Cycas, home care, transplantation, propagation by seeds and children

Growing cycas requires special attention; caring for it requires strict adherence to rather complex rules. Nevertheless, outwardly very reminiscent of a palm tree, it attracts the attention of true lovers of home floriculture with its originality.

It can decorate any room and will definitely become a real pearl of the winter garden.

Let's take a closer look at what kind of care the cycas requires at home, and find out whether the owner can admire its flowering.

Content:

1. Cycas - description of the plant
2. Is it necessary to replant a cicada after purchase?
3. Caring for a cicada at home
4. How cycas blooms and what its fruits look like
5. Is it possible to grow cycas from seeds, propagation of the plant by children
6. Diseases and pests, what to do if the leaves turn yellow

Cycas - description of the plant

This ancient tree-like relative of ferns existed back in Mesozoic times. A representative of the Sagovnikov family, widespread on the southern outskirts of Madagascar, Fiji and Japan, in our country it is represented by garden species.

For some resemblance to a palm tree, it is also called “sago palm” and “cycad.” Since the flower grows very slowly, it is often used as an indoor flower.

Other features include:

• In natural conditions it reaches ten meters in height and one and a half meters in width.Indoors it grows up to two meters, per year it grows only a few centimeters with the annual addition of one tier of leaves;
• Root system, which looks like an onion;
• Young leaves are light in color. They are soft and tender to the touch, but gradually become hard and darken. Adult leaves can reach several meters in length and live for a couple of years;
• On one bush, male and female reproductive organs coexist, since it is a dioecious plant. It is on the female ones that large brownish bumps appear, the length of which reaches five centimeters;
• The main trunk is massive and very wide, with a large core and dense bark;
• The rosettes are concentrated on the upper part of the trunk.

At home, cycas blooms very rarely. However, if someone is lucky and the cycad blooms, they will have to use artificial pollination and provide greenhouse conditions to obtain seeds.

Is it necessary to replant a cicada after purchase?

One of the most common mistakes gardeners make when buying a cycas is replanting it immediately. This is explained by the fact that the substrate in the container with the purchased plant is not suitable for long-term cultivation.

If the purchased plant is absolutely healthy, replanting can only do harm. A transplant made between the beginning of autumn and the beginning of spring can lead to the death of the cycad.

However, if the purchased flower begins to turn yellow, replanting may become a must. However, when transplanting, you should use only the transshipment method without destroying the earthen clod. Its destruction can lead to root damage and death.

Caring for a cicada at home

It’s worth starting care by choosing a place for it.It is important to take into account that it does not tolerate cramped conditions; for better development it needs space, since as it grows it takes up more and more space.

In addition, it is recommended to remember:

1. Air humidity, although the crop is not particularly demanding of it and develops well in dry air. However, in summer, when temperatures rise above 20 C, it is recommended to maintain humidity at 60-65%. This can be ensured simply by placing a container of water next to the pot. Once a week it is recommended to spray the leaves followed by wiping them with a soft cloth;
2. Optimal temperature - does not tolerate temperature fluctuations. A sharp cold snap can completely destroy it. In the warm season, the optimal temperature is 20 - 23 C, and in winter 12 - 14 C. If the temperature in winter is higher than normal, the flower may simply shed its leaves, which is why it is so important to maintain rotation and ensure mandatory winter dormancy;
3. Illumination - the cicass responds well to sunlight, but direct rays can adversely affect its condition. Therefore, you should not place the pot on southern windowsills. Rooms with diffused light, but not partial shade, are best suited. The latter will slow down its growth. When choosing a location, you should pay special attention to the window sills that face southwest. In winter, it is recommended to provide an additional source of lighting - purchase a phytolamp;
4. Replanting should be done once every five years with extreme caution. In this case, the new pot should be slightly larger than the previous one. But the top layer should be renewed annually;
5. Watering - cycas does not tolerate excess moisture, so it should be watered no more than once every seven days, and in winter once every few weeks. For irrigation, it is recommended to use soft water at room temperature;
6. Fertilizers - the best option for cycads is to apply complex fertilizers; they can be bought at any specialized store. However, it is important to remember that when applying fertilizers you should adhere to the measure, since an excess will be much worse than a deficiency.

