Hamedorea graceful or elegance (Chamaedorea elegans) is a representative of the palm family. In nature, it is found in the forests of Mexico and Guatemala. The second name of the plant is neanta. Due to its appearance and natural habitat, it is also known as bamboo or mountain palm.
The creeping trunk of the chamedorea produces thin vertical stems. Despite their slenderness (up to 3.5 cm in girth), their dimensions can reach a couple of meters in height. At the tops of these stems there are panicles of 6-7 closely spaced oblong leaflets. When they fall off, light rings remain on the stems. The feathery leaves of an ornamental palm tree can have about 15 pairs of lobes. The length of such leaves reaches 20 cm.
Peduncles can grow from the axils of young plants: fluffy panicle inflorescences formed from small yellowish flowers. Each of them is spherical and smells good. After flowering, the palm sets the seeds. Until ripening, they are stored in small dark fruits: each with 1 seed. The size of the fruits is approximately 0.5 cm. But for setting the seeds, manual pollination is required. You can transfer pollen with a small, soft brush.
Caring for graceful chamedorrhea at home
Hamedorea graceful is the most common type of this plant in home floriculture. He is no less loved by graphic designers. Neanta looks very stylish and fits perfectly into many modern interiors. Caring for graceful chamedorea will not be difficult. In addition, unlike many palm trees, it is very tiny and fits perfectly even in a small apartment. But in order to avoid annoying mistakes in the content, it is better to familiarize yourself with the simple rules for caring for hamedorea elegance.
Location and lighting
The Mexican palm is almost not demanding on the level of illumination. In natural conditions, it hides from the scorching sun under the crowns of tall trees. The flower can safely endure life on the north window. Moderate shade in the depths of the room will be as comfortable for him as a corner on a sunny windowsill. But bright direct rays can be dangerous for the leaves: the midday sun can burn them.
Moreover, hamedorea elegance can remain healthy and completely without the sun, if it is replaced by a lamp. But in such conditions, she will need a very long daylight hours. She will have to spend up to half a day under the lamp.
Temperature
The graceful palm tree has pronounced periods of activity and rest. In hot seasons, she will be satisfied with a temperature above 20 degrees. In the summer, the pot with the plant can be taken out to the balcony or even in the garden, placing it in a moderately shady place. With the onset of cold weather, chamedorea is sent to a cooler corner, where it is never warmer +16. During a period of such hibernation, it is worth taking care that the pot with the plant does not fall into cold drafts. It is possible to ventilate the room a little, but it perceives sharp temperature changes very badly.
Watering mode
During the growth period, chamedorea must be watered regularly and very abundantly. In this case, the volume of watering should increase with increasing temperature in the room. But you can't fill the palm tree either. The pot must have a sufficient drainage layer to prevent water from stagnating at the roots. Ideally, water it when the topsoil dries out. You should not expect an absolute drying out of the earthy coma. Too much dry out the soil in the pot, you can destroy the plant. For irrigation, settled and moderately warm water is suitable.
Air humidity
For the health of hamedorea, it is necessary to provide it with the proper level of air humidity. Twice a day, palm leaves are sprayed with water. She will not refuse to wipe the leaves, or a warm shower. In winter, the humidity level is slightly reduced.
If there is no time to constantly spray the plant, you can use special devices or place the flower next to water sources. The main thing is to keep it away from air-drying heaters. In such an environment, the palm tree will significantly lose in decorativeness: the tips of its leaves will begin to dry out.
The soil
For hamedorea, a fairly heavy soil is required. You can use store-bought palm soil. Sometimes charcoal is additionally added to it. For self-preparation of the planting land, you will need 3 parts of turf, as well as one part of sand, peat and leafy soil. A mixture of leaf and coniferous soil with humus is also suitable. The main thing is not to forget about the drainage layer. It is made from expanded clay, brick debris or shards.
Top dressing
Young, newly transplanted specimens do not need feeding. Due to the low growth rates after transplantation, it is worth waiting at least a year.
Adult hamedorrhea will appreciate nitrogen fertilization. Thanks to them, her foliage grows faster and looks better. It is recommended to add them to the soil during periods of plant activity: from early spring to the second half of autumn. In winter, this is done once a month, in summer a little more often - 2 or 3 times. As a top dressing, a standard fertilizer for palms is suitable, or an option for crops with decorative leaves. In the latter case, it is better to use half the dose.
Transfer
Neanta does not have a fast growth rate, however, young seedlings require an annual spring transplant into a slightly deeper container. Adult specimens can be transplanted less often - only in cases where the root system becomes too cramped in the existing pot. The standard transplant terms in this case are about once every three years. It is best to use the transshipment method.
Pruning
Chamedorea has only one growth point: its stems do not release branches. If you cut the stem from the top, it will stop growing, and the leaves at the bottom will dry out over time. Such careless manipulations can lead to the death of the plant.
Breeding methods for hamedorea graceful
Chamedorea can be propagated in several ways: by seed, by dividing the bush and with the help of basal offspring.
Seeds for planting can be collected by yourself or purchased from a store. They are sown in a pre-prepared mini-greenhouse with a stable temperature. The germination process can take from a month to six months. After the formation of at least one leaf, the seedlings are distributed in small separate pots. Seedlings grown in this way will bloom after 3-4 years, when the size of the bush reaches at least 30 cm.
A large, overgrown bush can be subdivided, but a single potted palm at home does not grow to this size. In stores, sometimes several palms are offered at once, planted in a common container. Such seedlings will be easy to divide into component parts. But buying such a "palm set", the buyer obviously runs a risk. Group plantings are not able to exist for a long time in a cramped pot. If you do not have time to separate them in time, they may all perish.
Adult chamedorrhea graceful can share basal offspring.Such planting material is planted in separate pots. Caring for them is no different from caring for the main plant.
Diseases and pests
The main household pests can harm the palm tree: thrips, scale insects and spider mites. The latter can be activated due to a lack of humidity in the room. Eliminate them with insecticides.
Improper care can lead to plant diseases.
As with many indoor species, excessively dry air leads to yellowing and drying of the tips of the leaves of the chamedorea graceful. Similar symptoms are observed with insufficient watering. Although some leaf problems actually only seem to be a disease. So the darkening and falling lower leaves are a natural consequence of growth, and not a cause for concern.
If you water a palm tree too often, without allowing the soil to dry out even a little, its roots can begin to rot. Such a disease can be recognized by assessing the condition of the soil. Putrefactive processes give it a characteristic unpleasant odor. Mold or withering young leaves should also be on the alert. To cope with decay of the roots, washing them and removing diseased parts will help. For disinfection, after pruning the rot, the roots are powdered with charcoal.
Sometimes the cause of problems is an incorrectly selected or drastically changed temperature regime. So in a palm tree that is dormant in a room that is too cold, dark spots may appear on the leaves.
An excess of individual elements in the soil can also lead to undesirable consequences. So high calcium levels will give the foliage a yellowish color.
Do not wash palm leaves with soap or other cleaning agents. You can remove dust from them only with a slightly damp clean cloth.
