Beaucarnea. Nolin's bottle palm

Nolina, bocarnea or bottle palm is grown as a houseplant and is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and unusual appearance.

The trunk is thickened at the base, which is why the plant received the name “bottle palm.” The genus has about 30 species, some species differ little from each other. Depending on the species, bocarnea can reach a height of 1-2 m.

Care and cultivation

To grow a bottle palm, select a wide, not very deep pot with drainage holes. The roots of the plant grow wider, so there is no need for deep pots. A layer of drainage is poured onto the bottom of the pot, then nutritious soil is poured, for example, a mixture of leaf and turf soil, peat and sand.

Bocarnea develops best in the sun, so choose a well-lit plant, protected from direct sunlight. sun rays place. Nolina is contained at room temperature, but at the same time provide protection from drafts. In summer, if possible, a pot of bocarney is taken out to Fresh air. In winter, the temperature is lowered to 5-10 degrees Celsius, but the bottle palm continues to be watered and kept in a bright place.

Water regularly, avoiding stagnation of moisture. The plant can do without watering long time, but regular watering is necessary to ensure that the bokarneya looks most decorative. In winter, when kept cool, watering is reduced.

Nolina can do without fertilizing, but responds positively to the application of mineral fertilizers. Complex mineral fertilizers Apply once a month during the period of active growth. In this case, the dose of fertilizer indicated on the package is reduced by half.

To form lush crown, bocarnea leaves are trimmed. But you shouldn't prune too often. It can take more than one year to get a beautiful tree.

Young specimens are transplanted annually in the spring. Adult plants are replanted every 3-4 years.

Reproduction of nolina

Bocarnia is propagated by seeds and side shoots.

Before planting, the seeds are kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 24 hours. Then the seeds are planted in a moist mixture of peat and sand. The seeds are lightly pressed into the substrate, but not sprinkled with soil on top. Bocarnea seeds are germinated under glass, in a bright place, at temperatures above 22 degrees Celsius. When the seeds germinate, the glass is removed. Seedlings may require additional lighting; daylight should last at least 12 hours. Seedlings are watered as the substrate dries.

When transplanting adult plants, you can separate the side shoots, if any. The side shoots are carefully cut off at the base, and the cut is sprinkled with crushed charcoal. The shoots are dried for 5 hours, then planted in a moistened, light and loose substrate. The shoots are rooted in a bright place, under a film, at a temperature of 22-25 degrees Celsius. The plants are ventilated daily, without removing the film for long, and timely watering is ensured. Rooted shoots are transplanted into nutrient soil and cared for as adult plants.

A tree from the Igliceaceae family, previously it was classified as an agave.

In nature, nolina is found in desert areas in Mexico and the southern United States.

The second name of the plant is bocarnea.

Because of this, in stores you can see the inscription on the price tags nolina bocarnea or nolina bottle tree.

Nolina is a small tree with a significantly swollen base of the trunk. In this place the plant accumulates water, which allows it to survive drought. Nolina leaves are thin. In hot weather, they are compressed into a dense bundle to reduce the area of ​​evaporation and retain moisture.

Kinds

There are 9 types of nolina. They are all quite similar to each other, but they also have certain differences.

Thin

Nolina thin - a plant with a spherical trunk at the base and long narrow leaf blades growing in bunches at the crown. The tree blooms rarely, blooming red or bright pink flowers.

sticking out

Nolina protruding is very similar to the previous species, but its leaves are stiffer, which is why they do not hang down softly, but stick out quite high, which is why the tree got its name.

Beaucarnea bent nolina

Nolina recurvata - the most common form grown indoors. The second name is Beaucarnea recurvata. The trunk is very expanded, and if the tree grows in nature, then the diameter of its base reaches 1 m. At the top the trunk is thin. It is topped with a tuft of stiff, ribbon-shaped leaves. They are arched and twisting, directed towards the bottom.

The color of the leaf blade is dark green, and its surface is glossy. The length of the leaves reaches 1 m with a width of 1-2 cm. Large plants produce panicle-shaped inflorescences with a cream color.

