Licuala is an evergreen perennial fan palm that grows in India and on the island territories near this country. The plant is small in stature, with short one or more trunks and large rounded corrugated leaves. The leaves have a shiny bright green color and sharp thorns along the edges of the leaf. The plant is flowering, the fruit is in the shape of a small red or orange berry.
Licual care at home
Location and lighting
Likuala palm is a very delicate plant, the leaves of which will not tolerate direct sunlight, burns may even appear in the form of drying spots. Diffused but bright lighting is recommended for the plant. Since the size of the flower does not allow it to be placed on the windowsill, it is best to keep a flower container with a palm tree near a window on the west or east side of the house.
Temperature
Likuala is a thermophilic plant and prefers to grow all year round at a constant temperature of 20-25 degrees. It is very important in winter to prevent the room temperature from dropping below 16 degrees.
Air humidity
Likuala prefers to be in a room with high humidity and loves regular and abundant spraying. For these water procedures, it is recommended to use only settled or filtered water. In the colder winter months, the number of sprays can be reduced.
Watering
The fan palm is very fond of moisture and abundant watering, especially in the warm season. In the spring and summer, the plant must be watered regularly to keep the topsoil always slightly damp. From October to the onset of spring, the volume of irrigation can remain the same only if kept in a warm (up to 25 degrees Celsius) room.
If the air temperature becomes lower, then the abundance of watering must be reduced, since the moisture will not have time to evaporate and the plant may die from its excess. Irrigation water must be necessarily settled for several days and correspond to room temperature, that is, about 22-27 degrees Celsius.
The soil
The fan palm feels great in slightly acidic soil. When planting a plant, you can purchase palm soil or prepare it at home. The soil mixture should consist of four components: one part of sand and peat and two parts of leaf and sod land.
Top dressing and fertilizers
The development and growth of licuala depends on the timely and correct application of fertilizers. The plant needs only organic feeding, once every 30 days regularly, from early spring to early October.
Transfer
The licuala palm is a vulnerable plant, it is very painful to undergo transplantation. It is recommended to replant the plant only in case of urgent need and with great care so as not to damage the root system. It is advisable to keep the earthen lump to the maximum, adding only a little fresh soil.The new flower container should be larger in size than the previous one, and at the bottom - a layer of expanded clay or any other drainage.
Reproduction of palms licuala
Licuala's only way to reproduce is by seed. For sowing, it is advisable to use fresh seeds, since old ones germinate much longer. If the fresh ones can give the first shoots after 1-3 months, then the old ones can germinate only after a year.
Before sowing, it is recommended to soak the seeds in a growth promoter for several hours, and then bury them one centimeter into well-loosened soil. The seed container should be closed like a greenhouse, but with regular ventilation and spraying from a spray bottle. The room should be bright and warm, with an air temperature of about 23 degrees.
Pests and diseases
Diseases of fungal origin can develop from excess moisture in the winter. All other diseases of the fan palm usually occur with improper care of the plant. For example, direct sunlight, lower air temperatures, low humidity, lack of fertilizing, or the use of hard water. Of the pests for licuala, spider mites and scale insects are dangerous.
Licuala types
Among the various types and varieties of licuala, several of the most common ones can be distinguished.
Licuala grandis - this type of plant has huge shiny corrugated leaves with denticles along the edge of the entire leaf, round or oval in shape, reaching a width of up to one meter. Flowers are collected in inflorescences - cobs, bearing fruits - berries.
Licuala bidentata - This perennial species of palm is small in size with narrow and long leaves - segments, pointed at the end. In mature plants, the trunk reaches one meter in height.
Licuala spinosa - the trunk of this type of palm tree resembles a reed in structure. Each plant has several such trunks, about eight centimeters in diameter, located tightly to each other. The leaves have an unusual spiral shape with narrow segments.
