Distinctive features of washingtonia, cultivation at home, breeding guide, pests and diseases of the palm, interesting facts, species. The palm family is very diverse and many of its representatives amaze the imagination with the shapes of their leaves and the general interior. There are such specimens that "move" into a human dwelling and can perfectly grow there in conditions very far from natural. Especially if the owner is making an effort to create similar temperature and humidity values for their tropical guest. Among such plants, the Washingtonia palm tree occupies a worthy place in the collections of florists.
As mentioned, she is one of the members of the Palm family, which sounds like Arecaceae in Latin or sometimes called Palmae. This plant has chosen its native places of "residence" in the southwest of the states of America or in the northwest of Mexico, where the subtropical climate prevails. For the outlines of their leaf plates, this representative of the flora is called the "fan palm" or the California palm.
Washingtonia is distinguished by a high growth rate, and although it is a resident of warm territories, it is able to survive a short-term drop in temperature to -12 degrees.
Palm leaf plates have a diameter of up to one and a half meters and featheriness. The trunk of Washingtonia is upright, covered with gray or light brown bark and measuring 30 meters in height, gradually thinning towards the top. Leaves that have already dried up may not fall off for many years, and with the help of them a high "skirt" will be formed, framing the trunk. At the top of the trunk, such dried leaf plates are bent downwards and firmly pressed against the trunk. Where the leaves have already fallen off, the trunk is distinguished either by a smooth surface, or the remnants of knots from the leaf plates, which in English are called boots, are still visible on it, they are located transversely.
The top of Washingtonia is crowned with a crown of powerful leaves, which in their outlines resemble an open fan. The petioles of the leaves are long and thick, from the lower part of which there are strong thorns with hook-like outlines. The sheet plate itself has wide rounded contours, the splitting goes up to almost half of the sheet along its length, forming segments. These segmental parts are distinguished by longitudinal-folded shapes, and the apex is bipartite and long threads of a whitish tone can be split off at the edges.
The flowers of the Washingtonia palm are collected in inflorescences with a complex panicle structure, with a slight bend and a length of up to 3-5 meters. The leaves, which cover the inflorescences, have a leathery surface and are covered with an easy-to-wear tomentose pubescence. The flower petals from which the inflorescences are formed have a creamy white tint and are very fragrant. The size of the buds is small, they are dioecious (both female and male flowers can grow on one plant). The calyx of the bud has the shape of a three-lobed tube, the corolla in it has 3 petals. The calyx petals are three times shorter than the corolla petals. The flower has 6 stamens, the ovary also has 3 lobes and a thin long column.
After flowering, the fruit ripens in the shape of a berry, with an oblong-ovoid shape. Fruit color is almost black. Inside there is a loose, thin pulp. The length of the berry reaches 1.5 cm with a width of 0.9 cm. The tip of the fruit is in the form of an awl.
In the United States, namely in California and occasionally in Florida, this palm tree is used as an ornamental tree, planted in gardens or near houses. Due to thunderstorm activity on the lands of Florida, plants grow less tall so that frequent lightning does not hit their plantings. Washingtonia is also successfully grown as a home plant, decorating large rooms, halls and halls. On our lands, such palms were successfully grown in gardens and park areas in the Far South of the former USSR. If we are engaged in growing Washingtonia in rooms, then its lifespan is approaching 8-10 years. The most commonly used varieties at this time are Washingtonia filifera and Washingtonia robusta.
Cultivation of washingtonia, home care
- Lighting and location selection. For a "fan palm" it is better to choose a well-lit room. These can be rooms with a south, southwest or southeast orientation. However, on a summer afternoon, it will be necessary to shade the plant from direct aggressive UV currents. With the arrival of constant heat, it is recommended to take the Washingtonia pot out into the garden, placing it in the openwork shade of the trees.
- Content temperature. In winter, it is better to arrange a pot with a plant in rooms where the temperature ranges from 5-10 degrees.
- Air humidity for a palm tree does not play a significant role, it grows well in dry indoor air, however, if the moisture in the air drops significantly, it can be affected by harmful insects. When the temperature becomes more than 20 degrees, they spray the crown of Washingtonia or put it in a pan on a moistened cut sphagnum moss or expanded clay.