Compressed

Compressed nolina (Beaucarnea stricta) has a squat, somewhat flattened shape. Young trees look more like bulbs. Dried leaves do not fall off, but fall down, clinging to the trunk, from which it begins to resemble a haystack.

Nelson

Nelson's Nolina (Nolina nelsoni) - the most tall view plants. The trunk is almost invisible. The color of the leaves is slightly bluish.

Matapskaya

Nolina matapskaya has an average height. Dry leaves do not fall off and create a wide skirt, which helps protect the trunk from the scorching sun in hot weather.

This species, like Nelson's nolina, is rarely grown at home.

Lindermeira

Lindermeir's Nolina (Nolina lindheimeriana) is a very attractive tree decorative look . Several thin shoots emerge from the thickening at the bottom, topped with a very dense bunch of leaves. Sheet plates dark green in color and have a sinuous shape.

A bunch of leaves can grow to a considerable size and reach the ground. At home, the culture grows to human height in a short time.

Nolina longifolia is distinguished by long and very thin leaves that do not fall and create straw skirts. The tree is usually branched and of small height. The bark on the trunks is corky, covered with deep cracks. The plant has taken root in parks on the Black Sea coast.

Small-fruited

Small-fruited nolina (Nolina microcarpa) is a plant without a distinct trunk, producing numerous inconspicuous-looking inflorescences. The color of the leaves is light green.

Features of care

Care must be carried out competently; without it, the tree will quickly begin to wither.

Temperature	The culture is unpretentious regarding temperature. In nature, in places where it grows, the temperature in the summer months reaches +50 degrees, and in the winter it drops to +10 degrees. Ideal temperature is from +20 to +25 degrees. In winter, it is optimal to reduce the temperature to a temperature of +10 to +12 degrees, so that nolina can go into a dormant period and rest.
Lighting	The species is found in desert areas and therefore loves bright light. Place indoor flower should be on windows facing south or southwest. If there is not enough light, the tree begins to lean towards the light source, which leads to curvature of the trunk and damage to the appearance of the plant.
Watering	Nolina rarely needs to be watered. She, like a desert dweller, stores moisture and gradually uses it up, from which an excess of water will only harm the plant. Excess water, as opposed to drying out, poses a serious danger to the tree. In summer, watering once every 7-10 days is enough.. In winter, the interval between watering increases to 15-20 days. Provide optimal watering the bottom way, immersing the pot with the plant in a bucket of settled water for 30 minutes.
Humidity	The humidity in the apartment is indifferent to the culture. Nolina tolerates even very dry air. To remove dust, simply wipe the leaves with a soft cloth soaked in water.
Fertilizers	Feeding is optional. The plant feels good and quickly grows in size even in poor soil. If you decide to apply fertilizer, then you should give preference to the mineral complex, which is diluted in an amount 2 times less than indicated in the instructions. Fertilizer should be applied only during the period of active watering and no more than once a month.

If desired, you can trim the crown and thereby form its special appearance.

Transfer

Young, actively growing plants are replanted 2 times a year as they outgrow their pot. Mature trees are replanted once every 5 years. The root of nolina is shallow, and therefore Choose a pot for it that is flat and has sufficient holes for good drainage.. Optimal material pot - ceramics.

A layer of expanded clay is poured onto the bottom of the container, then half of the soil is filled in, the plant is placed and the rest of the soil is added.

The soil for nolina requires loose soil. It requires peat, leaf soil and sand in a ratio of 1:1:2.

Reproduction

The plant can be propagated seeds or shoots. It is quite difficult to do this at home.

When propagated by seeds, they are sown in late February - early March. Before planting, the seeds must be soaked in water for 2 days. Those that float to the surface must be thrown away, as they are unsuitable for sowing. Seeds are planted in the same soil as for adult plants and covered with glass to create a greenhouse effect. For more information on propagating nolina by seeds, see here:

Sprouts appear in 2-4 weeks. The glass is removed when the first leaves appear. Nolina grows extremely slowly from seeds. However, knowing how to grow nolina from seeds, you can achieve success.

The plant rarely produces side shoots. The shoot selected for propagation should be cut off near the base and the cut area should be sprinkled with crushed coal or ground cinnamon.

After this, you need to leave the shoot to dry for 5 hours.

