2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
This "little palm", as it is sometimes called in America, is unlikely to add comfort to your room. A bunch of thin and sharp leaves as if calls for disorder and lightness of being, and therefore can become an ornament, perhaps, of a very extravagant home. But, do not rush to pass by. For example, the Italians call Beaucarnea a "smoke eater" for her amazing ability to cleanse the air from gases and fumes harmful to humans
Caudex
We got acquainted with the word "Caudex" in the article about the plant "Jatropha"
(https://www.asienda.ru/komnatnye-rasteniya/osobyj-stebel-yatrofy/).
Plants of the genus Bocarnea or Nolina are also owners of caudex. Their swollen and lignified stems-trunks at the base are similar to the pantries of gardeners, because in them the plant accumulates and stores reserves of water and nutrients. Thanks to the reserves, the trunk is very tenacious and grows back quickly, even if Bocarnea was cut down.
One plant has two "official names" and many "folk" names. On store shelves you can find "Nolina", which, as a rule, has a smaller size and a caudex in the shape of an onion, or "Beaucarnea", with a more elongated trunk, similar to the leg of an elephant, for which she received another name, "Elephant Leg" … To some connoisseurs, such a trunk resembles a bottle, and therefore they call the plant "Bottle tree". For a lush disheveled crown, the plant is called "Horse's Tail".
Types of Bocarnea Nolina
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Bocarnea thin (Beaucarnea gracilis) or Nolina thin (Nolina gracilis) - caudex at Bocarnea thin, swollen at the base, ends with bundles of narrow belt-like leaves, the length of which reaches 70 centimeters. Occasionally, the plant gives its owners cluster inflorescences, collected from pinkish or red flowers.
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Sticking out bokarnea (Beaucarnea stricta) or Nolina sticking out (Nolina stricta) - the plant looks like Nolina thin, but its leaves are tougher and sharper, on the edge of which you can easily cut your hand.
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Bocarnea long-leaved (Beaucarnea longifolia) or Nolina longifolia (Nolina longifolia) is a rounded caudex, the tops of which are covered with a disheveled cap of drooping rigid leaves. Long leaves with a sharp edge require careful handling to avoid injury.
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Bokarnea bent (Beaucarnea recurvata) or Nolina recurvata - for its characteristic swelling of the caudex at the base, the plant received the name "Elephant's foot". Narrow long leaves with a beautiful cap hang over the stem-trunk. Nondescript brushes of white flowers at home are very rare. Most frequent guest as a houseplant.
Growing
Bokarneya-Nolina, thermophilic and tall in nature, is grown here exclusively as a houseplant. Since its roots are located close to the surface, the width is important for it, and not the depth of the container. Therefore, it needs little soil, consisting of one third of fertile humus and two third of peat. For feeding, 5 ml of liquid fertilizer is added to the water for irrigation (10 l) once a month.
Nolina loves warm and sunny places, so she prefers southern windowsills, and can sit near a hot radiator. Only then does she need more frequent watering and periodic spraying of the leaves. Usually, the plant is watered if the soil is dry, because caudex reserves must be consumed so that the trunk does not crack from excess moisture. So, for Nolina, drought is preferable to excessive watering. She also doesn't like drafts. She presents such flowers when she grows in warm regions.
In the summer, Beaucarnea can be taken out into the open. In winter, the air temperature in the room is preferable to cool, about 10 degrees Celsius.
Dry leaves are sufficient to maintain the appearance.
Reproduction
If you purchased a plant that has covered the distance from Central America, you need to provide it with adaptation conditions. For this, it must be kept in a constantly humid environment for a whole month. Alternatively, spray the leaves more often.
And at the end of winter, you can sow seeds in well-drained soil at a room temperature of about plus 20 degrees.
