Plants & Flowers

Family: Arecaceae

Synonyms: Dypsis lutescens

Distribution & Habitat: found in humid tropical forests from Malaysia to the Solomon Islands.

Common Names:
Yellow palm, Golden Cane Palm, Areca Palm, Golden Fruited Palm, Yellow Butterfly Palm, Golden Feather Palm

Chrysalidocarpus lutescens

Description: Only one species of the genus Chrysalidocarpus is widely grown as a house plant: Chrysalidocarpus lutescens. This plant – which used to be known as Areca lutescens and is still sometimes called areca palm- produces many reed like stems in clusters, and these stems carry arching fronds on 60 cm long, deeply furrowed, yellowish orange stalks. The fronds of a 1.5 m high Chrysalidocarpus can be up to 1 m long and are divided into many rather stiff, glossy, yellowish green segments which are up to 60 cm long and 1 cm wide. The segments are arranged in almost opposite pairs on a prominent midrib. Older stems are marked like bamboo canes.

Development is relatively slow. An annual increase of 15-20 cm in height is average for a plant grown in good light at normal room temperature. Specimens in pots normally produce many small suckers at the base; these can be used for propagation.

Proper Care:

Chrysalidocarpus lutescens - Care

Light: These palms do best in direct sunlight filtered through something like a translucent blind or curtain.

Temperature: Normally warm room temperatures are suitable. A minimum temperature of 13C is ideal for healthy growth though the plant will survive quite cool winters as a patio plant.

Watering: Water plentifully as often as necessary to keep the potting mixture thoroughly moist, but never allow the pot to stand in water. If the temperature falls as low as 13C, give only enough water to keep the mixture from drying out completely.

Feeding: Apply a liquid fertilizer to actively growing plants about every two weeks or so.

Potting and repotting: Use a soil based potting mixture. Move plants into pots one size larger every second spring until maximum convenient pot size is reached; thereafter, top-dress with fresh potting mixture annually. Make sure that the mixture is firmly packed around the roots, but be careful not to damage the thick taproots.

Propagation: Propagation can be achieved by fresh seed sown at a temperature of at least 18°C in late spring. If seed can be acquired, it is quite easy to germinate in the home, but it will take several years to produce a plant with adult characteristics. These plants can be increased much more simply by means of the basal suckers, which should be removed for propagation in spring. The ideal sucker is about 30 cm height and has some root growth (this can be ascertained when the plant is taken out of its pot for the operation).

Plant each sucker in a 10-12 cm pot filled with a moistened mixture of two-thirds soil-based potting mixture and one-third coarse sand or a substance such as perlite (the latter component to encourage active root growth). Enclose the whole in a plastic bag and keep it in a warm room in medium light for four to six weeks. Thereafter, remove the plastic bag and water the potted sucker sparingly, allowing the top centimetre of the mixture to dry out between waterings, until growth indicates that roots are well established. Then treat the plant virtually as a mature specimen, but do not feed it for the first three or four months. It need not be moved into standard mixture until the following spring.

Usage
Because of its dense and clustering growth habit, Chrysalidocarpus primarily is used as a shrub, hedge or screen in subtropical or tropical landscapes. There is almost no limit to the uses of the Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, and because it is easy to grow and readily available, it has become a landscaping standard. It also can be used as a specimen palm to show of its golden canes, especially if older leaves are pruned. In cooler climates, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens is commonly used in interior design to add a tropical touch.

Outdoor growing
Growing in full sun where it makes an excellent specimen or screen to the rather dense shade of patios, porches or as house plants, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens prefers fertile, well-drained, acid soil. Small palms benefit from some shade until they are about one metre tall and palms should be watered during periods of drought. They require regular fertilizer applications to maintain a good appearance. Young palms in full sun and those in high pH soils develop yellow leaves. Older leaves on plants of any age become chlorotic, frequently from a deficiency of potassium. Affected leaves are often speckled with bronze or yellow. Yellow Butterfly Palm is moderately salt-tolerant.

