Description
Special Features of Livistona
Livistona is a genus of perennial tall evergreen trees of the family Arecaceae) (Palmaceae or Palmae) comprising 36 species that grow in the tropical and subtropical regions of Australia and Oceania, Africa and Southeast Asia, the Ryukyu Islands and mainland China. The genus was named and recorded in 1810 in memory of the Scottish landowner Patrick Murray (1632-1671). His estate was located near Livingstone and included a large garden containing over a thousand plants that he had collected thanks to his friendship with Sir Andrew Balfour (1630-1694), a famous botanist, physician and antiques and books collector.
Various Latin epithets reflect the initial origin of the plant or some characteristic features in its appearance, the name of the first European scientist to describe it or the name of the lady of his heart:
- Livistona australis (Southern Livistona)
- Livistona chinensis (Chinese Livistona)
- Livistona chocolatina (Chocolate Livistona)
- Livistona eastonii (Easton's Livistona)
- Livistona mariae (Maria's Livistona)
- Livistona papuana (Papuan Livistona)
- Livistona rotundifolia (Round-leaved Livistona)
- Livistona speciosa (Beautiful Livistona).
Only 3 species are grown as an indoor plant, the first, the second and the one but last.
Livistona chinensis is sometimes referred to as Latania and its blue green delicious fruits as "Latania's apples". It is a blunder. Latania is another genus of the same family comprising only 3 species: Latania commersonii, Latania loddigesii and Latania verschaffeltii. They are also fan palms and also very attractive. They are only grown in greenhouses with the temperature over 18-20 ° C all year round, do not grow taller than 10-12 meters, and most importantly are extremely rare in the wild. For example, Latania verschaffeltii is endemic to Mauritius (east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean) and there hardly were five hundred plants.
True Livistona chinensis in the wild easily and quickly grows to 15 meters and has a thick trunk 40-50 centimeters in diameter. The leaves are green, shiny, elliptic, consisting of 50-60 (or even 80) segments. Their drooping tips tend to dry out even with the proper care. You should know and accept this. Do not cut them off, or the rate of drying will increase.
With good care, Livistona chinensis can become an attractive plant in 3 years. It is very shade-tolerant and tolerant of moderately warm air in the room. It produces inflorescences up to 120 centimeters long.
Livistona rotundifolia is a little less popular but no less charming both when young and mature. It is the only species in the genus that likes sandy soils. The plant grows in the coastal areas of the Malay Archipelago: the trunk reaches 14 meters tall with a diameter of 17 centimeters. The trunk is topped by 1.5 meter brown stalks, with approximately one-third the length densely covered with studs; each rounded leaf is glossy green, split radially, 100-150 centimeters in diameter. The panicles of yellow flowers are the same length.
In the wild, Livistona australis (or Australian fan palm) features a columnar thick trunk 30-40 centimeters thick and 20-25 meters tall. It is thickened at the bottom and covered with the remains of fallen leaves. Round leaves are dark green and shiny on the surface and slightly lighter underside, 1.5-2 meters in diameter, and cut into 60 or more segments with double-notched ends. The petioles are 1.5-2 meters long, with frequent, strong sharp thorns at the edges; the thorns are brown, even almost black, which makes them clearly visible. In indoor cultivation, the plant flowers infrequently by producing inflorescences 120-130 centimeters long and later clusters of round brown berries. Livistona australis loves frequent spraying as if it remembers its native humid subtropical forests of eastern Australia. It does not have any other requirements and gained popularity as one of the lowest maintenance species for indoor cultivation.
Although Livistona can reach the size of a 4-7-storey building in the open air, in indoor cultivation when the plant reaches the ceiling, it starts growing to the sides and does not try to break the roof. The maximum height of Livistona australis indoors is 5 meters, more frequently about 3 meters. The location for the plant should be spacious.
There is also a completely different opinion that if given enough space, a potted or tubbed Livistona does not want to grow up, might even not form a trunk and prefers to realize its growth potential in leaves.
There are a lot of possible explanations, but the fact is it will annually grow 3 new leaves. Make sure to protect its top from damage. This is necessary for successful development of any Palmae.
ATTENTION! Leaf tips in Livistona tend to dry up (unfortunately, not only in Livistona chinensis). It is believed that this can be overcome by stabilizing the temperature at 16-18 ° C, regularly misting the leaves with soft warm (or chemically softened and settled) water and frequently washing, especially in the summer. Try it, it may work for you. However, if it does not and if you want to prune the plant, remember the following:
1) Pruning should be done only in the beginning of growth period in early spring.
2) Only remove the entirely dry leaves together with the petioles. If you cut off partly dry leaves, other leaves will start to dry rapidly.
