It is no coincidence that one of the most compact indoor palm trees, the chamedorea, is considered the leader in unpretentiousness. A plant more adapted to ordinary living quarters cannot be found among the Arekovs. Not particularly demanding on lighting, quite easy to care for, chamedorea is suitable for decorating the interior, and not just window sills. Feathery leaves, the opportunity to admire the flowering and reed trunks – the exquisite appearance is attracting more and more fans. Hamedorea will be the most reliable choice for those who want to avoid unnecessary complications.
Hamedorea is the best palm tree to place inside rooms. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com GardenersDream
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Description of the plant
Hamedorei (Chamaedorea) – evergreen, compact, slow-growing multi-stemmed feathery palms, creating thickets or colonies. Single-stemmed species are rare. In the indoor format, they are limited to a maximum of 2 meters in height, most varieties – up to 1 m, they grow mainly in breadth. Graceful trunks with “joints” are covered with interesting traces of fallen leaves, reminiscent of reed or bamboo stems. Each of the slender shoots bears up to 7 luxurious feathery leaves up to 30 cm long on very long cuttings.
Hard, brightly colored, dull, feathery, occasionally whole or forked leaves make chamedorea airy and light. Leaf lobes are thin, pointed-lanceolate, usually very narrow. At the ends, the leaves bend elegantly in arcs.
With a cool winter, chamedorea blooms even in ordinary rooms. And you don’t have to wait decades for flowering. Luxurious fragrant panicles of male plants consist of rounded unusual flowers, resemble mimosa and look very elegant, which cannot be said about single flowers of females. With successful cross-pollination, black peas of berry-shaped fruits are tied, which looks very decorative on a bright reddish petiole.
Hamedorea is one of the most valuable filter plants that absorb harmful impurities from the air (formaldehyde, benzene, trichlorethylene, etc.).
Types of indoor hamedorei
Hamedoreans are very diverse in nature, more than 100 species of palm trees are ubiquitous in Central and South America. In room culture, one type has become very popular – Hamedorea Graceful (Chamaedorea elegans). Thin “reed” shoots, graceful feathery leaves of low-growing multi-stemmed palms seem very elegant.
Hamedorea one-color (Chamaedorea pinnatifrons, Chamaedorea concolor) Is an interesting palm tree with trapezoidal, sloppy leaf lobes and reed-shaped trunks.
Hamedorea metal (Chamaedorea metallica) Is an interesting species with oval-lanceolate, not dissected leaves of a bluish-silvery shade.
Hamedorea high (Chamaedorea elatior) Is a bushy, powerful species with numerous stems and strict leaves.
Hamedorea Ernest-August (Chamaedorea-Ernest Augustus) – the most beautiful of the single-barreled hamedorei, but it is very rare in the rooms. She became famous for its heart-shaped leaves, diverging in two at the top and red flowers.
Growing conditions for indoor chamedorea
The bamboo palm is famous for its very good adaptability. She is quite flexible and, with slow taming, can delight even in atypical conditions. Hamedorea will easily fit into even the smallest room without creating a bulky effect.
Lighting and placement
Hamedorea is the best palm tree to place inside rooms. Of course, it will not withstand a thick shadow in the corner, and it shows the most interesting colors in diffused bright lighting, but this palm tree remains decorative even in partial shade of varying intensity. Chamedorea must be protected from the direct sun.
It is advisable to adjust the lighting for the winter, but it is imperative to regularly rotate the palm tree for uniform growth of new leaves.
Read also our article 5 of the most unpretentious indoor palms.
Temperature control and ventilation
The greatest decorative effect of the leaves of this palm tree can be achieved in fairly moderate temperatures. The ideal air temperature is from 18 to 22 degrees during the period of active growth. Hotter conditions are not terrible with the introduction of spraying and ventilation.
Hamedorea prefers a cool wintering (at a temperature of 12 to 15 degrees, at least 10 degrees), only in this case it is possible to achieve flowering of the plant. But if a palm tree is grown for the sake of the beauty of the leaves, with proper correction of care, it winters quite well in room temperatures.
