Pandanus flower is one of the most exotic plants. At the same time, its distinctive features are unpretentiousness and absolute not capriciousness. The culture is undeservedly forgotten. Back in the last century, tubs with a beautiful palm-shaped crown stood in the homes of many wealthy people, decorated winter gardens, country residences, and holiday homes.
Now indoor pandanus is a rare guest in modern homes. Gradually, the fashion for such plants, introducing a special chic into the interior, returns again.
The ancestors of the indoor flower pandanus (pandanus) come from tropical countries. Tall (about 15 meters) shrubs from the genus of tree-like plants of the Pandanova family still adorn hot territories. Most of all, the plant in wildlife is distributed in Madagascar. There you can find pandanus mini-forests. Pandanuses are not afraid of over-dried air, heat, and poor soil. They can grow even on the beach, in mountainous terrain, on volcanic slopes.
An exotic plant will decorate any interior
At first glance, the plant resembles chlorophytum, dracaena. The pandanus also has elongated thin leaf plates emerging from a miniature stem located close to the basal zone. However, the exot is distinguished by thorns that frame the edges of the leaves. Each spike is sharp enough. The leaves emerge from the stem and are twisted with a screw, spiral. Because of this feature, the flower is called a spiral tree, a spiral palm.
Note! Despite the fact that the pandanus in nature really resembles a palm tree and can be called a spiral pine or palm tree, it has no direct relation to palm trees.
Another feature of pandanus plants is aerial roots. They appear in adult specimens. Come out of the trunk.
In nature, the trunk can dry out, and the tree will be held at the expense of these roots, which act as strong supports.
Exot leaves have sharp spikes
Can Pandanus be kept at home? The answer is yes. At home, the plant usually does not grow above 1.5 meters. For apartments, certain types of pandanus are provided. Among the most popular types:
- Veicha;
- Sander.
Veicha
Pandanus Veitch (Vicha) is loved by flower growers for their attractive appearance. Leaves of a plant in two colors. The middle in the form of long stripes is emerald or dark green. The edges are gray-white or whitish. This species is variegated. On bright areas, sharp spikes grow around the edges. They are also bright.
Spiral palm Pandanus Veitch happens without a motley color. But flower growers prefer the variegate (Polynesian) variety.
Vicha has a stocky shortened trunk. It is formed from the remains of dried spiral leaves. This species has noticeable aerial roots as it grows. They look like stilts.
With good care at home, the bush can grow to a meter height in a few years.
In total, homemade evergreen Weichi grow to 1.3-1.5 meters.
Sander
Sander is Veichi’s opposite in color. She also has elongated sheet plates with a pattern. But the central longitudinal region of the leaf is light beige or white-yellow. The edges are light green or green. Spikes around the edges are also present. However, unlike Vichy’s many sharp needles, Sander’s spikes are not many, and they are not critically sharp.
View of Sander
Exot has a short barrel. Even in the tropics, the pandanus plant of the Sander species is not trees with stilted roots, but squat, lush bushes with long and thin foliage.
Additional Information. Both types of evergreen palm trees with spiny leaves (Veitch, Sander) are long-livers. In the apartment, they delight the household for at least 30-40 years.
If at home it is almost impossible to see the flowering of exotics, then in nature the plant blooms very beautifully. The tree in this period is decorated with spikelets of numerous small inflorescences. Flowers do not have perianths, but there are covering leaves.
The plant is same-sex. Therefore, male flowers appear on one shrub. They resemble elongated spikelets. On the female, the inflorescences are corn cobs in shape. Flowering exotica is accompanied by a delicate pleasant fruity aroma.
The fruits resemble pineapple. As it grows, it becomes clear that the fruit has features and resembles a pineapple only distantly.
Fertility is difficult for fruits to collect. They can be compared with very large corn kernels.
Pacific Islander, Papua New Guinea cannot imagine their diet without pandanus fruits. Pandanus fruit provides people with vitamins, gives a boost of vitality, satiety. Fruits are cooked, cooked on a fire or consumed fresh. It is noteworthy that not only the fruits are edible in the plant, but also the lower parts of the foliage, inflorescences.
Pandan fruit
Some tourists believe that pandan is poisonous. This is not true. The fruit is edible and not able to do harm. On the contrary, pandanus is good.
For instance:
- Seed oil tones the body, benefits the nervous system.
- Oil is used to eliminate migraines, headaches.
- The leaves are suitable for healing wounds, abscesses, skin diseases.
- Porridge from the leaves helps in the treatment of such an infectious disease as leprosy (leprosy), etc.
Pandanus home care is easy. This does not mean that the plant does not need to be paid attention at all. The grower should know that a palm tree with spiky leaves prefers freedom. For her, it is necessary to allocate a corner over an area of at least 1.5 square meters. If the apartment is small, then as the leaves grow, long leaves will interfere with the owners. In addition, other care points should be taken into account. Among which:
- soil composition, annual top dressing;
- watering scheme, air humidity in the house;
- optimal temperature and lighting.
Soil composition, annual top dressing
Usually used purchased soil marked "for palm trees". It is allowed to prepare the substrate yourself. To do this, mix turf soil, leafy soil, sand, humus. Each ingredient comes in equal amounts to the rest.