- Watering. For a plant in the spring-summer period, it will be necessary to carry out abundant and regular soil moistening. With the arrival of autumn and during winter, watering is reduced, but it is important not to allow the earthen coma to dry completely. The water used for irrigation is soft and warm. During the cold wintering period, the liquid in the pot should not stagnate.
- Fertilizers for "fan palm" is applied once every 14 days during the active growing season. A full mineral complex of drugs is used. There is no need to fertilize the palm in winter.
- Conducting a Washingtonia transplant and soil selection. Once the plant is planted in a permanent pot, it is transplanted annually for the first 3 years. And already in the subsequent time it will be necessary to change the capacity and soil, as the root system assimilates it or in the case when the substrate has become unusable. The container for this palm tree is selected deep, not differing in large width. A drainage layer (fine expanded clay or pebbles) is poured onto the bottom without fail.
To transplant Washingtonia, they use ready-made soil mixtures for palm trees, but many growers prepare the substrate on their own, mixing leafy soil and apical sod, humus soil and coarse sand (in a ratio of 1: 2: 1: 0.5). Sometimes it is even advised to take a heavy soil mixture from sod soil, clay and sand (in proportions of 2: 1: 1).
Washingtonia self-breeding tips
Since the "fan palm" does not have the property of giving lateral shoots, it is possible to get a new plant with feathery leaves only by sowing seeds. The seed must be fresh (you can take purchased or only harvested).
The spring period is selected for breeding. The seeds will need to be slightly filed at the seams or cut with a sharpened knife (scarification) - this will help them germinate more quickly. Before sowing, you will need to soak the seed in warm water for 2-7 days. Then a substrate is poured into the container, mixed from sod soil and leafy soil, as well as humus and river sand (in proportions 2: 2: 0, 5: 0, 5). The seeds are immersed in the substrate to a depth twice the diameter of the seed itself. You can pour a layer of soil into the container, place the seed on it, and then pour a layer of soil on top again. Covering the container with a piece of glass or wrap it up with plastic (or food) wrap - this will help create conditions for a mini-greenhouse, with high humidity and heat. Germination should take place at a heat level of 25-30 degrees. It will be necessary to carry out daily airing of the planting and, if necessary, moisten the soil.
The first shoots appear as early as 2-3 months. After that, the container with seedlings is placed in a brighter place, devoid of direct sunlight. As soon as a pair of real sheets bloom on the plants, they are picking in separate containers. The soil must be taken for growing palm trees. This operation will require great care so that the root processes of small Washingtonia are not damaged.
Difficulties in growing fan palm
If humidity readings decrease, then Washingtonia can be affected by spider mites, scale insects, whiteflies, or mealybugs. Pests with their cobwebs can cover the leaves and trunk of a palm tree, leading to a stop of its growth, yellowing and shedding of leaves, and also cotton-like or sticky formations appear between the segments of the leaves and on the trunk. Insects settle on the back of the segments of the leaf plates and on their petioles, starting to suck out the vital forces of the palm tree. On the leaves in large numbers "spread" spots resembling rust, or they have a whitish or yellowish color. The tips of the segments become dry and the leaves fall off.
To combat insects, palm trees are sprayed with water. You can also wipe the palm leaves with a soap (oil or alcohol) solution, applying the drug to a cotton pad. With this tool, it is possible to manually remove pests and their waste products. If the lesion has gone far, then it is necessary to apply an insecticidal treatment, for example, Actellik, Aktara or Deces.
There are still some problems with growing Washingtonia:
- if there is too little moisture or its excess, then this leads to the leaves losing their decorative effect, they begin to turn brown or turn black;
- if the soil is waterlogged and does not have time to dry out, then rotting of the root system may begin;
- if leaves are dumped in the absence of pests, then it is worth raising the humidity;
- the ends of the segments begin to turn brown, then it will be necessary to spray the "fan palm", as this indicates dry air.
Interesting facts about Washington
Since Washingtonia originally grew on the lands of Mexico and the United States, the locals, having studied the peculiarities of palm foliage from it, have long been making wicker products (baskets and other household utensils). The fruits, thanks to their friable pulp, were used in cooking, from which flour was prepared. On the territory of European countries, this plant can be found only on the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. If the palm is to be grown indoors, a cool room and sufficient space will be required. When it reaches an impressive size, and if the climatic conditions permit, the plant is taken out into the fresh air.
