What are the cultivation methods and precautions for the areca palm?
The areca palm, also known as yellow coconut, purple palm, etc., is a clumping evergreen shrub or small tree of the genus Dypsis in the palm family Arecaceae, native to the island of Madagascar in Africa, and is now commonly cultivated in some landscaping units in southern China, grown in pots for indoor decoration, and used medicinally with relevant therapeutic effects on vomiting blood, coughing blood, blood in the stool, uterine bleeding and so on. Now let us take a look together at the cultivation methods and precautions for the areca palm!
Growth habits of the areca palm
The areca palm is a tropical plant that prefers warm, humid, semi-shaded environments. Its cold tolerance is not strong; below 20°C the leaves turn yellow, the minimum wintering temperature needs to be above 10°C, and around 5°C it will freeze to death. Therefore, in southern China it can still be cultivated in the open ground, while in the Yangtze River basin and areas to the north it should be kept in a greenhouse for maintenance. Seedlings grow slowly, then grow rapidly afterward. It is suitable for loose, well-drained, fertile soil. Its branches and leaves are dense, evergreen in all four seasons, and it has strong shade tolerance.
Propagation methods of the areca palm
1. Division: The areca palm can be propagated by division in all four seasons, usually around April in combination with repotting. Choose plants with many tillers at the base, remove part of the old potting soil, and use a sharp knife to cut it from the base connection into several clumps; the wounds need to be coated with plant ash or sulfur powder for disinfection. Generally after 1 to 2 years of maintenance they can become potted commercial products.
2. Sowing: For areca palms from which seeds can be obtained, wash the harvested fruit pulp clean, soak the seeds in 35°C warm water for two days, and then sow them; transplant as they germinate. On sunny days, spray more water on the leaf surface. Generally, growth is slow in the juvenile stage and rapid after maturity.
Cultivation methods of the areca palm
1. Transplanting: When potting areca palm seedlings, first place a 2 to 3 cm thick layer of coarse granular substrate at the bottom of the pot as a drainage layer, sprinkle a layer of fully decomposed organic fertilizer on top as a base fertilizer, about 1 to 2 cm thick, then cover with a thin layer of substrate about 1 to 2 cm thick, and then place the plant in, so as to separate the fertilizer from the root system and avoid burning the roots.
2. Soil: For indoor potted areca palms, slightly acidic soil should be chosen; in the north, attention should be paid to selecting sandy loam with high humus content. Leaf mold, peat soil plus 1/3 river sand and some base fertilizer can be used to prepare the growing medium. The tiller buds grow relatively close to the rhizome, so when potting, plant them slightly deeper than the original planting, so that new buds can take root better. May to October is its vigorous growth period, and relatively sufficient water and fertilizer conditions must be provided.
3. Watering: Watering the areca palm should follow the principle of dry thoroughly, wet thoroughly according to the season; water appropriately more in dry and hot seasons, and control watering in low-temperature rainy weather. In northern regions, especially where the water contains more salt and alkali, attention should be paid to regularly using black alum to adjust soil acidity. Usually keep the potting soil constantly moist. In the high-temperature period of summer and autumn, also often maintain relatively high air humidity around the plant, but absolutely avoid water accumulating in the potting soil, so as to prevent root rot.
4. Fertilizing: The areca palm is generally given decomposed liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer once every 1 to 2 weeks to promote vigorous growth of the plant and deep green leaf color. In summer, appropriately apply additional nitrogen-containing organic fertilizer; in winter, organic flower fertilizer such as sesame paste residue can be applied while maintaining the dry-wet state of the potting soil.
5. Temperature: The areca palm prefers warmth, with the most suitable growth temperature being 20 to 35°C. If it exceeds 35°C or falls below 10°C, and cultivation management is slightly improper, its lower leaves will turn from green to yellow. In winter, good insulation and freeze protection work is needed; generally around 10°C it can overwinter relatively safely. If the temperature is too low, the leaves will turn yellow, the leaf tips will dry up, and the roots will be damaged, affecting the growth of the coming year.
6. Light: The areca palm should be shaded in summer and most fears direct scorching sun; even short-term exposure to the sun can cause the leaves to scorch yellow, and it is very difficult to recover. It prefers semi-shade, and should be shaded 50% in spring, summer and autumn. For indoor cultivation and viewing, it should be placed in a location with relatively strong scattered light; it can also tolerate a relatively dark environment, but must be regularly moved outdoors to a place with better light for maintenance, so as to facilitate recovery and maintain a relatively high ornamental state.
7. Pruning: For areca palms cultivated for cut foliage, after 2 consecutive years of leaf harvesting, the plants must be comprehensively rejuvenated as well as necessary equipment maintenance carried out, mainly the maintenance of shading equipment, because as the plants continue to grow, the shading equipment cannot meet the requirements of the plant's growth height; in typhoon season, it is very easy to tear the shade netting. The next matter is the rejuvenation of the plants.
8. Repotting: The areca palm is repotted once every 2 to 3 years in early spring; old plants can be repotted once every 3 to 4 years. After repotting, it should be placed in a semi-shaded place with relatively high air humidity, and withered and yellow branches and leaves should also be pruned in time.