Date, date palm

Phoenix

This genus includes about 17 species that grow in the tropical zone of the Old World: from the Canary Islands, through Africa and Madagascar, to India, Malaysia and Sumatra. Since ancient times, people have learned to grow these valuable plants. Dates are very beautiful and unpretentious palms, loved by many florists. In the room culture introduced species:

Phoenician Canary Ph.canariensis

Homeland - Canary Islands.,

• Leaves up to 2.5 m long without bending. In adult specimens, usually a dense rosette consisting of 25-30 wi.

Arc curved Ph.reclinata

Homeland - Comoros.

Leaves up to 1.5-2 m in length, curved arcs. Leaflets are lanceolate, up to 30 cm long and 2.5 cm wide.

Phoenix forest Ph.silvestris

Homeland - South Asia, India.

Leaves up to 4 m long, arcuate. Leaflets up to 30 cm long and 2 cm wide, straight, not flexible, from below gray.

Phoenix finger Ph.dactilyfera

Homeland - North Africa, Arabia, Iran. It is a kind of an ordinary date, sweet fruits of which are a famous delicacy. It is often possible to see how easily the seeds of the date grow. But, in general, compared to other species - it is slowly growing, less decorative and more demanding of the conditions of the species. Therefore, in the rooms is almost not grown. The leaves are gray-green, up to 2 m long. Leaflets up to 30 cm.

Phoenix Ph. Ph.rupicola

Motherland - Madagascar.

Leaves up to 3 m in length, arcuate, light green. Leaflets sit densely, reach 35-45 cm in length.

Courtship. It is best to grow at a moderate temperature( 18-20 C).Winter requires a lower temperature - up to 8-12C.They like clean air and frequent airing, but do not tolerate drafts. You need to place as close to the windows as possible. Better feel yourself in the glassed-in loggias or in the home greenhouses. The eastern orientation of the windows is optimal. In the summer months, you can take out in the garden, but you need to gradually accustom plants to new conditions. In summer, water is abundantly poured, but by the evening water is poured from the pallets. In the winter, watering is moderate, but not brought to dryness. In summer, they are fed with mineral and organic fertilizers( once a week from May to the end of August).Well-proven solution of Mullein. Always need to water only with warm water( 25-30 ° C).In the summer months, regularly sprayed and washed leaves, but do it so that the water does not get into the vagina of the leaf( sinus), otherwise it will lead to decay and death of the plant. An earth mixture for young plants is prepared by mixing turf, deciduous soil, humus earth and sand( 1: 1: 1: 1).For adult plants, the composition of the components is the same, but they increase the amount of heavy sod land by a factor of 2.Transplant as rarely as possible: young specimens once every 2-3 years, and old ones - 1 time in 5 years and less often. Some species very badly tolerate a transplant( for example, Ph. Dactilyfera).It is advisable to periodically replace the top layer of the earth. Oglyaschiesya subordinate roots must be wrapped with wet moss.

Reproduction. Propagated by seeds, which are sown in loose sandy soil. The optimum temperature during germination is 20-23 ° C.A constantly high level of humidity is required. Seeds germinate very quickly and amicably.