With proper care, the flower will not cause any trouble; it will develop actively and delight its owners with lush green foliage. Unpretentious and exotic, the flower will decorate any home.

Even more useful information when watching the video:

How cycas blooms and what its fruits look like

It’s rare that anyone is lucky enough to see a cycas blooming on a windowsill. Our climate, despite all the tricks of gardeners, is not entirely suitable for the plant. However, if someone is lucky, he may see small greenish flowers collected in inflorescences. Externally, the flower may resemble a head of cabbage.

After flowering, small fruits are formed, which turn brown as they ripen. Gradually, the spherical boxes open and the seeds fall out. In the natural environment, seeds dispersed in this way contribute to the spread of the cycad.

Is it possible to grow cycas from seeds, propagation of the plant by children

The optimal method for propagation at home is seeding by children. The latter are formed on the mother plant at the soil level. It is important to remember that only those that have reached at least seven centimeters in diameter are suitable for seating.

For seating it is recommended:

• Carefully separate the baby from the mother plant using a knife with a flexible blade;
• It is recommended to cut off the leaves from the cuttings and treat the cut area on the main sprout with a fungicide;
• Place the baby in fresh air and dry it for several days. Treat the cut area with charcoal;
• Plant the resulting cuttings in moist, light soil made from a mixture of sand and perlite;
• When planting, it is important to maintain a temperature of no more than 27 C.

It is important to remember that the period during which the cuttings take root extends to six months or even a year. After it takes root, it is recommended to select a nutritious mixture of turf soil, bark, sand and peat. When replanting, it is important not to immerse the pine cone too deeply in the soil.

Only professional flower growers can grow a flower from seeds, as this is a rather labor-intensive process that requires special skills.

First of all, because cycas cannot produce viable seeds without artificial pollination. Seeds begin to be sown three months after they are collected. During this time, the embryos in the seeds will finally ripen.

For landing it is recommended:

• Place the seeds in warm water to swell;
• Plant by gently pressing into the germination substrate;
• Moisten the soil, maintaining a temperature of no more than 25 C.

The first shoots should appear within a few months. During this time, the plant manages to throw out one leaf. After this, you need to transplant it into a previously prepared substrate for further cultivation.

Watch a video about growing cycas from seeds:

Diseases and pests, what to do if the leaves turn yellow

Most of the problems that can arise when growing cycas are related to its improper cultivation, in particular rot, which destroys the root. It provokes the development of yellowing of leaves and their subsequent death.

This can lead to:

• Excessively abundant watering of the soil;
• Low temperature, which is not suitable for the growing season of the plant;
• Heavy substrate.

If the cycad has been affected by rot, it is recommended to destroy it immediately, since it is impossible to save the affected plant.

If unusual purple spots form on the leaves, dry out and fall off, it is worth checking the flower for parasites.

This is often caused by attacks from scale insects that live on leaves and trunks. It is important to notice parasites in time and eliminate them, otherwise their attack can completely destroy the flower.

Once scale insects are discovered, it is recommended to remove them as quickly as possible, which can be done by wiping with an ordinary damp cloth. After a few days, the procedure should be repeated, and regular inspection of the plant should continue for another week.

However, if the lesion is too large and it is impossible to remove the parasites mechanically, it is worth using insecticides, in particular, the use of karbofos has a good effect. The optimal concentration of this drug is up to twenty drops per liter of liquid.

Cycas has to be classified as a rather demanding and capricious plant; it is important to take into account that the flower does not tolerate drafts and direct sunlight very well, which is important to consider when growing.

It is especially important when replanting to do it exclusively by transshipment, together with a lump of earth, since its delicate root system is very delicate and does not tolerate damage well.

All gardeners should take into account that this plant is not only very beautiful, but also dangerous. The core of the flower is poisonous, so it should be placed as far as possible from pets and small children in order to avoid possible troubles.

Growing cycas at home is not that difficult, but it does require some attention. However, it will not take much time, for your attention - the flower will thank you a hundredfold with lush and beautiful foliage and sometimes, if you are especially lucky, with luxurious blooms.