Then it is planted in the ground and covered with a jar to create a greenhouse effect.

The pot is placed in a warm place and the plant is ventilated, removing the jar once every 3-4 days. After roots form, new leaves appear; and this is an indicator that the can can be removed.

Possible problems

If the leaves of nolina become smaller and turn pale, it is time to replant it, since the tree has become crowded.

Drying leaf tips means the tree is too dry; To eliminate the problem, you need to water the plant and wipe the leaves with a wet cloth.

There are a few more in this video useful tips on how to prevent problems with nolina:

When the tree's trunk shriveled after a long break in watering, he needs resuscitation. To do this, nolina is urgently placed in water for 1 hour, and then treated with a solution of succinic acid at a dosage of 0.1 percent.

Most pests are not able to gnaw through the leaves of a plant, but sometimes the following enemies can attack it:

• spider mite;
• scale insect;
• mealybug.

Benefits of the plant

It is also worth placing a tree in your home because it will improve the home microclimate.

Thanks to beneficial properties Nolina, what’s happening in the house:

• enrichment of air with oxygen;
• air enrichment with ozone;
• enrichment of air with air ions.

The plant also produces phytoncides that destroy pathogens of respiratory diseases.

Nolina is not only interesting, but also useful indoor plant.

There are so many names for this compact tree! Nolina, bocarnea, Mexican palm tree, bottle tree, elephant foot, horse tail... They gave it to me three times (at least, different people, not intersecting with each other). The plants died twice (most likely, I was unable to organize a normal temperature regime without drafts).

But then I finally finished the renovation, installed new windows and a good heating boiler... Oh, and the third nolina has taken root beautifully in my house! I took my darling away - and raised her to the ceiling, and multiplied her several times, supplying her friends with tiny Mexican palm trees. It turned out that caring for this plant is not so scary if the house is cozy!

This large-format relative of the agave lives in Mexico and the southern states of the United States.

“In the wild” is a medium-sized tree decorating the streets:

For comparison, bokarneya in an apartment:

Indoor nolins grow relatively small. They are considered unpretentious, especially when it comes to air humidity and watering. The narrow leaves of nolina almost do not evaporate moisture, and its thick trunk (caudex) constantly makes reserves “for a rainy day.”

In wild and outdoor conditions, bokarnia blooms, like this:

At home, you can grow it to the ceiling, but you will never see such “panicles”. So nolina is not a flower, but a decorative foliage.

This plant is grown in single pots.

Greenhouse and apartment types of bokarneya

In Northern Mexico you can see about 30 species of such trees. Only a few are brought to us. And in general, nolina in our country is considered both a rarity and an expensive house plant (if we talk about a one and a half meter giant in a pot, well, everyone can afford the seeds and recently planted “baby”).

Longifolia nolina (longifolia)

A powerful tree with a wide “cork” trunk.

In our country, such nolins are grown in greenhouses. There they can even bloom - profusely, with pink-cream flowers.

Matapskaya

Another option for greenhouses, growing up to 2 meters.

Blooms with white-yellow flowers.

The peculiarity of this species (as well as longifolia) is that if you do not cut off old, dried leaves, they will droop down, forming a “Hawaiian skirt” on the trunk of the plant.

Lindemeyer

Not the tallest species, but it also grows only in greenhouses (as well as in gardens in regions with warm winters).

The leaves are narrow, dry to the touch, but very dense. Because of this, Lindermeyer's bokarnea is called the "devil's rope."

Bent (recurvata)

Nolina "classical" shape.

Its leaves are very dense - it is from them that Mexicans weave their famous sombreros, as well as agricultural baskets. So by starting this plant, you will get a lot of raw materials for home crafts.

“In the wild” this tree grows up to 10 meters, in an apartment - up to 2 meters. The leaves are up to a meter long, although they are only 2 cm wide.

Compressed (strict)

Popular view. The crown resembles a dandelion, with so many leaves sticking out of it in different directions.

Nelson

The trunk of such a plant is not very pronounced, but the leaves are noticeable and have a bluish color.