Summary:

Asplenium nidus
These plants require some special conditions and are unlikely to thrive without them.

CHARACTERISTICS:
Foliage – green
Shape – bushy

PROPER CARE:
Watering in rest period – sparingly
Watering in active growth period – plentifully
Light – bright filtered
Temperature in rest period – min 13C  max 24C
Temperature in active growth period – min 16C max 24C
Humidity – high

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Chrysalidocarpus lutescens landscape plants, palm, pot plants

Family: Araceae

Synonyms: Nephthytis podophyllum

Distribution & Habitat: is a perennial vine native from Mexico to Panama.

Common Names:
Arrowhead plant, Arrowhead vine, Arrowhead Philodendron, Goosefoot, Trileaf Wonder, African evergreen

Description:
Syngonium podophyllum usually produces medium green, rounded leaves 15 cm long and 10 cm wide with three deep-cut lobes when the plant is young. Mature plants produce leaves up to 30 cm long and wide divided into five or seven segments. There are a number of interesting varieties of Syngonium podophyllum as Syngonium podophyllum neon with extremely bright solid pink – richly saturated colour on each arrowhead leaf.

Syngonium podophyllum

Proper Care:

Light: Give Syngoniums bright filtered light throughout the year. Never subject them to direct sunlight.

Temperature: Normal room temperatures are ideal. Syngoniums cannot tolerate temperatures below 13 0c.

When never indoor temperatures are above 18°C, increase the humidity for actively growing plants by standing pots on trays of moist pebbles.

Watering: Water actively growing plants moderately, allowing the top centimetre or so of the mixture to dry out before watering again. Syngoniums normally have a short winter rest period, during which they should be given only enough water to keep the mixture from drying out completely.

Feeding: Apply standard liquid fertilizer about once every two weeks to actively growing plants.

Potting and repotting: Use an equal parts combination of soil-based potting mixture  and coarse leaf mould or peat moss. Repot each Syngonium every spring, moving the plants into pots one size larger when roots have filled the current pots. These plants do not require large containers. A 13 or 15 cm pot or a 15-20 cm hanging basket should be the maximum required. After such a size has been reached, top-dress plants every spring with fresh mixture.

Propagation: Propagate in late spring or early summer from tip cuttings 8-10 cm long. Take each cutting just below a node, strip off the bottom leaf, and dip the cut end in hormone rooting powder. Plant two or three prepared cuttings together in an 8-10 cm pot of a moistened equal-parts mixture of peat moss and coarse sand or perlite. Enclose the whole in a plastic bag or propagating case, and stand it in bright filtered light. After rooting has occurred (normally, in four to six weeks), uncover the pot and begin to give the rooted cuttings just enough water to make the rooting mixture barely moist.

After another month begin to apply monthly doses of standard liquid fertilizer. Four or five months after the start of propagation transfer the young plants, in groups, into the potting mixture recommended for mature specimens and treat them as adult Syngoniums. When transferring the plants keep them together. For hanging baskets it is effective to plant two or three groups in each basket.

Usage
Syngonium can be used as a specimen in small containers up to 22 cm in diameter and the very small plants in cell packs or small individual containers are frequently used in combination planters, such as dish gardens. One of the most popular usage of the plant is in hanging baskets from 14cm to 32 cm diameter. Commercial interiors capers use Syngonium in a variety of other cascading applications and occasionally as ground covers. Although few producers grow it as a totem, it is an excellent candidate for this application.

WARNING
All parts of the Syngonium podophyllum plant are poisonous if eaten.

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Syngonium podophyllum indoor plants

Family: Aspleniaceae

Synonyms: Thamnopteris nidus

Distribution & Habitat: native to tropical southeastern Asia, northern Queensland in Australia, Hawaii, Polynesia, Christmas Island, India, and eastern Africa.

