Exotic lovers know: Cycas revoluta is one of the oldest plants on Earth. This sago palm tree has seen civilization begin, it remembers what dinosaurs looked like. Can you imagine that such a miracle has settled on your windowsill? Now it depends only on you whether the Cycas Revolution will become a pearl of the interior or slowly wither away due to inept care. But it is not difficult to follow the plant. You just need to know and follow a few simple rules.
Cicass revoluta - one of the famous mistakes of the XVIII century
Despite the fact that Cycas revoluta is very similar to a palm tree, it has nothing in common with it. The name of the plant appeared due to the error of the famous botanist Carl Linnaeus. He was deceived by the appearance of a beautiful evergreen plant and gave it a name, which in ancient Greek means "palm tree". Moreover, the scientist described the plant and attributed it to palm trees. Hence the confusion that confuses cicada owners to this day.
Description and characteristics of the plant
Cikas (cycad), aka sago palm, is a representative of an ancient group of gymnospermsplants. It combines more than ninety species. Gymnosperms are named because of the peculiarity of the ovule, in which seeds develop without a closed shell. Their ovary is similar to scales, under which several ovules are formed. Whereas the palm tree is a plant from the monocotyledonous family. External similarity played a trick on the plant: no matter what genus it belongs to, people stubbornly call Cycas revoluta palm tree.
The trunk of the cycad in nature can reach 15 m in height. It has a considerable thickness, which is sometimes about 100 cm in diameter. All varieties of palms (cycads) have pinnate or double pinnate large leaves that grow in a bunch from the top of the trunk.
Adult plants are capable of branching and forming babies. Due to this, many of them appear clusters of dense leaf rosettes, each of which could be a separate sago palm.
How cycads reproduce
Cicass revoluta, like the rest of the cycads, is a dioecious plant. It gives male and female individuals. On males, strobiles develop, similar to a spruce cone, only of a larger size. The female plants produce cauliflower-like cones. Cycads are pollinated by the wind. Pollen from males finds the cones of female palms, which, after pollination, will ripen the seeds.
Where can I find the "palm tree" Cycas revoluta?
Where do palm trees grow? cycadsfound throughout almost all of Asia. This plant enjoys special respect in Japan. Some species can be found in Indonesia and Australia. The gymnosperm "palm tree" is found on many islands of the Pacific Ocean (Samoa, Fiji and others), in addition, it grows on the island of Madagascar.
In Russia, cicadas feel good on the coast of the Caucasus. Although in winter the plant is not very comfortable here.
How does Cycas revoluta behave on the windowsill?
The domestic sago palm tree grows much more slowly than its relatives in nature. It bears little resemblance to sprawling wild giants that can live for several centuries. At home, Cycas revoluta produces only 1 row of leaves per year. At the same time, the plant grows in height by about 3 cm. In a domestic cycad, the crown diameter is quite large, but the dimensions of the trunk are miniature. The plant is easy to grow as it is easy to care for.
The trunk of a domestic cycad is often called a cone. Outwardly, it resembles a pineapple, covered with scales from the remains of petioles. The young leaf is softer, it is folded like a serpentine ribbon, and looks like a fern. As the leaf grows, it becomes stiff but brittle.
How to plant or transplant cycas
Do you want to grow Cycas revoluta on your windowsill? Care at home for this plant will not cause great difficulties. First of all, you need to choose the right pot:
- Do not take too big a flowerpot, it must fitthe root system of your handsome. For subsequent transplants, a container will be required that will be approximately 10% larger than the previous one.
- The bottom of the pot should have a lot of drainage holes so that water does not stagnate in the flowerpot.
- The large sago palm is planted in stable containers so that the crown of the plant does not outweigh and overturn the container.
- Small specimens do well in flat (low) pots.
Cicadas do not like frequent transplants. It is better for plants to be cramped than to be subjected to unnecessary stress. For a pot where palm trees grow, choose a ready-made soil mixture. It's called "Palm Soil". But you can prepare the soil yourself. For this you will need:
- turf land;
- leaf humus;
- coarse sand;
- bark or crushed nutshell;
- sphagnum;
- brick crumbs and bone meal.
As you can see, the mixture has a complex composition, which is easy to make a mistake. If it is not possible to prepare the soil yourself, it can always be purchased at a specialized store.
The stress state of an adult plant after transplantation lasts almost six months. The cicada revolutiona becomes weaker and more vulnerable. If, in the process of preparing for transplantation, the owner of the plant noticed that the sago palm is ready to throw away the leaf, then the procedure should be postponed.
The flowerpot must have a thick layer of drainage. The trunk-bump cannot be deepened into the ground. The soil mixture should freely pass water througha few minutes, as stagnant moisture can lead to the death of the plant.
Where to put the sago palm?
The plant loves light, so it is ideal to place the cicada on the southeast or southwest side. South windows should be slightly shaded, especially at noon. If the palm tree does not have enough light, then its leaves stretch upwards, if there is a lot of it, they will be short. To form a beautiful crown, the pot is rotated a little daily during the formation of the plant.
How to water the plant?
Do you want to grow a beautiful Cycas revoluta? Home care will require proper watering. The main thing is to never over-moisten the soil. However, overdrying of the earthy coma should not be allowed, since the sago palm is not able to accumulate moisture. During irrigation, water should not fall on the trunk, as this may kill the kidneys.
There is a seasonal irrigation system for sago palms:
- From late spring to early autumn Cycas revoluta needs weekly watering. If the plant is in a sunny place, then watering is done every 5 days.
- The rest of the time, you need to water the plant once every 10 days. Every time the condition of the earth is checked. It should dry up to half the pot. But the sago palm standing near the heating source is watered more often.
The ideal option is to use melt or rain water at room temperature. Watering should be gradual. First, the top layer of soil is wetted, then the liquid is poured so that it flows intopallet. Here the water should not stagnate, immediately after watering it should be removed. Note! All varieties of palm trees in question require such a selection of soil so that water spills into the pan immediately, without stagnation in the roots. If the planting mixture is not chosen correctly, there will be an excess of moisture, and the plant will die.
How to feed
Because Cycas revoluta grows very slowly, it needs to be fed regularly. For these purposes, complexes for cacti and orchids are suitable. The frequency of use is once every 3 weeks, but the concentration should be lower than indicated on the label. Fertilizers with potassium and magnesium s alts should be avoided. But nitrogen in the composition is very useful for cicada.
In autumn, the sago palm is fed less often, and in the winter months, feeding is stopped altogether. In addition, it is not carried out if the plant is sick or has recently undergone a transplant.
A few extra care tips
Often, consultants in stores hear the question: “I have a sago palm. Does her maintenance include pruning the leaves? Keep in mind: the cicada is not a garden apple tree. It doesn't need pruning. Leaves are removed only if the plant is sick. Even drying and yellowish ones are not immediately removed, as the plant can use their trace elements.
Spraying for sago palms is optional. Dust can be removed with a damp cloth. If the owner wants to put the cicada under the shower in the summer heat, then the top must be protected frommoisture.
