Distinctive features of the plant, agricultural technology in the cultivation of brigamia, transplantation and reproduction, difficulties in growing, interesting facts and types. Exotic plants are increasingly pushing out of our homes, so familiar to us violets and geraniums. But as the saying goes: "There are no comrades for taste and color!" Perhaps these words are just about flower growers who began to grow various rare specimens in their apartments. One of these are "bottle trees", which are united only by the shape of their trunk, but belong to different families. Let's take a closer look at such a green representative of the exotic flora - Brighamia.
It belongs to the family of succulent plants (they can in their parts (in a thickened trunk or leaves) contain a certain amount of moisture for the period of dry months), and according to some sources, it belongs to the Campanulaceae family. This is an endemic plant of the island territories of the Hawaiian archipelago, that is, one that is found on the planet in only one place. For its growth, it has chosen rocky mountain ledges, with a very small amount of soil, or it can be found on rocky formations on the coast at an altitude of 480 meters above sea level. Sometimes brigamia likes to grow in coastal meadows or among bushes, where at least 170 cm of precipitation falls a year.
It is popularly called the Hawaiian palm tree, but on the islands themselves, it also has such names as alula, pu-aupaka, olulu. There are only two species that belong to this genus. But its name in Latin, Brigamia bears in honor of the geologist, botanist and ethnographer, and also the first director of the Museum of Cultural History in Honolulu - William Tufts Brigham, who lived in 1841-1926. The scientist is the author of 46 articles and monographs on Hawaii botany, geography, and material culture, and has also been a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the California Academy of Sciences, and the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.
It's a pity, but this plant has practically not survived in natural conditions, or if you believe the Red Book, then this species is in an acutely critical state. The reason for this problem was that Hawaii became one of the centers of world tourism and often various representatives of flora and fauna were brought there uncontrollably. Quite often the “guests” became competitors of the local ecosystem and led to the degeneration of its individual samples. This happened with the night hawk moths, which were the only ones to pollinate the brigamia. Naturally, without pollination, the plant does not produce seeds, does not multiply and gradually disappears. Natural disasters also have a huge impact - regular terrible and destructive hurricanes that destroy everything in their path and from which the Hawaiian Islands suffer disaster. Scientists are concerned about this fact, and at the moment it is possible to save several specimens of this exotic only by manually pollinating it in the territories where it grows.
Brigamia is a succulent-stemmed plant with a long life cycle. Its stem is thick and devoid of branches, in height, as a rule, it grows up to 1–2 m (very rarely up to 5 m). A rosette appears from the leaf plates at the very top of the stem. The leaves are shiny due to a waxy coating, often fleshy and their surface is colored from bright to dark green. At the base, the leaf blade is more narrowed than at the apex, but its general outline is spoon-like. The length of the leaf reaches 12–20 cm, with a width of up to 6, 5–11 cm. Their edge is solid, but at the very tip there is sometimes a small tooth.
The flowering process stretches from September to October. Each inflorescence carries 3-8 funnel-shaped buds, the petals of which are painted in cream or yellowish shades. The flowers have a fragrant aroma that is very similar to that of honeysuckle. The peduncle of the bud reaches a length of 1–3 cm. The tubular bud consists of five petals, which are attached to each other along their entire length and expand towards the top. The length of the bud reaches 7-14 cm.
Previously, pollination took place by the already mentioned insects, which had a very long proboscis that could penetrate deep into the tube-shaped flower, but today two scientists (Ken Wood and Steve Perlman), showing climbing skills, get to where a few remaining specimens of this species grow and pollinate by hand. But one should not think that it is easy for them, sometimes using ropes scientists have to descend 1000 m along the slopes, where the brigamia settles.
If pollination is successful, then a fruit appears up to 1, 3–1, 9 cm in length and up to 0, 9–1, 3 cm in width. When it fully ripens, it becomes dry, containing two seeds. They are oval in shape, rather ovoid, with a length of 0.8–1.2 cm.