Annual feeding takes place over four to five months. In April, when the shrub departs from the dormant period, it is fed with a mineral mixture. After 15 days, organics are introduced. It is allowed to use drugs that indicate "for palm trees, ficuses." As organics, compost, humus, tea leaves, etc. are suitable.
Fertilizers are applied twice in April, May, June, July, August. In September, the procedure is stopped.
Important! The screw palm pot must be made from natural materials. Its height is equal to its width. The container must be heavy, stable, due to the special power and weight of an exotic plant.
Watering, humidity in the apartment
The bush will grow well if it is watered in a timely manner. Due to the fleshy foliage, the pandanus indoor flower loves moisture.
Watering is carried out every 5-7 days. Reserved water is used. The plant should not be watered with cold water.
During the rest period, watering is carried out once or twice a month. The main thing is to prevent the complete drying out of the soil mixture.
Exot must not be sprayed with water from a spray bottle
The optimum humidity in the house is 60-80%. To do this, it is recommended to spray the air next to the pandanus. This is done in the summer. You can put a container of water next to the tub. Evaporating, it will humidify the air next to the tropical pandanus palm. You can not irrigate the plant itself with spray water. Moisture in this case accumulates on the foliage. Because of this, mold or a disease such as rot may appear.
Optimum temperature and lighting
Pandanus care also requires regarding temperature conditions.
For good growth and health, the temperature should be at the level of + 19 ... +27 degrees. Despite not being capricious, the plant will not survive if it gets colder at home up to +10 degrees.
Lighting for exotics should be moderate. It feels good in a room where there is a slight shading. Pandanas are not kept in complete darkness. Its leaves, due to lack of light, lose their elasticity, saturated color.
Note! Pandanus houseplant necessarily needs cleansing procedures. Dust accumulates on leaf blades. Every week, contaminants should be removed with a slightly damp cloth, sponge. Shower for the plant is contraindicated, due to the possibility of decay.
Caring for a pandanus is not difficult, but it is important to constantly monitor its well-being. The most common problems are that foliage can suddenly begin to turn yellow, dry out. There may be several reasons for this development. Among them:
- diseases
- invasion of pests.
Diseases
Indoor spiral palm is a fairly resistant plant. She has good immunity. However, even this exotic can catch a disease, for example, root rot. When the roots decompose, the ground part suffers. It dries, turns yellow, fades. Root rot is a fungus. It occurs due to waterlogging of the soil. Treatment involves transplanting into a new pot and switching to a normal watering regimen (once every 5-7 days).
A few more reasons for yellowing, drying out of the foliage:
- finding tubs in bright light;
- an excess of calcium in the soil;
- nutrient deficiency;
- drying out of the soil.
Pest Invasion
Among the parasites that love pandanus, the following stand out:
- scale insects;
- mealybugs;
- ticks.
It is because of these insects that yellow spots appear on the foliage, or the leaves turn completely yellow, they can dry out. If mealybugs wound up, then a whitish bloom is also visible on the trunk.
The invasion of pests appears for a reason. Even if the owner carefully looks after the specimen, parasites can still appear. The main reason for this is too dry air in the house.
For the fight using drugs:
- Acarin;
- Fitoverm;
- Apollo
- Omight;
- Anticlesch and others.
Foliage suffering from pests
Among the popular ways to get rid of parasites is the treatment of plants with an aqueous solution of laundry soap.
Propagation of an unpretentious plant is best done in the spring, when nature comes to life. Among the breeding species that involve rooting, stand out:
- cuttings;
- removal of outlets.
Cuttings
Cuttings should be at least 18-23 cm in length. They have aerial roots. This side shoot is cut off and immediately placed in the prepared ground.
Recommendations for propagation by cuttings:
- The shoot is separated from the maternal specimen with a knife, rubbed with alcohol.
- A volumetric pot is being prepared.
- Drainage is laid out in the pot, soil mixture for palm trees or peat soil mixed with sand.
- The handle is placed in the ground. The roots should not be completely in the soil.
- A pot with a young pandanus is covered in a package. It is important that there is a greenhouse temperature - about 30 degrees. Every day, the sprout is opened and aired.
- Watered every 2 days.
- Rooting will occur in 50-80 days.
Removing Outlets
Rosettes are formed in abundance on the mother plant. The collection takes place when the daughter is at least 18 cm long.
Sockets in pots
Sockets do not root immediately. It is important to withstand 12-18 hours, so that the roots are slightly dried. After they are placed in a pot of earth, as in the case of cuttings. Shelter is also mandatory.
Seeds
Pandanus can also be propagated by seed. This method is suitable for the type Useful. Seeds are sown in a substrate of river sand and horse peat. Planting is watered and covered with a film. Air and water once every 24 hours. Sprouts germinate in a month. After another 40-80 days, they can be transplanted into separate containers.
An evergreen spreading pandanus will decorate a spacious apartment. Even a beginner will cope with its cultivation. Pandanus care implies simple. The main thing is not to expose it to the bright sun, not to flood it and not to dry it, and also to feed it on time.
