Coral palm(Chamaedorea elegans), also called elegant chamedora, is an attractive potted plant that is often found in our homes. Easy to grow and resistant, chamedora will work well in places full of diffused light as well as in shady corners. Learnthe secrets of growing a coral palmand ways to reproduce it at home. Find out what pests and diseases of palm trees can threaten this plant.
Coral palm, elegant chamedora - Chamaedorea elegans
Photo. depositphotos.com
What does a coral palm look like?
The coral palm belongs to the arecaceae family(Arecaceae) and can be found naturally in the moist, dense forests of Mexico and Guatemala. In its natural environment, it reaches up to 3 m in height. However, when grown in a pot, it is smaller and grows up to 1.5 m in height.
The ornament of the coral palmis a thick plume of large, green, feathery leaves. Under favorable conditions, the plant can bloom at home. Its loose, paniculate inflorescences are composed of fragrant, very tiny, yellow flowers. At the end of flowering, small (no larger than 6 mm in diameter), round, black, coral-like fruits are formed. The name of the coral palm comes from these fruits.
Coral palm - cultivation
Elegant chamedora is not demanding in terms of lightingThe plant can be placed both in a shaded corner of a room, as well as in a bright place with diffused sunlight.However, when choosing a site, it should be taken into account thatthe coral palm does not tolerate direct sunas it may burn its delicate leaves. The coral palm can also be grown without sunlight. However, in the case of artificial lighting, it must reach the plant 10 - 12 hours a day. It is therefore an excellent potted plant for the office.
The coral palm does not require tropical temperatures. In summer it feels best in the range of 20-25 ° C, while in winter it is recommended to lower the temperature to 12-16 ° C. It should be taken into account thatthe coral palm reacts very poorly to sudden changes in temperatureand does not tolerate drafts.
During the growing seasonchamedora requires abundant and regular wateringHere we assume that the warmer the room, the more water it will need. It is recommended to water after the top layer of the substrate in the pot has slightly dried. Make sure that the substrate in the pot is permeable enough and that there is a drainage layer at the bottom, e.g.expanded clay. Stagnant water can cause the roots to rot. The bestsubstrate for a coral palmis clay soil with an admixture of peat and sand, with a pH of 5.7-6.8.
Coral palm, elegant chamedora - Chamaedorea elegans
Photo. depositphotos.com
The coral palm requires high air humidityEspecially during the heating season, it is worth sprinkling it regularly. A pot with a coral palm should not be placed near heating devices. For both watering and sprinkling, it is best to use lukewarm water that has stood still for at least 24 hours.
Fertilize the coral palm from early spring to mid-autumnonce every 2 weeks. You can use liquid palm fertilizer. You can also use liquid fertilizers for ornamental deciduous plants, but then we only use half of the dose recommended on the packaging.
Despite the fact thatthe coral palm grows quite slowly , we replant young specimens every year.The new pot should be only slightly larger than the current one. Adult specimens are transplanted less frequently, every 3-4 years. Older specimens of chamedora are only replanted when the roots do not fit in the pot anymore.
Coral palm - reproduction
Chamedora can be propagated by sowing seeds and by dividing. You have to buy seeds, because in pot cultivation the chances of getting viable seeds from your own palm are almost zero.
Propagation of the coral palm from seeds- before sowing, soak the seeds in water for 5-6 days, and then sow them individually into pots filled with soil for sowing seeds. For the production of seedlings, it is necessary to obtain a high temperature (about 27 ° C) and humidity. For this purpose, we can buy a mini greenhouse or cover the pots with a glass jar. Seedlings usually appear 30-40 days after sowing, but there are cases where this process takes up to 6 months.Plants should be provided with systematic airing, as well as watering. When the leaf blade is 4 cm long, transplant the chamedora seedling into a larger pot.
Reproduction of the coral palm tree by division- gently take a mature, well-grown plant out of the pot and remove the soil by rinsing the roots with a stream of water. We carefully divide the clump into several parts, making sure that each of them has strong roots and a fully formed shoot. Place the seedlings in pots and pour them over. They will need around 30 days to root.
Planting a coral palm tree in a pot
Fig. depositphotos.com
Coral palm - diseases and pests
As a rulethe coral palm starts to get sickdue to improper care. Too low air humidity, too abundant or insufficient watering or nutrient deficiency are manifested by yellowing, browning and drying of palm leaves.We can easily deal with infectious diseases by taking proper care of our plants.
Among the infectious diseases, one of the most dangerous ispalm rhizoctoniosisIt manifests itself by rotting and decaying of the plant, starting from the roots. Another common disease of the coral palm isleaf blotchThis fungal infection manifests itself in the appearance of initially yellow and then brown spots on the leaves, becoming necrotic. The disease characteristic for palm trees ispalm bladeThe leaf blade is covered with yellow spots, and both on the lower and upper side of the leaf, dark thickening is visible within the discoloration. When they burst, the spores of the fungus spill out.
In growing potted plants, it is worth using Biosept Active Spray 750 ml, immunizing against fungal diseases, with an ecological preparation based on grapefruit. This preparation is purchased ready-to-use, in a package with a sprayer.It is very convenient when we need a small amount of the preparation for spraying plants at home.When we notice symptoms of a fungal infection, we can use spray plant protection products, e.g. Fungimat AL fungicide spray or Saprol Spray 750 ml.
The coral palm can also be attacked by pestsIf we see clusters of black, flat discs on the underside of the leaf blade, it is evidence of the presence of scales. On the other hand, the white coating in the form of flocs indicates the presence of mealybugs.In both cases, when fighting pests, we can use natural and safe preparations for home use, such as Emulpar spray 750 ml or Substral Multi-Insekt. All the preparations mentioned here are available ready-to-use, in convenient packages with a sprayer.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