Basic care for this plant

Light

Diffused, bright (both in summer and winter). The rays should not fall directly on the window, so if you only have a south window, keep the bottle tree pot not on the windowsill, but a little further from it - for example, on a table. In winter, the plant needs to be illuminated, so many people place it on a window next to their workplace, where the light bulb is constantly on.

Temperature

Nolin can all year round keep at room temperature. However, in winter you can arrange a “refrigerator” for it, gradually raising the temperature in the room with the plant to 10 degrees. Such wintering will slow down the growth of your green pet.

Watering

In spring and summer, nolina is watered generously by submerging the pot (allowing the excess to drain, keeping the pot on a tray for about 30 minutes). This should be done when all the soil in the pot is dry. In winter, it is watered the same way (if it is kept at room temperature) or not watered at all (if it is kept at 10 degrees). Soften the water (settle, distill, boil).

Important! Watering should be done rarely, because bokarnia is accustomed to constant droughts in its homeland!

Water procedures

Instead of spraying, it is better to prefer rare wiping of the leaves with a damp but well-wrung-out cloth. This will remove dust and moisten the leaf blades safely (without accumulation of moisture in the leaf axils).

Feeding

They are not required. But in spring and summer you can buy a mineral complex, diluting it with 2 times more water than the manufacturer of such food indicates. Bokarny food is given after watering, once every 3 weeks.

Special care conditions

Nolina growing on the street blooms and then begins to branch. In order for branches to appear on a domestic, non-flowering “pet”, it needs to be cut. The only thing this plant is afraid of is a draft. If you take the pot outside in the summer, choose a completely windless place that will not receive rain.

An experienced gardener will tell you in detail about pruning this plant. indoor palm tree which looks just great:

Solving problems that arise with nolina

• Pests have appeared. Nolina is suitable for spider mites, scale insects or mealybugs. Good news- these scoundrels rarely attack the tree, and if the bocarney grows in a room with high humidity, and even its leaves will often be “washed”, insects will not attack at all. But if they have already “arrived”, go to a flower shop, they will sell you poison against them.
• The trunk is rotting. You flood the plant and/or after watering you do not allow all the excess water to run out of the pot. Don’t rush, water the bocarney only when all the soil is dry.
• The trunk was thick and beautiful, but suddenly it became thin and seemed to have dried up. Again, you are watering the plant too often. And since there is always water in the soil, why does nolina accumulate it in the caudex? Reduce the frequency of watering, and the tree will again look like a bottle.
• The tips of the leaves become brown and dry. The air in the room is too dry. If you can’t place an aquarium or a humidifier next to the plant, just wipe the leaves with a wet cloth more often.
• New leaves are paler and shorter than old ones. Nolina grew up in the heat, but she lacked light. This is a very light-loving plant; it should not be pushed into far corner, place it on the north window or hide it behind the curtain.

Methods for propagating nolina

There are two ways to get a small zero. If you don’t have such a tree yet, buy seeds and germinate them. If there is already a tree, wait for shoots to appear and act.

Seeds

• Seed material is soaked in ordinary water or growth stimulant (for example, in succinic acid) for 1-2 days.
• The soil is made from sand and peat.
• The seeds are laid out on top of the pot, 2 cm apart, and sprinkled with a very small (to the depth of the seed itself) layer of soil.
• Grow in a greenhouse (the pot is covered with a transparent bag) in the sun or under a lamp, at 20-25 degrees. Condensation should not be allowed to accumulate on the inside of the bag, so a homemade greenhouse must be opened frequently for ventilation.
• Water the seeds better way gentle spraying.
• They germinate after 4 weeks. The film can be removed.
• When the seedlings grow into strong sprouts, transfer them to separate pots filled with “adult” soil (its composition is described below).

Processes

“Children” grow on the trunk of the tree, although without roots. They can be broken off or cut, planted in loose soil or placed in a glass of water.

See how this is done live here:

Beaucarnea transplant

• Frequency. Young plant(up to 3.5 years) are replanted annually, older ones - once every 2-3 years. In the latter case, they look to see whether Nolina’s roots have filled their old “house” or not.
• Pot. Buy a shallow one, as nolina’s roots are not too massive. Even a wide bonsai tray will do.
• Drainage. Must go to the bottom, because water retention in the soil will easily kill it unpretentious plant. Do not skimp on expanded clay or other drainage, lay it in a thick layer.
• Priming. Peat or deciduous ground(1 share) + sand (2 shares). Or! Peat + sand + humus soil + turf soil + deciduous soil (all in the same quantity).