Conditions for growing brigamia at home, care
- Lighting for a Hawaiian palm, it should be bright and sufficient, so a pot with a plant can be safely placed on the windows of a southern, southeast or southwest location. But it is necessary to accustom to bright lighting gradually, otherwise sunburn may appear on the leaves and trunk (due to the thin bark). If the brigamia is located on a north-facing window or is kept in the autumn-winter period next to central heating batteries, then it will be necessary to carry out additional lighting with special phytolamps or fluorescent or LED lamps, otherwise the plant will begin to shed its leaves.
- Content temperature. The Hawaiian palm tree is very thermophilic, which is not surprising from the place of its growth, therefore, growing in indoor conditions, it will be necessary to maintain temperature indicators in the range of 25-27 degrees in the spring-summer period, and gradually reduce the heat with the arrival of autumn, but the thermometer should not fall below the mark of 15-20 degrees. The hypothermia of the root system is very bad for brigamia, therefore, in the winter months, you can put a piece of foam plastic under the pot with the plant so that the cold from the windowsill does not annoy the roots. In the summer months, it is recommended to take the flowerpot with the alulu to the open air, but provide the place with protection from gusts of wind and rain.
- Air humidity when growing in brigades, it should be increased, therefore it is recommended to carry out daily spraying from a finely dispersed spray bottle. If the air temperature rises above 27 degrees, then spraying can be carried out twice a day. When the plant is kept at low heat values, then these actions should not be frequent, it is better to put humidifiers or vessels with water next to the brigamia. Also, the plant is very fond of "shower procedures", they are carried out, they put the pot under warm (but not hot) shower jets, wrapping the soil surface with a plastic bag. It is better to carry out such "washing" once a month or arrange a brigamia "sauna" - when the shower stall is filled with steam and a pot with a plant is placed inside for 5-6 hours, the light should not be extinguished.
- Watering. Since alulu has caudex (thickening in the lower part of the trunk), the bay will lead to decay of the roots and stem, therefore, moisture should be moderate so that the soil dries out between waterings. The regularity of humidification in the summer period is approximately once a week, and with the arrival of autumn, they are reduced to once a month. The soil must be periodically loosened so that it does not cake.
- Fertilizers for cultivation brigamia must be introduced during the growing season, which begins eternal and ends with the onset of autumn. Special dressings are used for cactus plants, stirring them in water for irrigation. Regularity - once a month.
- Transplantation and selection of a substrate. Young Hawaiian palm trees need to be replanted annually, but when the plant grows up, the pot and soil change is performed every 2 years, or the top layer of soil is changed in the pot about 3-4 cm from the surface. The new container should be only 1 cm larger and wider than the brigamia root system. At the bottom of the pot, a layer of drainage moisture-retaining material is mandatory (it can be expanded clay, small pebbles). The first watering after transplanting is carried out only after a week. The transplant soil is selected with good water and moisture permeability. You can use a soil mixture for cacti (for example, "Cactus +"), one part of the sand is also mixed there, for more loosening.
Recommendations for breeding brigamia
If you have a desire to get a new young exotic plant in your home and also contribute to its salvation, then you can propagate the Hawaiian palm tree by sowing seeds or cuttings.
When the stalk is cut, then before planting, you will need to dry it a little (at least 2 days). Then they are planted in a pot filled with clean, disinfected dry sand. The planted leaves are wrapped in plastic wrap or placed under a glass cap (an ordinary liter jar can act as it). You will need to air and sprinkle the cuttings daily with warm soft water.
If you are lucky enough to become the owner of brigamia seeds, then you can try to propagate it by sowing seed material. Before planting, you will need to soak the seeds for 24 hours in warm water (with a temperature of approximately 20-24 degrees). Then planting is carried out in a sandy-peat substrate (peat can be mixed with vermiculite in equal proportions). The container in which the sowing is carried out is covered with a piece of glass or wrapped in a plastic bag. Germination temperature should not go beyond 25-28 degrees. The container with seeds is placed in a bright place, but devoid of direct sunlight. Do not forget to regularly ventilate the crops and, if necessary, spray the substrate with water. The first shoots may appear in about 2-3 weeks. When the sprouts reach 3 cm in height, they are transplanted in separate containers (the diameter of the pots should be no more than 7–9 cm). The soil is taken suitable for adult specimens.