Common Names:
Bird’s Nest Fern, Crow’s Nest Fern

Description: Asplenium nidus gets its common name, bird’s nest fern, from the fact that its shiny, undivided fronds are arranged in an upward-spreading, bowl shaped rosette. These apple green, slightly undulate fronds may grow up to 1.5 m long, but are more often about 45- cm long by 5-8 cm wide. Each one has a dark brown central rib that narrows and fades to merge with the colour of the rest of the frond for the last third of its length. For the first few weeks, new fronds, which unroll from a central spongy, fibrous, dark brown core, are delicate and easily damaged. They should not have the dust wiped off them at this early stage. Harder, more mature fronds, on the other hand, will benefit from occasional wiping with a damp cloth. Brown spore cases are arranged in herringbone fashion on the backs of some of the mature fronds of the plant. Asplenium nidus does not produce offsets.

Bird's Nest Fern

Proper Care:

Light: These Aspleniums should be exposed neither to bright sunlight nor dense shade. Give them medium light all year long.

Temperature: All these species do well in normal room temperatures although they can actually withstand quite low temperatures.

Watering: During the active growth period water plentifully as often as necessary to make the potting mixture thoroughly moist. Water the potting mix, not the center of the rosette, otherwise it can easily rot.

During the rest period water sparingly, enough to keep the potting mixture from drying out. It will not hurt these ferns to dry out for a while, but it is best to keep them evenly moist.

Feeding: Apply liquid fertilizer to well established plants once a month during the active growth period.

Potting and repotting: For a suitable potting mixture use a FERNS potting mixture. Aspleniums have fine, dense, black roots, which form very solid root balls. Repotting is needed only when the root ball becomes so dense and crowded that the pot is full of roots and obviously the plant is not absorbing enough moisture when watered. When this occurs, move plants into pots one size larger in the spring.

The roots of these plants will often adhere firmly to the sides of a pot, and in some cases it may be necessary to carefully break the pot so as to be able to remove the plant.

Propagation: Propagation of Asplenium nidus is possible only by spores and is impractical for most amateur growers.

Propagation of Asplenium nidus is not easy because each spore case on this frond contains millions of spores which are almost impossible to see, let alone handle.

Usage
Asplenium nidus will make a wonderful centerpiece in any garden decoration, whether planted in a pot, container, hanging basket or even on ground. Excellent as an accent in any landscape or rock garden. Being an epiphyte growing on large trees in the rainforest, parks or along roadways, it can be cultivated on trees growing in one’s garden to enhance the garden view.

Problems: Leaves will scorch if plant is in a draft or dry air. If scale insects invade plant, spray with soapy water followed by clean water.

Summary:

Asplenium nidus
These plants require some special conditions and are unlikely to thrive without them.

CHARACTERISTICS:
Foliage – green
Shape – rossette

PROPER CARE:
Watering in rest period – sparingly
Watering in active growth period – plentifully
Light – medium
Temperature in rest period – min 16C  max 24C
Temperature in active growth period – min 18C max 24C
Humidity – high

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Asplenium nidus ferns, foliage plants, hanging plants, indoor plants, outdoor plants

Family: Arecacea / Palmae (palm Family)

Common Names:
Dwarf Date Palm or Pygmy Date Palm, Miniature Date Palm

Distribution & Habitat:
Rainforest of Laos/Vietnam/Thailand.

Phoenix roebelenii

Description:
Phoenix roebelenii is small to medium sized palm to about 3m, although older plants can be quite tall. It has a thick crown of narrow, arching, dark green fronds, which are much finer than those of the other types and have a thin layer of white scales. The short, slender stem eventually becomes roughened as old leaf bases accumulate along its length. Although the plant normally has only a single stem, it sometimes produces several.

To maintain single-crowned plants which tend to look better as pot specimens, remove any surplus stems while they are still young. Phoenix roebelenii rarely grows taller than a metre, but it may achieve a spread of more than a metre, with 90 cm long fronds.