The Secrets to Successfully Growing Livistona
Livistona needs bright filtered light. It is tolerant to some direct sunlight. In the summer, place the plant near an eastern or western exposure window and or shaded southern exposure window; in the winter place the plant in the best-lit room in the house.
To make sure the crown is uniform, rotate the plant to the light so that the young leaf apex was directed into the room.
The recommended temperature ranges of this southern plant are surprisingly low, 16-20 ° C in the summer and 14-18 ° C in the winter (not lower than 12 ° C). Regular airing is beneficial (of course, make sure there are no drafts). You may place the plant to the balcony, patio or garden, starting from May.
Livistona loves high air humidity. Mist your plant 2 or 3 times a day. Shower to wash the leaves weekly or at least wipe with a damp cloth or sponge. In October and February during the resting period, decrease misting and washing.
Place the pot (tub) with your palm tree on a drainage tray. In the summer, plentifully water the soil as the top dries with water at the temperature of 30 C; remove water from the drainage pan 2 hours later. In June and August in the moderate climate and areas to the north of it, it is best to water in morning with a thin long trickle. In the winter, water sparingly, but again, be guided by the soil condition. The soil should not dry out. Only allow the top to dry out between watering. Remove excess water from the tray immediately.
During the growing season, fertilize your Livistona with organic fertilizer once in 7 (maximum 10) days. Good growth can only be ensured by nutrients, so the advice to fertilize a potted Livistona twice a month in the summer and stop fertilizing in the winter does not look valid. Other recommendations are much more valuable because they are more efficient:
- From spring to autumn, in addition to organic fertilizer, use a microelement plant fertilizer or special compound ornamental foliage fertilizer every two weeks.
- In the resting period, reduce the frequency of feeding up to once per month.
- Fertilize during or immediately after watering.
All palms do not love repotting s it inevitably damages their root systems. Therefore, some experts recommend repot only when rootbound and when the roots emerge from the drainage hole in the pot bottom. Other experts offer rigorous schedule:
- Repot young plants annually.
- When the plant reaches 4 to 6 years old, repot in 2 or 3 years.
- Older plants should be repotted once in five years and top-dressed with new soil.R
epot in April or May. Examine the root system. If it grows mostly down, the new pot should be deep, if it grows to the sides, choose wide pot. Neatly cut off rotten roots. Place healthy long roots along the walls of the new pot. Place a thick layer of drainage material at the bottom.
If you do not use commercially available palm soil, you may prepare the soil mix yourself:
- For young plants;
1) equal-parts lightweight loam, compost soil, and leaf mold
2) the same as above plus sand at 1: 1: 1: 1
- For mature plants:
3) loam, compost, leaf mold, and sand at 2: 1: 1: 1;
4) lightweight loam, heavy loam, compost, greenhouse soil (or humus), and sand at 1: 1: 1: 1: 1
- For plants of any age:
5) loam, leaf mold, humus, and sand at 1: 1: 1: 1
6) loam, leaf mold, and sand at 2: 2: 1
7) lightweight clay loam, leaf humus, peat, rotted manure, and sand at 2: 2: 1: 1: 1, add a pinch of charcoal, expanded clay, and small gravel.
The target acidity is weak or neutral (pH = 5.0-7.0).
Water moderately during the first two weeks after repotting to avoid rot of damaged roots.
A mature potted Livistona may produce offspring that make the plant look like a bush. If you are able to remove the offspring carefully and without damaging the root system during repotting, you may use it for propagation.
An alternative method of propagation is from seed. Sow the seeds in February or March. First, soak them in water with a temperature of 30-60 ° C for a day, then allow germinate in the light at 20-25 ° C. Sow them no deeper than a few centimeters in a wide pot with heated moist soil. The seedlings will appear in 3-4 months. Place them until their roots are not intertwined in separate pots and present to friends. A few years later, the one who received this gift, will have its own potted beauty!
Potential Problems
If the pot is too large and the drainage is poor, the waterlogged soil will cause root rot and brown spots on the leaves.
Lack of nutrients will slow down Livistona's growth and the leaves will turn yellow.
The leaves may also turn yellow due to underwatering.
The leaves get spots, droop and fade if the soil/air is too dry.
Too low temperatures in the winter may result in wilting and withering of leaves.
Unexpected drop of temperature (if you forgot to close the window after airing) will lead to brown spots on the foliage.
Livistona can get whiteflies, mealybugs, and spider mites. Aphids and scale insects can attack the plant in a cool room in the winter. To prevent infestation, wipe the leaves with chamomile or green soap solution. If the concentrations are low, you may leave it on the leaves without washing with clean water.