Phoenix date palm

Arecal family (palm trees). Homeland tropical and subtropical areas of Asia and Africa, the Canary Islands. The genus includes about 15 species, and several interspecific hybrids. Some are relatively stunted, while others are tall and spreading. The leaves are pinnate, palm trees of this genus are characterized by the presence of spikes (metamorphosed leaves). These plants are dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. Pollinated by wind and insects. The flowers are insignificant, yellowish-brown, about 1 cm in diameter, collected on a large panicle, from 30 to 90 cm long.

• Date palmate Phoenix dactylifera is a very tall palm, the trunk reaches a height of 15-30 m, the trunk is exposed over the years, feathery wai up to 2-6 m long, the leaves are bent, green. The fruits are edible.

On the market, as dried fruits, you can buy the fruits of Phoenix palmate Phoenix dactylifera. These are high-calorie and tasty fruits, the remaining seeds are asked to be planted, especially for children. But as a houseplant, these palms are little ornamental. These palms in nature have a very small leaf mass - they tend to have a few greens only at the top of the head, i.e. the trunk is constantly exposed, turning into a rough broom from the remains of leaf petioles.

• Date Canary Phoenix canariensis - in nature, the trunk reaches a height of up to 10-15 m, feathery wai, up to 3-5 m long, with narrow sizo-green leaves. Petioles are covered with strong spikes. The room will eventually reach the ceiling. The fruits are edible, but of little value (little pulp), in the Canary Islands they are used to make palm syrup used to make desserts.

• Date Robelen Phoenix roebelenii - this species is most suitable for growing in a room, as it grows slowly, reaches a relatively small size - 1.5-1.8 cm, tolerates the dry air of apartments. In Europe and the USA in nurseries, it is specially grown in containers (the root system is small) and sold as a houseplant. Robelen's date has a dense crown, dark green leaves, bent, pinnately dissected, black fruits, about 1 cm, edible, but not very tasty. This species is more thermophilic (growing well in winter at normal room temperature), but requires higher air humidity than other dates.

Caring for a date at home

Temperature: moderate, winter temperature for the Canary date and palmate 8-16 ° С, for the Robelen date 15-20 ° С.

Lighting: very bright place, direct sun is useful. For uniform development of the crown, the date is periodically turned with different sides to the light, while the top of the last young leaf should be directed deep into the room, and not to the window. In summer, if possible, the date palm is taken out into the garden, the place is chosen protected from the wind.

Watering: watering should be uniform, plentiful in summer, moderate in winter. Most dates are drought tolerant. Palm trees suffer more from excessive watering than from overdrinking - roots rot and the plant can die. Therefore, before the next watering, make sure that the ground is dry enough (at least in the upper half of the pot).

Air humidity: Date Robelena loves regular, it is better to spray twice a day, and it is also useful to shower from time to time. The optimal humidity is about 50%. In winter, the humidity in our apartments is much lower, so the tips of the leaves begin to dry out in plants. Only a humidifier can help. Other types of dates are resistant to dry air.

Transplantation: transplanted only when the roots fill the entire pot or tub and begin to crawl out of the container - after 3-4 years. When transplanting, part of the roots forming the felt layer is cut off with a sharp knife so that the plant fits into a new pot. The drainage in the pot should be very good. The soil is 2 part light clay-turf, 2 part humus-leaf, 1 part peat, 1 part rotted manure, 1 part sand and some charcoal. If you use soil bought in a store (preferably special for palm trees), then it is advisable to add 1/4 part of well-rotted compost to it (store soils consist only of peat and mineral additives, and are quickly depleted). You can use garden land from a bed where organic matter (manure) was introduced, add large sand or vermiculite sifted from dust to it.

Reproduction: by seeds, at a temperature of at least 25 ° C, sown in February-March. Seeds germinate within 2-3 months, in addition, it takes a lot of time to develop a palm from a seedling. A date grown from a bone turns into a real, spreading palm tree very slowly.

For more on palm cultivation and cultivation, see Palm trees