need to be planted immediately after collection or acquisition, since their germination is inversely proportional to the shelf life.

Before planting, the seed material is soaked for 5 days in a growth stimulator (you can use "Kornevin", "Zircon", "Epin", "Fumaru" and other similar preparations). Then, each seed should be very carefully pierced with a needle to destroy a dense capsule, but not damage the embryo.

В подготовленную ёмкость (можно использовать коробку, ящик, кассету для рассады или обычные пластиковые стаканчики) с заранее проделанными в ней дренажными отверстиями для стока лишней воды засыпают почвенная смесь и обильно поливают. Когда вода стечёт и немного испарится, семена слегка вдавливают в почву надрезом вниз. Засыпать их сверху землёй не нужно, это растянет и без того длительный процесс прорастания.

После посадки ёмкость затягивают плёнкой либо накрывают стеклом и помещают для проращивания в слегка затемнённое место при температуре +22…+27 ºC. До появления всходов (этот процесс может растянуться на два, а иногда и три месяца) теплицу нужно регулярно проветривать, убирая на время плёнку или стекло. После прорастания пальмы накрытие снимают.

Рассаживание раписа в отдельные горшки можно проводить, когда молодые саженцы достигнут роста в 4 см.

Read also how to plant indoor flowers in a pot.

Growing difficulties

При выращивании бамбуковой пальмы можно столкнуться с такими сложностями:

  1. Подсыхание и пожелтение листьев, начиная с кончиков. Такое обычно случается, если воздух в помещении слишком сухой и не проветривается. Проблема решается регулярным опрыскиванием растения тёплой водой.

  2. Появление жёлтых пятен на листовой пластине. Как правило, свидетельствует о солнечном ожоге. Цветок нужно защитить от прямых лучей, а поражённые листья осторожно обрезать.
  3. Brown spots on the leaves. Возникают при повышенной температуре, сочетающейся с сухостью воздуха. Лечится проветриванием, опрыскиванием и помещением вазона в более прохладное место.

  4. Увядшие листья. Сигнализируют о пересыхании почвы (или её нижнего слоя) и необходимости обильного полива.
  5. Сочетание потемнения и увядания листьев — верный признак того, что пальма мёрзнет. Цветок необходимо перенести в тёплое помещение.
  6. Остановившийся рост. Возможны две причины — обеднённый грунт (недостаток удобрений) или слишком маленький горшок (требуется пересадка).
  7. Преждевременное раскрытие листа. Такой специфический симптом у пальм возникает в случае повреждения корневой системы. Иногда достаточно просто уменьшить полив, но если проблема не решена, растение нужно пересаживать с одновременным обеззараживанием корней.

Из вредителей для раписа наиболее опасны:

  • щитовка — характеризуется появлением коричневых бляшек на листовой пластине;
  • паутинный клещ — легко идентифицируется по специфическим нитям, протянутым между листьями и их сегментами;

    Щитовка и паутинный клещ
  • войлочник — проявляет себя наличием похожих на вату белых комочков, скапливающихся у основания листа.

Видимых невооружённым глазом паразитов необходимо удалять с помощью зубочистки или ватного диска, смоченного в спирте. Эффективным народным средством борьбы с любым из упомянутых вредителей является обработка зелёных частей пальмы мыльным раствором, в который можно добавить давленый чеснок или лук.

Did you know? Самое ядовитое растение в мире имеет вполне мирное и даже божественное название — пальма Христа. Этот многолетник также известен как рицина, клещевина или касторка. Смертоносный яд содержится в семенах растения, которое в действительности пальмой не является.

Если подобные мероприятия не дают результатов, необходимо использовать инсектициды (средства против насекомых-паразитов), акарициды (средства против клещей) или универсальные ядохимикаты, предназначенные для борьбы с обеими указанными категориями вредителей. Среди примеров последних можно назвать такие препараты, как «Фитоверм», «Вермитек», «Актофит», «Актеллик», «Акарин», «Аполло» и другие.

Signs and superstitions

С комнатными растениями связано множество примет и суеверий. Считается, что некоторые цветы несут позитивную нагрузку и сулят счастье и благополучие, другие же, напротив, в дом лучше не брать, поскольку они привлекают злые силы, забирают энергию и даже могут вызвать тяжёлую болезнь и смерть кого-то из домочадцев.

И вот что интересно: одному и тому же цветку могут приписываться как положительные, так и отрицательные сверхъестественные свойства. Один из примеров тому — пальма. Существует множество суеверий, гласящих, что это дерево ни в коем случае нельзя держать в доме, и примерно такое же количество примет прямо противоположной направленности.

Тем, кто любит обращать внимание на всяческие суеверия, следует принять во внимание такие советы эзотериков:

  • нельзя держать пальму в тесной кадке, поскольку негативная энергия, выделяемая страдающим растением, передастся домочадцам;
  • мистическая сила дерева будет иметь положительную направленность, если разместить горшок в юго-восточном углу помещения, где много света и свободного пространства;
  • пальма хорошо подходит для украшения гостиной, коридора или прихожей, рабочего кабинета, зала, столовой, а вот в спальне и, тем более, детской комнате, энергетика этого цветка проявляет свою негативную сторону.
Did you know? Существует поверье, что если рапис появится в доме у бездетной семьи, пару в ближайшее время ждёт заветное пополнение. Чем больше добра, смеха и положительных эмоций присутствует в помещении, где стоит кадка с деревом, тем благополучнее будут чувствовать себя находящиеся в доме люди. And vice versa. Причина проста: всё, что вбирает в себя пальма, она затем снова выбрасывает во внешнюю среду.

Если листья растения выглядят здоровыми, плотными и ярко-зелёными, значит, в доме властвуют добрые силы. Тёмные стебли и листья говорят о том, что дерево ведёт борьбу со злом, проникшим в дом.

Многие восточные религии связывают пальму с энергией Солнца, накапливающейся в стволе дерева. Отсюда происходит поверье о том, что таким растением хорошо украшать помещения, в которых люди занимаются йогой, китайской оздоровительной гимнастикой цигун, пилатесом и прочими, не вполне традиционными для европейцев, видами физических упражнений.

Рапис — универсальная комнатная пальма, которая одинаково хорошо вписывается как в интерьер небольшой городской квартиры, так и в просторный холл загородного дома, престижного офиса и даже фешенебельного отеля или ресторана. При высоких декоративных качествах это растение весьма неприхотливо и не требует особого ухода, поэтому замечательно подходит для начинающих цветоводов или людей, не готовых тратить много времени на обрезки, пересадки и другие манипуляции с комнатными цветами.

Interesting Articles