After transplantation, you can water the plant only 5 days later.

IN new soil The hole is not deepened much - the depth for the bottle tree is the same as in the old pot.

You will see a “close-up” transplant of this picky exotic in this video:

It’s hard to even imagine a more unpretentious plant for growing at home than a palm tree with an unusual name - nolina; it tolerates long-term lack of watering, dry air and is absolutely indifferent to temperature fluctuations.

Such a plant will be a real gift for the busiest gardener, because your frequent business trips and constant absences from the apartment will not affect the appearance of this palm tree, except that it will grow noticeably in your absence. Today we will talk about the rules for caring for this plant.

Appropriate place

The vast majority of indoor plants are afraid of direct sunlight, but not nolina. You can place it on the windowsill of a south-facing window and not worry at all that this choice may damage the plant. The more illuminated the chosen location is, the more beautiful your palm tree will feel. But in winter, when the daylight hours become short, it would not be a bad idea to worry about an additional light source; this could be the simplest fluorescent lamp.

Another wintering option for this plant is to lower the temperature to +12 - +14 degrees. In such conditions, the flower “goes into sleep mode” and does not need watering or good lighting.

In summer, it is better to move the palm tree to a balcony or terrace, just try not to place the flowerpot with nolina in a draft; despite the calm attitude towards temperature changes, cold air currents can be detrimental to it.

Optimal watering

The entire life activity of this plant depends entirely on watering, so first of all, do not overwater it, otherwise the flower will die. Nolina should be watered rarely, when the earthen ball dries out completely, but very generously; all excess water should be immediately drained from the pan.

Despite all its pickiness, nolina does not tolerate hard water quite well; try to water it exclusively with soft, settled water.

Proper watering and ample lighting are also important for the appearance of your palm tree; if there is too much moisture or, conversely, not enough, the stem will stretch unsightly and will not be able to form the “elephant foot” of the plant.

Temperature and humidity

The range of comfortable temperatures is quite wide; in summer the plant can easily tolerate +30 degrees of heat, and in winter this tree feels absolutely fine even at temperatures below +10 degrees. The only thing you need to remember is that during a “cold wintering” you need to completely stop watering and any spraying of the plant.

The level of humidity in the room where nolina grows is also completely unimportant; the palm tree will quickly adapt to the conditions that exist. Nolina does not need spraying; it is enough to wipe the leaves from dust with a damp cloth once a week.

The compaction at the bottom of the nolina stem allows it to accumulate the necessary moisture and, in times of drought, use the accumulated reserve, so there is no need to be afraid high temperatures V summer period, this plant will cope better than any other indoor flower.

Necessary feeding

Nolina can easily do without regular fertilizing, but if you want to speed up the growth of your palm tree and make its appearance more attractive, then try adding liquid mineral fertilizers for indoor plants in a minimal dosage.

Transplanting a plant

Only young trees need to be replanted annually; in the first or second year of life, as soon as the palm tree turns 3 years old, it can be replanted once every 4-5 years. The root system of this plant grows in breadth, so when choosing a new container, give preference to wide, shallow pots. The soil for replanting can be used the same as for cacti, or you can prepare a soil mixture yourself by mixing turf soil, peat and sand. A drainage layer must be placed at the bottom of the new container; expanded clay is most often used for this purpose.

Unlike other indoor plants, nolina does not need to be watered for 2-3 days after transplanting.

Reproduction of nolina at home

Reproduction occurs by shoots or seeds, but in both the first and second cases, rooting takes quite a long time.

To propagate by seeds, it is necessary to use seeds softened in water and containers with peat located in a greenhouse. Seeds germinate for quite a long time, and then only if the temperature is not lower than +25 degrees, good lighting and suitable watering.

For the second method, you need to cut off the side shoot and treat the cut area with crushed coal, and then try to root it in a container with peat.

A small, palm-like tree with a dense caudex and a lush, curly head of foliage - this is the view exotic beauty nolins. It will be appropriate in any interior and will add coziness to any room. This indoor plant is not picky, and in response to simple care rules, it provides spectacular decorative properties and also cleans the air well.

Origin and botanical description of the plant

Genus perennial plants Nolina is included in the Nolinaceae subfamily and further - in the Asparagus family (until recently, Nolinaceae was classified as a member of the Agave family). These tropical trees naturally distributed in southern Mexico and partially in some areas of the southern United States.

Unusual view nolina with a thickened trunk at the bottom contributed to the presence of many additional names: “elephant’s foot”, “bottle tree”, “pony’s tail”. The name bocarnea is also common among amateurs - from the Latin Beaucarnea, a genus of plants of the same family, which some taxonomists include in the genus Nolina.

In the “puffiness” at the base of the trunk - the caudex - nolina bocarnea accumulates moisture. This allows it to survive in drought, when there is sometimes no rainfall for ten months a year. The bark does not allow it to pass out, and the leaves - strong, narrow - during periods of heat and a long absence of rain, they gather closer to each other, reducing the evaporation surface.

IN natural conditions nolina can reach 10 m in height. Domestic specimens are much lower - usually up to one and a half meters.

The caudex turns into one thin woody trunk or branches into several. The thin, cracking bark is gray or light brown in color.

The tree's resemblance to a palm tree is given by the dome-shaped crown of foliage gathered at the top of the trunk. Adult specimens boast leaves two meters long. They are tough, with noticeable veins.

IN wildlife Bokarneya blooms at a “respectable” age - not earlier than 15 years, but specimens growing at home are not pleased with the appearance of flowers, so the bottle tree is considered an ornamental foliage. Grown in single pots. On sale it is often presented in a standard form - with one trunk without branches.

Adherents of the teachings of Feng Shui believe that the presence of such a houseplant as nolina in the house promotes prosperity and improves the aura of family relationships. It is difficult to prove such properties of wood, but the fact that bocarnea actively cleans the air of harmful gases and saturates it with oxygen has been proven by scientists.

Main varieties and varieties

Experts have described more than 30 types of nolina. The most popular of them:

• nolina recurvata, or bocarnea recurvata (in Latin - Beaucarnea recurvata) - with leaves so strong that hats are woven from them in Mexico;
• compressed (in Latin - Beaucarnea stricta) - a spectacular tree with a lush crown of foliage, ranking second in prevalence;
• Nelson's nolina (in Latin - Nolina nelsoni) - with a characteristically low trunk and bluish tint of foliage;
• nolina Lindemeira (in Latin - Nolina lindheimeriana) - the shortest of the nolinas, almost without a trunk, with dry and strong leaves;
• long-leaved (in Latin - Nolina longifolia) - a tree grown in our latitudes in specialized greenhouses. In its native habitat it grows several meters high. The lower leaves, gradually drying out, seem to form a long frill covering the trunk.

Nolina reflexum is usually grown as a houseplant. It grows quite quickly: with skillful care, in the sixth or seventh year of development it has large sizes and is located on the floor. Other types of bottle tree are cultivated in our country only in specialized greenhouses.

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Necessary conditions for cultivation

Like all succulents, nolina, accustomed to very ascetic conditions in its natural environment, is very unpretentious. It’s not difficult to grow a nice green palm tree at home with your own hands - you rarely need to water or replant it. It should only be taken into account that indoor tree will not bloom even with the most proper care.

In the tropical zone native to plants, winter temperatures never drop below 10 °C, and in summer the air in the sun heats up to +50 °C. Therefore, in our conditions climate zone In summer, bocarnea can withstand any rise in temperature, and in winter it is advisable to take it to a cool room, where the temperature is kept at 10-12 °C and is most comfortable for the plant in its dormant phase.

Location and lighting

The bocarney plant prefers well-lit places. It looks good in any not too shaded corner of the house, but a window sill on the south, south-east, south-west side - optimal place her residence.

The main thing is to eliminate the possibility of drafts so that there is no blowing from the window in cold weather. If a tree tolerates temperature changes calmly, then drafts can destroy it.

