Looking at the price tag with this plant, you can be very surprised, they say, why it is so expensive. And the whole point is that this plant is very beautiful, and very ancient - it dates back to the Mesozoic era, and it is not easy to grow it. Cicada grows very slowly - only one row of leaves per year. At home, above 50 cm, cicadas usually can not grow, then, as in natural conditions, this palm grows to 2.5 meters in height. There are many species of this plant, about 180 and one of the most famous is the revolution. And since care for all types of cicada is approximately the same, let's take a closer look at how to properly care for these plants at home.
Care of the Cicada
For some plants, the main indicator of good care is flowering. But not for cicada, since this palm tree blooms very rarely, and also rarely gives seeds. Therefore, when growing it is necessary to focus on the appearance of the plant, and not whether it blooms or not.
So, how to care for the cicadas? It must be remembered that this flower comes from the tropics, and therefore care is needed for it - high humidity and heat. To do this, the cicada must often be sprayed, arrange periodic bathings under the shower, and of course water it. During bathing the ground should be covered with a plastic bag, so as not to overflow the plant, it is better to water it separately. In summer, watering is required more abundant than in summer. In this case, water is better to use thawed, rain or stagnant. Water with a high salt content will not work - the flower can begin to hurt. Stagnation and water ingress on the cone can not be tolerated - can root roots. Also, the content of cicada implies periodic, not more than once a month, additional fertilizing. Complex organic fertilizers or special fertilizers for palm trees are suitable.
Lighting of cicada is required bright, and in the period of active growth direct sunlight is mandatory. The exception is the cicada of the revolution, care for it requires a shade from direct sunlight in the summer and scattered light at rest of the time.
Temperatures are well tolerated by high summer temperatures (22-26 ° C optimally), provided that sufficient air humidity is maintained. By the way, in summer you can safely endure cicadas in the garden or on the open balcony. The main thing is that the plant is not in the wind or draft. If these conditions are met, fresh air will go to the palm for good, it will harden, and the leaves will grow more actively. As for the winter period, then it is better to lower the temperature to 12-16 ° C.
And of course, the proper care of the cicada implies its transplantation - every year young plants (up to 5 years) and every 5 years older flowers. Transplant the cicadas carefully and quickly, so that the plant does not have time to understand what is being done to it. Damage to the earth coma and even more so, root washing is not allowed. It is necessary to move the plant gently in a larger pot and sprinkle it with earth.
Reproduction of cicada
Propagate the plant with seeds and offspring, appearing on the trunk of the plant with proper care. Sections are treated with a fungicide so that there is no decay. Next, the cutting should be planted in perlite or clean sand and wait for rooting. You need to water the cuttings abundantly, but you can not allow water to stagnate. Usually the rooting process takes from 3 to 9 months. After the cuttings are planted in a special primer for palms.
Cicas - diseases and pests
This plant can be affected by a spider mite, scab, thrips, mealybug. Let us dwell on them in more detail:
- When scraping leaves start to drip down actively. To combat it, the plant is treated with an actinic until the pest is completely destroyed.
- Spider mites also contribute to yellowing and dying leaves, and even on them the spider web appears. In this case, the plant needs to be washed with a soap sponge and treated with an athlete.
- The thrips make the leaves silver-brown with light dots. The plant needs to be treated with insecticides.
- Powdery mulberry is visible to the naked eye, it looks like white flakes appearing on the leaves. If there are few such flakes, they can be removed with a cotton swab dipped in soapy water or 60 ° alcohol. If the insects hit most of the flower, then it must be treated with a special preparation.