Detailed Guide to Rhapis excelsa Seed Prices and Planting Methods
Rhapis excelsa, also known as Guanyin bamboo, Jintou bamboo, palm bamboo, etc., is an evergreen foliage plant of the genus Rhapis in the palm family (Arecaceae). Because it tolerates shade and moisture and prefers scattered light, it can be placed long-term in bright indoor spots, and even if it sees no sunlight in a dark place for 3 consecutive months, it can still grow normally and maintain its deep green leaf color. Let's take a look below at Rhapis excelsa seed prices and planting methods!
How much does a jin of Rhapis excelsa seeds cost?
The price of Rhapis excelsa seeds is about 60 to 80 yuan per jin, but prices vary depending on seed quality, variety, place of origin and market. Rhapis excelsa prefers a warm, humid, well-ventilated semi-shaded environment, does not tolerate waterlogging, is extremely shade-tolerant, fears scorching sun, is slightly cold-tolerant and can withstand low temperatures of around 0°C. It likes loose, fertile, acidic soil, does not tolerate poor soil or saline-alkali conditions, and requires relatively high soil moisture and air temperature. In production it can be propagated by sowing and division, while home cultivation is mostly by division.
What varieties of Rhapis excelsa are there?
1. Rhapis multifida: an evergreen clumping shrub, produced in western Guangxi and southeastern Yunnan, and can be used as garden landscaping material.
2. Rhapis humilis: produced in western Guangdong, Hainan and southern Guangxi; its tree form is short and graceful, and it can be used as garden landscaping material.
3. Rhapis robusta: produced in southwestern Guangxi; it can be used for garden ornament, and its fibrous roots can be used to set bones.
4. Rhapis excelsa (dwarf form): produced from southern to southwestern China, commonly cultivated in various places; its tree form is graceful and it can be used for garden landscaping and ornament.
Sowing methods for Rhapis excelsa
1. Seedling substrate: For sowing Rhapis excelsa, use loose, permeable soil as the substrate; generally a mix of leaf mold and river sand, etc., is used as the seedling soil.
2. Warm water soaking: Before sowing, treat Rhapis excelsa seeds by soaking in warm water (soak in 30-35°C warm water for two days), and sow again when the seeds begin to germinate.
3. Sowing method: Rhapis excelsa germinates unevenly, so after sowing the soil cover should be slightly deeper; generally it germinates in 1 to 2 months, with a germination rate of about 80%.
4. Seedling transplanting: Rhapis excelsa seedlings can be transplanted when the cotyledons are 8 to 10 cm; when transplanting, 3 to 5 plants must be grouped in a clump to help survival and growth.
Planting methods for Rhapis excelsa
1. Soil: Rhapis excelsa likes moist, well-drained loam rich in humus, with slightly acidic soil being most suitable. You can choose leaf mold + garden soil + river sand, mix evenly, add an appropriate amount of base fertilizer to the soil when planting, and use a fired clay pot as the flower pot.
2. Temperature: Rhapis excelsa likes warmth and is relatively cold-tolerant; the suitable growth temperature is 20-30°C. In winter, as long as it is moved indoors and kept above 0°C, it can overwinter safely; if the temperature is above 10°C, it can keep its leaf color green, and after Qingming it can be moved outdoors for care.
3. Light: Rhapis excelsa likes an environment with scattered light. In summer it should be placed under a shade shed or in tree shade; in a semi-shaded and humid environment it can keep growing new branches and keep old leaves emerald green. Scorching sun and dry hot wind are the main causes of scorched and withered leaves in Rhapis excelsa.
4. Watering: During the growth period from May to September, Rhapis excelsa should be watered more to keep the soil moist, preferring wet over dry, but it must not be waterlogged. During high temperatures, water should also be sprayed frequently on the leaves and ground to increase air humidity, and in autumn and winter the amount of watering should be appropriately reduced.
5. Fertilizing: The fertilizing principle for Rhapis excelsa is frequent but light application, that is, small amounts many times, combining nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, with organic fertilizer as the main part and trace fertilizer as a supplement. Apply fertilizer to the roots once every 10 to 15 days, and spray foliar fertilizer once every 7 to 10 days.
6. Repotting: For potted small Rhapis excelsa plants, repot and change the soil once a year; for large plants, repot once every 2 to 3 years. Repotting is generally done in spring when they are taken out of the shed. The culture soil commonly uses 2 parts garden soil, 1 part barnyard manure soil, and 0.5 part each of leaf mold and rice chaff ash, mixed for use.
7. Pests and diseases: If poorly managed, Rhapis excelsa can suffer from scale insects, leaf blight, gray leaf spot and brown spot. Scale insects can be killed by spraying 1000-times 40% omethoate solution, and leaf blight, gray leaf spot and brown spot can be prevented and controlled by spraying 1000-times thiophanate-methyl solution.