Difficulties in cultivating brigamia
Problems arise only when the rules for caring for the Hawaiian palm are violated, among them the following:
- when the plant buds and blooms, then you should not change the location of the pot in relation to the light source, otherwise the dumping of flowers and buds will be inevitable;
- if the substrate moisture is excessive, then brigamia may be affected by root rot;
- under any stressful situation (change in location, temperature fluctuations, etc.), the plant can react by dumping foliage, which, according to observations, will then recover.
If the humidity in the room is too low, then the plant may be affected by spider mites, so the humidity should not fall below 50-60%. When yellowing of the sheet plates appeared and their subsequent deformation, and then reset. And also the remaining leaves and trunk began to wrap up a transparent cobweb, and the growth of the plant stopped, this is evidence of the presence of a harmful insect. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out the treatment (spraying) with the following preparations:
- soap solution (in a liter of water, dissolve 30 grams of grated laundry soap, insist for several hours, filter);
- an oil agent (add 2-3 drops of rosemary essential oil per liter of water);
- alcohol preparation (pharmacy tincture of calendula).
When the measures taken do not help, it is better to use the bio-insecticide "Bona Forte" or insecticidal preparations such as "Actellic" or "Aktara".
Interesting facts about the Hawaiian palm
It is curious that in ancient times the Hawaiians used the raw parts of the brigamia for medicinal purposes. Today, this exotic plant fits perfectly into rooms with a modern design, and, if conditions permit, it is grown in gardens with alpine slides (stone gardens) or rockeries.
Types of brigamia
Brighamia igsignis (Brighamia igsignis) or as it is also called Brigamia is wonderful. It is a pachycotyl plant, that is, one that has a thickening of the hypocotyl and epicotyl (the distance from the cotyledonous leaves to the first true leaf plates), and there is also a trunk. Choosing for its growth coastal cliffs on the island territories of the Hawaiian archipelago.
The plant can grow up to meter indicators in room conditions. The trunk has a relatively smooth bark, gradually woody, its shape gradually tapers towards the top. At the very end of the trunk are spreading fleshy leaf plates, the surface of which is covered with a wax coating. If the tree is injured, then milky sap appears, which, when it gets on the skin (especially in the wounds), causes irritation.
There is also a thickened base (caudex) on the trunk, with the help of which the brigamia can have a certain amount of moisture in case of long dry climatic periods. The flowering process occurs in the autumn months, while buds with petals, painted in light yellow tones, appear. The diameter of the flower can reach 3 cm, the corolla grows in the form of a long tube (its length varies between 8-10 cm). The flowers have a faint pleasant vanilla aroma.
When fruit is set, dry achenes ripen, inside which there are two chambers, 2 cm long, containing multiple seeds. If you want to get fruits and seeds at home, you will have to carry out artificial pollination using a soft brush. Ripening lasts for 1, 5 months. As soon as the fruit-box is fully ripe, it cracks, pouring around the seed material, which can be collected and sown immediately. According to the latest data of this variety, only 20 units remain.
Brighamia rockii can be found under the name "Ohaha Molokai" or "Pua-ala Hawaiian." It is an endemic plant (one that grows only in one place on the planet) of the island of Molokai, located in the Hawaiian archipelago. The plant loves to settle at an altitude of 470 meters above sea level, choosing growths on rocky cliffs for life. Most often it can be found on the north windward side of the island's coast.
The height of the variety reaches 1–5 meters. It has a juicy stem, similar to the stem, tapering towards the base (unlike the previous variety). The leaf plates reach 6–22 cm in length and up to 1–15 cm in width. The shape of the leaves is oval, they form a leaf rosette that crowns the trunk. During flowering, an inflorescence is formed, bearing 1–8 funnel-shaped white or pale yellow flowers. The seeds ripen with a rough surface.
This type of bala has been exterminated on the islands of Maui and Lanai. A threat to its growth and survival is the loss of habitat, as well as competition with other alien representatives of the flora, goats and deer also actively exterminate this species, the absence of pollinators interferes with reproduction. Therefore, Brigamia Rocky was listed as an endangered species. There are just over a hundred of this species left.
What brigamia looks like, see this video:
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