For the first time, Washingtonia was discovered in the states of the United States and in northwestern Mexico.
Types of palm trees
Washingtonia filamentous (Washingtonia filifera) or as it is sometimes called Washingtonia filamentous, California fan palm. In our territories, this variety found distribution most of all in the Caucasus (the Black Sea coast from Sochi to Batumi), as well as on the southern coast of Crimea and in Azerbaijan (on the territory of the Absheron Peninsula). She needs good shelter for the winter, preventing freezing.
The trunk of this palm tree can reach indicators of 30 m, in no way inferior to those specimens that grow in their native lands. It has a cylindrical shape and at its base the diameter can reach up to 80 cm, towards the top there is an imperceptible narrowing. If the tree is old enough, then the surface of its trunk is almost smooth, dark gray tint, which is cut by not too prominent scars from fallen leaves. At the top, at the very crown, on the trunk, there are old dried leaves hanging down, which, pressing against the trunk, form a covering that resembles a "skirt". The crown of Washingtonia is filamentous, powerful and is formed by multiple leaf plates with long and thick petioles.
The leaves are fan-shaped, the surface of which is covered with folds. The entire leaf plate is divided into 1/4 of its length into segments, the number of which can reach 80–90 units. Segmental parts located in the middle of the plate can grow up to 150 cm in length, and those along the edges - up to 80 cm. Each segment has thin threads on the edge, which are twisted from palm leaves with long whitish fibers. The petioles of the foliage can reach a length of 1–1.5 meters, their diameter is thick. When the leaf is young, its petiole rises upward, and as the leaf ages, it goes downward. Also, at the petiole to its middle, there are thorny outgrowths below, which are painted in a yellowish color and they are quite sharp. The apex of the thorn is bent towards the base of the petiole.
New leaves of the palm tree grow from the beginning of the spring growing season until November. During this period, Washingtonia can grow up to 13 leaf plates, which live for almost 4 years.
Inflorescences of a palm tree are cob-shaped and can measure up to 3-5 meters in length. They are slightly curved towards the ground. The flowers that make up the inflorescence are dioecious and have a strong jasmine scent. The flowering process is observed in the month of August.
After flowering, the fruit ripens with an oblong outline. Its length does not exceed 1 cm with a width of up to half a centimeter. The surface of the fruitlets is glossy, the color is dark brown, the flesh inside is thin and loose in structure. Ripening occurs in the middle of winter.
If Washingtonia filamentous grows on the Black Sea coast, then flowers and fruits begin to appear when the tree reaches 10-15 years of age.
Washingtonia powerful (Washingtonia robusta) This variety is considered by some botanists to be a variety of Washingtonia filamentous, since it differs little from it, but there are still differences.
The dimensions of the leaf plates are larger than those of the previous type, they can reach one and a half meter in diameter. The dissection goes 2/3 to the base of the leaf. The number of segments in it varies from 60 to 70 units. The color of the leaf segments is light green, and their underside at the base has a tomentose pubescence of a whitish tint.
Where the segments are attached at the petiole (in its upper part), its width reaches 4 cm. Along its entire length, it has strong spines, with a brown color and sharp tops. During the period from spring to late autumn, up to 15 leaf plates can form, which will last up to 3 years on a palm tree.
Inflorescences in this species are formed more dense, but with a shorter length, only 3 meters. Flowers in it with a strong aroma. The fruits ripen in black and ovoid-oblong shape. In length, the fruit can reach 1.4 cm with a width of up to 0.9 cm, at the top there is an awl-shaped process.
If Washingtonia powerful grows in the Caucasus (on the Black Sea coast), then its flowering occurs at the beginning of summer and lasts for 30 days. Fruit ripening begins in November. The growth rate of the variety is very high, however, its frost resistance is lower than that of the previous variety.
The plant is used in the same way as the previous one - in indoor floriculture and in park or garden plantings as a tapeworm or for alley plantings. In our climatic zone, it can only be found from Sochi to Batumi (on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, if the place of growth is well protected from winds and frosts), as well as in the Sochi region, but a thorough and reliable shelter for the winter is required.
For more details on the palm tree, see this video:
