Liviston is a palm tree up to 25 meters high, named after the Scottish collector P. Murray, the laird of Livingston. Homeland - the southern hemisphere from Africa to Australia.
Description of Livistons
The stalk is solid in scars. From it diverge dark green, sometimes with a grayish tint sheet plates with a glossy sheen, resembling a fan in shape. In diameter, they can reach 10 cm. There are thorns on the petioles. Under natural conditions, the height ranges from 20-25 m.
Popular types of livistons for indoor cultivation
There are 36 species of plants. In room conditions, 3 of them are universally grown. The most popular livistona rotundifolia.
| View | Description |
| Round-leaved (rotundifolia) | The diameter of the leaf plates is 1.5 m; petioles are densely covered with spikes. The flowers are yellow. It grows up to 14 m. Color from grayish to dark green. Unpretentious, growing fast. |
| Chinese | The tips of the leaves are bent. Trunk up to 12 m with a girth of 50 cm. Shade-tolerant variety. |
| South | Colon-shaped trunk with a thickening at the base. The foliage is dark green, with split ends of the lobes. Height is about 25 m. |
Features of buying Livistona
When choosing a plant, it is necessary to examine the stems, petioles and foliage for lesions and pests. In the house, it is important to prepare a spacious place for a flower. After transportation, the liviston is watered, cleaned of dust. Landing in a new container is carried out only in the spring.
Livistona growing conditions
| Parameter | Spring Summer | Autumn winter |
| Location / Lighting | South window, garden or balcony. | South window + UV lamp. |
| Temperature | + 18 ... +21 ° C | + 14 ... +16 ° C |
| Watering | Often and abundantly, draining excess fluid from the pan after half an hour. | Only with drying of the upper 2 cm. |
| Humidity | Warm shower once a week. | Regular spraying. |
| Top dressing | Fertilizers for palm trees 3 times a month. | Once a month. |
Transplant, soil
Conduct every 3-4 years and only if the rhizome goes beyond the capacity. When transplanting, cut off the tips of the overgrown roots.
You need to plant the plant in a stable heavy pot with a thick layer of expanded clay drainage (one fifth of the total filling).
The mixture consists of turf soil, sheet soil, peat, fresh manure and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 1: 1. Example: if a new tub is 20 liters in volume, 1-2 kg of each component is necessary in accordance with the proportions.
Cropping Features
Old leaves gradually dry, but do not die. They must be cut between March and May. For this, a sterile pruner is used. Petioles can be cut off only if they are already completely dry. If this condition is not met, the flower will begin to wither. Sections treated with paraffin after drying.
Breeding methods
Propagation of the palm occurs by division or seed. The first method is possible if the plant gave lateral processes. In the spring, they need to be carefully separated and transplanted into a soil mixture, the composition of which is indicated above.
Growing from seeds is a little harder:
- In February - March, soak the seeds in water, wait for swelling for 2 days.
- Seedlings one by one in separate pots, creating 1 cm indentations.
- Cover with a transparent bag or place in a mini-greenhouse. The first shoots can appear both immediately and after 3 months.
- Once every 2-3 days, remove fumes, water, adding liquid to the pan.
- When the sprouts get stronger, pull the pots out of the mini-greenhouse. If necessary, transplant plants in more spacious containers.
Diseases and Pests
The plant is unpretentious, but can be affected by pests. The main negative factors:
- spider mite;
- root rot;
- mealy tick.
If the pest is weak, wipe the plant with soap and water up to 3 times with a break of 5 days. If the measure did not help, according to the instructions, conduct the treatment with Actara or Decis.
Possible problems when taking care of livistona
Improper care at home leads to weakening of the palm. If the plant has not died yet, the violation is easy to correct.
| Problem | Cause |
| Bronze spots on the foliage. | Lack of potassium. |
| Lack of growth. | Lack of fertilizer and lighting. |
| Dark, sluggish stems. | Excessive watering and low temperature. |
| Yellow spots. | Sunburn. |
| Drying and browning of the leaves. | Fluoride poisoning. |