Hamedorei love airing. In hot weather, they should be as frequent as possible. For the summer, palms will happily move to the garden or balcony, in shaded areas. The palm is afraid of cold drafts, like all of its relatives.
Home care for chamedorea
It is no coincidence that the bamboo palm tree is considered one of the easiest species to grow. Regular, gentle watering and keeping the leaves clean is all a plant needs in addition to summer feeding.
Watering and air humidity
Like all indoor palms, chamedorea does not tolerate complete drying of the substrate and dampness. But she is much more tolerant of her “colleagues” to minor blunders, to a stronger drying out of the soil. It is better to water the palm tree abundantly, but rarely, allowing 5 to 10 centimeters of the substrate to dry out. For the winter, watering is reduced in temperature, drying the soil harder. Do not leave excess water in the trays. Hamedoreas are watered with soft water at a temperature identical to the temperature in the room.
Hamedorea pleasantly surprises with its insensitivity to dry air. She loves spraying, especially in the heat and during the heating season, with medium or higher humidity levels, her leaves are brighter and larger.
Hamedorea does not tolerate pollution. Dust from the leaves should be removed regularly by gently wiping them with a soft, damp sponge or cloth.
Read also our article Cariota palm – the legendary “fish tail”.
Top dressing and composition of fertilizers
A universal fertilizer with microelements, and special fertilizers for palms, and long-acting fertilizers are suitable for this plant. If flowering is not stimulated by coolness, it is appropriate not to stop feeding even for the winter. Fertilizers are applied at a frequency of 1 time per 2 weeks in the summer and 1 time per 6 weeks – from November to March.
Trimming and shaping hamedorea
Blooming chamedorea weakens the plant. Inflorescences in young hamedorea are more appropriate to remove immediately.
Old leaves that have begun to turn yellow need to be cut off as soon as possible, because their complete dying off stimulates the “shedding” of the next oldest leaf. The leaves are trimmed neatly, as short as possible. Damaged leaves and shoots are removed to the base. All sections are treated with charcoal.
Transplant, containers and substrate
Chamedorea are transplanted only as needed, when they have nowhere to develop, annually changing only the upper layer of the substrate. There is no need to rush with a transplant: the palm tree is overturned when growth begins, in April.
Chamedorea can develop normally only in a loose and very nutritious, humus soil mixture with a pH of about 6-6,5. A special substrate for palm trees is preferred. For “domestic” soil mixtures, it is better to use equal proportions of sod soil, peat, sand and leafy soil with any loosening component (for example, perlite or sphagnum).
Hamedorei are often planted in tubs. We need cramped, not too much larger than the volume of the roots, high (with a depth greater than the diameter), expanding upward containers made of natural materials.
Hamedorei pass over with a whole lump, without changing the level of penetration. The soil surface can be covered with any breathable decorative materials.
Diseases, pests and growing problems
Spider mites, thrips and scale insects are often found on chamedorea, because the palm tree loses its stability in heat, very dry air, and problems with watering. Correction of care and conditions in this case is just as important as insecticide treatment.
Varietal chamedorea can be affected by fungal diseases, susceptible to fusarium and spotting. Without treatment with fungicides, it will not be possible to cope with the problems.
Hamedoreans signal everything with leaves. Yellowing is a sign that the plant is too cold or hot, the consequences of over-watering or completely drying out the soil.
Reproduction of hamedorea
This palm tree reproduces well vegetatively. It is easier to propagate chamedorea by basal offspring, separating daughter plants during transplantation after the formation of strong own roots.
Chamedorea can also be grown from seeds that are rapidly losing germination. They will need soaking for 5 days with peeling off and scarification. Seeds are planted by lightly pressing into the substrate and placing them under glass or foil. For chamedorea, during germination, you need to maintain stable soil moisture and high air humidity with a temperature of 27 to 35 degrees and the brightest lighting possible. The pick is carried out when the seedlings grow by 4 cm.