If the location is too dark for bocarney, it will direct its shoots towards the nearest largest light source (usually a window), which can cause the trunk to bend. To avoid this, the pot with the tree must be periodically rotated around its axis. Florist specialists generally recommend turning the vessel with nolina clockwise a quarter turn once a week, which will allow it to maintain a symmetrical, even shape. In any case, an existing curvature can be corrected by turning the pot as needed.

In the summer, if possible, the flower is taken out into the yard or onto the balcony - it does not require shading from the sun, but it does need protection from precipitation and dampness.

In winter, additional lighting is desirable.

Air humidity

For Nolina, this indicator is not important. It does not need spraying. Moreover, moisture that gets on the tree trunk can lead to its rotting. For hygiene purposes, the leaves are wiped with a damp cloth.

Soil and pot requirements

Nolina prefers light, saturated with air soil. It is optimal to purchase a ready-made substrate for it (soil for succulents). For greater “airiness”, expanded clay or gravel is usually added to it.

Recipe for those who want to cook it themselves soil mixture for nolina:

• turf land - 1 part;
• leaf humus - 1 part;
• humus from a greenhouse - 1 part;
• river sand - 0.5 parts.

Add a little charcoal(you can get by with pharmacy activated one by crushing the tablets) and, of course, fine expanded clay and gravel.

Since the root system of nolina is superficial, its pot needs to be low, wide and not too spacious. Be sure to have holes to drain excess water.

Features of care

There is no need to prune Beaucarney, other than occasionally trimming the dried tips of the leaves (leaving a thin brown strip along the edge) to maintain the decorative beauty of the green foliage.

Watering requirement

In the natural conditions of the tropics, nolina receives water very rarely, so in the summer it needs abundant but infrequent watering, maximum twice a month (or even less often). The tree stores moisture in the caudex and then uses it gradually. Usually water a few days after the soil in the pot is completely dry. Wet the earthen ball thoroughly, but an hour after the procedure, be sure to drain the liquid accumulated in the pan. The watering procedure is carried out carefully, without getting water on the caudex and trunk - they can rot from excess moisture. Lack of watering is much less harmful to nolina than its excess - overwatering can quickly destroy even an adult tree.

When kept cool winter time water very rarely or not at all, without disturbing the nolina during its rest period. If the tree is left indoors with sufficient warm temperature, in terms of watering, it is cared for in the same way as during the rest of the year. A sign that bocarnea needs little watering is the loss of elasticity of the caudex, its wrinkling.

Feeding

In summer, fertilizing is applied to Nolina no more than once every 2-3 weeks. Apply ready-made fertilizers for succulents, diluting them in water and pre-sprinkling the soil generously. Experienced flower growers It is advised to reduce the dosage by one and a half times or twice as much as indicated in the instructions.

No home remedies like sweet water, tea leaves or sleeping coffee grounds They should not be added to the soil; they will not bring any benefit to the plant.

Pests and diseases

An undoubted advantage of the exotic bottle tree is that it is extremely rarely affected by insect pests. If the plant is in a too shaded place for a long time and is watered excessively, it may be attacked spider mites, scale insects, mealybugs, thrips. The first is the most likely aggressor of those listed, especially if it managed to settle on any of the neighboring flowers in hot weather. To combat any of the pests, first carry out mechanical treatment - wipe the leaves with a soft cotton swab dipped in a solution laundry soap. Then the entire plant is treated with Actelik or another insecticide.

Nolins that are properly cared for, including regularly gently wiping the leaves, have zero chance of being infested by harmful insects.

The plant is also not susceptible to diseases. Any painful condition is usually caused by prolonged violation of the rules of care. The problem of rotting of the root system due to excess watering occurs most often. In this case, the nolina is freed from the soil, all rotten areas are cut off with a disinfected sharp instrument, and the sections are treated with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate. Even if you have to remove almost all root system, a tree in fresh soil will grow new roots. The pot must also be disinfected with boiling water. After planting, you should not water the nolina for a week or two. Then they do this gradually, at first only slightly moistening the soil and making sure that water does not end up on the trunk.

Reproduction methods

Nolina reproduces both by seeds and by small lateral shoots.

