Arecal family (palm trees). Howeys (Kentia) are evergreen, hardy palms well suited for indoor cultivation. There are two species in nature - Howea Foster Howea forsteriana and Howea Belmore Howea belmoreana. These large palm trees will eventually grow to the ceiling in the room.
- Howea Belmora Howea belmoreana is a slender tall palm, growing up to 10 m tall. Trunk, expanded at the base, pinnate leaves, arched, up to 4 m long. Petiole in each leaf no more than 35-40 cm.
- Howea forsteriana - a higher palm, can reach 12 m in height. The trunk at the base is not expanded, the leaves are pinnate, less bending, but wider, up to 2.5 m long, and the petioles of the leaves are much longer - up to 1.5 m. When grown in a greenhouse, it can bloom and bear fruit.
- The difference between the two species in size - Hovei Foster is much larger, higher, at the age of 7-8 years above the average human height and the leaves on the vai are wider than those of Hovei Belmore. Foster grows in a tuft and Belmore is sprawling.
Hovea - care at home
Leaf polishers are not acceptable for hovea. Hovei do not like drafts and cold winds, so if for the summer it is placed on an open terrace or in the garden, protection from the wind and shading from direct sunlight is necessary.
Temperature: moderate throughout the year - 16-22 ° C, preferably not higher than 24 ° C. The winter minimum for Belmore hovea is 16 ° С, for Forster hovea - 10 ° С. If the hovea still grows at higher temperatures from 24 ° C and above, then it must be sprayed, and the room must often be ventilated, avoiding cold drafts.
Lighting: for hovea you need a bright place, shading from sunlight in the afternoon. But do not place this palm in a shaded place, and be careful with the spring sun, after a cloudy winter, the leaves may get burned. In winter, the lighting should be very good, if it is impossible to provide coolness, then illuminate with LED lamps (as an option, 2-3 pieces, power 10-11 W with a base for a cartridge).
Watering: the frequency of watering, depends on the temperature at which the plant is kept. But, in general, watering should be uniform, plentiful in warm, moderate in cold. The ground does not have to be very damp or the soil will turn sour, as evidenced by the brown tips of the leaves. The soil should not dry out either. After copious watering the next day, loosen the soil in the pot with a stick.
Top dressing: carried out from May to September weekly, with special fertilizer for palm trees or any liquid fertilizer for indoor plants. A palm tree responds well to mulching with humus soil (manure lying in a compost heap for 3-4 years can be poured instead of fertilizer watering onto the soil surface in a pot). You need to start feeding no earlier than a month after the transplant.
Humidity: Hovea is very fond of spraying and showering, despite the fact that some sources write that these palm trees tolerate dry air. Therefore, it would not be bad to make it a rule to spray howl in the morning and evening. When kept in the summer in the garden, you can periodically arrange a shower from a garden hose with a sprayer, while covering the soil from getting wet with a plastic bag. At a time when the temperature drops below 20 ° C, you do not need to spray!
Transplantation: the palm tree does not like transplantation very much, so it is transplanted only when the roots fill the entire pot or tub and begin to crawl out of the container, i.e. after about 2-3 years - young plants, after a few years - old. Every year, the upper layer of the earth is loosened, and the upper 5 cm of the soil is replaced if it is salted. Palm soil: 2 part of light turf, 2 part of humus-leaf (or 1 part of peat), 1 part of rotted manure, 1 part of small gravel crumbs and some charcoal.
Reproduction
Hovey is propagated by seeds, which is rather difficult - often the seeds rot. Germination at a temperature of 23-25 ° C, sown in February - March. Soil - a mixture of peat universal earth and vermiculite in equal parts, then sterilize in the oven or microwave. Etch the seeds in Maxim (or in another way), dig to a depth of 1 cm. Keep the soil moderately wet, prevent the formation of mold. Germination can take about 3 months, sometimes longer. Ventilate the seed plate by shaking off the condensate.
It can be propagated by dividing adult plants. To do this, when transplanting, cut off 1-2 leaves with part of the roots from the edge of the bush, plant in a small pot and shade for the first week. It does not breed with cuttings (leaves).
For more on palm cultivation and cultivation, see Palm trees
Growing problems
- Yellowing of leaves: due to lack of watering, lack of nutrients in the soil, excess calcium in the soil, i.e. watering with too hard water.
- The leaves turn pale: with too intense lighting in spring or summer, it can also be caused by an attack by a spider mite.
- Brown and dry leaf tips: the most likely reason is dry air, also, perhaps, due to insufficient watering of sludge in the heat, in winter - from exposure to cold air or touching cold window glass.
- Brown spots on the leaves appear from waterlogging of the soil, when the soil dries for a very long time, or with a sharp drop in temperature, as well as from the use of very hard water for irrigation.
- The lower leaves dry out: in many palms, the lower leaves darken and die with age, they are periodically cut off with a sharp knife, this is the natural aging of the crown.
- Pests: palm trees are, subject to attack by scale insects, thrips, mites and mealybugs (see pests). Pests can be brought into the house when buying a plant, with garden flowers, or "picked up" on an open balcony.