Cream colour flowers are held on short, 30 cm inflorescences and are followed by small black dates on the female plants (male flowers are borne on a separate plant). Although this palm is single stemmed most nurseries offer it in containers planted with 3 to 5 specimens. When grouped like this, the stems tend to curve gracefully away from the centre of the clump creating an especially attractive arrangement.

Proper Care:

Phoenix roebelinii Care

Light: Phoenix roehelenii does best when kept in filtered light, but will also thrive in full sunlight.

Temperature: All these palms grow well in normally warm room temperatures, but they do best if they are encouraged to have a winter rest period at about 10-13°C.

Watering: Water sparingly, making the mixture barely moist during the rest period. When active growth begins, increase amounts of water gradually; and water plentifully during the active growth period, giving enough to keep the mixture thoroughly moist. Never allow pots to stand in water, however. As winter approaches, begin to reduce amounts gradually once more.

Feeding: Apply standard liquid fertilizer to established plants once every two weeks during the active growth period only.

Potting and repotting: Use a soil based potting mixture. Repot these palms in pots 5 cm larger every two or three years just as new growth starts in spring. One sign that a plant needs a bigger pot is the appearance of many fine roots on the surface of the potting mixture. In repotting, it is essential to pack the mixture down firmly, but be careful not to damage the thicker roots. Pots from 25-30 cm are big enough for a metre or so tall specimen; small tubs should be used for larger ones. Leave enough space between the mixture surface and the rim of the pot to take plenty of water.

Once the maximum container size has been reached, an annual top-dressing with a few centimetres of fresh potting mixture will suffice.

Propagation: Commercially, phoenix palms are raised from seed. This is a slow process (they take about 3 months to germinate), however, and is not recommended for amateur growers. Some gardeners plant date stones. The stones germinate easily in spring if they are placed in a warm position and kept moist, but the first leaf is a single undivided section, and it may take two or three years for leaves with divisions to appear.

Set the stones individually in 8 cm pots or start those in seed boxes. In the latter case, pot in 8 cm pots after they have germinated and have made about 5-8 cm of growth. Thereafter their cultivation needs will be those of mature phoenix palms.

If sucker shoots at the base of Phoenix roebelenii are carefully detached, they should have some roots already formed, and such shoots can be used for propagation. Pot each shoot in an 8 cm pot of the standard potting mixture, place it in bright filtered light, and water it sparingly-just enough to keep the mixture barely moist. After new top growth indicates that the shoot is well rooted, treat the young plant in the same way as a mature phoenix palm.

Usage
Pygmy date palm excels in containers of all kinds. Also looks great by patios and entry ways. Use clumps of these palms as specimens and to serve as focal point in a mass planting of annuals. Also nice combined with evergreen shrubs in a mixed hedge. This rugged little palm looks great indoors – just give it a bright spot and keep it out of drafts (and away from where someone could brush against the spines – see Warning).

WARNING
Many palms are armed with dangerous spines and other sharp edges. But we are most likely to come in painful contact with those of smaller stature like the pygmy date palm. This palm has sharp needle-like spines arranged near the base of the leaf stem. These can easily penetrate skin, tissue – sometimes even protective clothing. This often results in painful infections and possibly other, direr complications. Keep this plant away from children’s play areas and walkways. Use caution and sturdy protective clothing when gardening near this and similar palms.

Summary:

Phoenix
These plants require some special conditions and are unlikely to thrive without them.

CHARACTERISTICS:
Foliage – green
Shape – bushy

PROPER CARE:
Watering in rest period – sparingly
Watering in active growth period – plentifully
Light – bright filtered
Temperature in rest period – min 7C  max 16C
Temperature in active growth period – min 16C max 24C
Humidity – low

Click here for buying online Phoenix roebelenii.

Phoenix roebelenii indoor plants, outdoor plants, palm