It is not difficult to grow the plant from seeds. They can be bought in specialized stores (since indoor views Beaucarneys do not bloom). Germination is carried out in a wide flat vessel filled with sand or perlite. On top of this filler, pour 2-3 cm of purchased ready-made soil for succulents, pre-mixed with sand, sprinkle clean sand on top and the entire mixture is impregnated with growth stimulants Zircon or Epin.

Nolina seeds are large, 3-4 mm in diameter, and therefore it is advisable to soak them for 8-10 hours (optimally in a solution of the same Epin, Zircon), and then lay them out on the sand, cover them with cellophane and place them in a warm place with a temperature no less than +25 °C. Every day the mini-greenhouse needs to be ventilated and the cellophane wiped, removing condensation from it.

A month later, the seedlings hatch, and the vessel with them is placed in the most illuminated place in the house. After another month, the young bocarnais are ready to be planted in individual pots. Until this time, young shoots cannot be fertilized.

If side shoots grow on the nolina caudex, they are also used for propagation, carefully separated from the parent plant. Soak the cuttings for a day in a solution of the Kornevin biostimulator and place them in the soil substrate at an angle. Cover with a transparent cap (it is convenient to use cut plastic bottles) and leave it warm.

With regular ventilation and spraying, you can count on rooting, as evidenced by the appearance of new leaves on the shoot. After this, they care for him in the same way as for adult nolins.

Some gardeners practice rooting the shoot in water. After soaking in Kornevin, they are placed in water, which is changed regularly. If some leaves rot, they are removed. When the roots reach half a centimeter in length, they are transplanted into the ground.

In general, propagation of nolina by seeds is more effective way, rather than lateral processes.

Timing and technology of transplantation

Like many succulents, young bottle trees require annual maintenance. spring transplant with a slight increase in the pot. How older plant, the less often this procedure is performed. Since 10-15 year old plants are already large trees with developed roots, at this age they are replanted only in emergency situations, if it is necessary to save the root system from rotting. Usually they are limited to replacing the top part of the soil.

To transplant nolina, select a vessel suitable for the caudex plant - wide, with a small height, always with drainage holes. Fill it a third with drainage (expanded clay, gravel), make a mound from the soil substrate, compact it and move the flower, having previously examined its root system for health. Place it vertically in a new pot, straighten the roots and sprinkle it with soil. The tree needs it no more than to sink its surface roots. Excess soil will provoke its acidification, so it is better to fill the “extra” places in the pot with drainage.

The trunk is not buried in the ground. Caudex covered with soil will die.

It is also necessary to replant the tree after purchase, since most often sellers grow plants in cheap and not very suitable soil. If the purchased nolina is too flooded with water, the root system needs to be dried. The tree can remain out of the ground for up to two days.

After planting, the soil is compacted and, if necessary, decorated with pebbles or other suitable material to weigh down a pot with a large plant.

The first few days, nolina will experience stress, so it is left without watering and not exposed to the sun.

Possible difficulties during cultivation

The nolina tree signals errors in care by painful changes in its condition:

• the caudex does not grow, and the trunk elongates - the cause is usually excessive watering with insufficient lighting;
• grows slowly - with a lack of fertilizers;
• In Nolina, the tips of the leaves dry out - the cause may be excessive dry air. In contrast, if they dry out and fall off lower leaves- this is a normal process of their replacement. You don’t have to wait for them to fall off and cut them off with scissors;
• if after a long winter the trunk shrinks and dries out, this is also a natural process. At usual care nolina will quickly recover;
• The cause of yellowing and drying of the tips of the leaves may be an excessive amount of fertilizing. If the soil is covered with a whitish coating, it is oversaturated with salts. The plant should be replanted or replaced upper layer land;
• due to overwatering, the trunk becomes covered with rot - it needs to be revived urgently so that the tree does not die. It can be saved even by almost completely cutting off the roots. As stated above, they are disinfected, waited until they dry out, and after transplantation they are not watered for at least half a month.

Due to its unpretentiousness, nolina is suitable as house plant even for highly busy people who often leave home for business trips. Paying bottle tree attention a couple of times a week, you can get a wonderful palm tree with a voluminous “curly” green top - exotic, pleasing to the eye and useful as an active air purifier.