Bottle tree: home care, reproduction, pests

The bottle tree, home care that is simple enough, is gaining more and more popularity among gardeners. Due to its beautiful appearance, it is often used to create an unusual indoor interior.

Description of appearance

The bottle tree, Nolina or Bocarnea, as it is also called, refers to decorative deciduous plants. Some scientists still believe that this culture belongs to the Dracene family. In fact, the Bottle tree belongs to Agave. His homeland is the lands of North America. In our country, the plant is grown as an indoor plant, but in hot countries it develops well in the wild and reaches impressive sizes.

There are over 50 varieties of Nolina. They all have their own characteristics.

A home grown plant almost never blooms.

Popular types of Bocarnea:

1. Thin. It is distinguished by a spherical trunk, at the top of which there are long and thin leaves collected in bunches. In the wild, the plant blooms. Loose buds can be red or pink.
2. Sticking out. Tougher leaves are a distinctive feature. The trunk is also spherical at the base.
3. Lindemeira. This is a stunted species of Nolina, whose trunk is weakly expressed. The deciduous part is well developed.
4. Long-leaved. In the wild, the tree reaches several meters in height. The trunk is round, abundantly covered with cork bark. The leaves are long, narrow, tough, pointed at the ends.
5. Nelson. The trunk is weak. The leaves are long, thin, and have a bluish tint.
6. Matapskaya. This is a medium-sized species. The plant differs in the arrangement of leaves. The old ones do not fall off, but form a so-called "skirt" around the trunk.
7. Bent back. Most often grown at home. The stem is round in shape, at the top of which are deep green leaves. They are all long, ribbon-shaped and very tough.

Bottle tree: home care

The bottle tree develops very well at home. But, in order to get what you want, you need to choose the right flowerpot and follow the basic care guidelines.

Lighting

Before planting a bottle tree at home, you should know the conditions in which it grows in the wild. The plant loves a lot of light and warmth. Therefore, it is more advisable to put the flowerpot on the south or west windows. In the winter season, near the container with the plant, you should install additional lighting... This is an important rule to follow. From a lack of light, the trunk will begin to change its position.

Indoor air temperature

Bocarnea is quite hardy to sharp temperature fluctuations. In the summer period of the year, it will be enough for a flower to be at rates from +20 to +25⁰ C. In winter, when severe frosts are on the street, the container should be moved to a room where the temperature will not exceed +10⁰ FROM.

Irrigation

The tree does not like moisture very much, so it is rarely necessary to water at home. Excessive fluid can permanently damage the barrel. In the summer season, it is enough to irrigate Nolina once every 7 days, in winter this procedure is reduced to 1 time in 10 days. Water the bottle tree using the immersion method.Keep the flowerpot in water for about 30 minutes. As for air humidity, then Bocarnea not picky about this indicator.

It is not necessary to spray the plant at home, but in order to maintain the attractiveness of the leaves, it is enough to wipe them with a damp cloth.

Feeding for Nolina

The tree grows well, both in nutritious and poor soil. It is recommended to fertilize the flower only during the period of active growth. In order for it to develop well and have a rich leaf color, it is enough to use universal remedies once a month.

Apply the mixture only after watering.

Possible growing problems

Often the tree infects scale insects, aphids, thrips. Also, Nolina may have a soft trunk. Excessive watering leads to this. If nothing is done, then the flower will begin to fade. The leaves will turn yellow and fall off. It will be impossible to return such a tree to its original appearance.

Choosing a container for Nolina

It is recommended to replant young plants every year, gradually increasing the capacity. Trees that have been running for 15 to 20 years do not change the soil.

The pot for Nolina needs to be bought wide and low. The container should have drainage holes at the bottom. The ratio of width and height should be within 1: 3.

Plants are transplanted by the transshipment method. A drainage layer must be laid at the bottom of the flowerpot. It can be either expanded clay or crushed red brick. Pour a layer of soil on top, and then place an earthen floor with a plant.

There should be enough soil in the flowerpot so that it covers the root system, everything else is drainage.

When planting Nolina, it should be remembered that the root system of the plant is superficial. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a large amount of soil, otherwise a thick layer substrate will negatively affect the development of the tree.

Reproduction of Nolina at home

Growing a bottle tree in a room is quite problematic. Seeds are most often used for propagation, but some experts resort to propagation by lateral processes. The second method requires skill and a lot of time.

Seed propagation

Grains are sown in late winter or early spring. Before use, the planting material will need to be soaked in water for two days. At the end of this time, all the seeds that have surfaced must be thrown away, and those that have sunk to the bottom of the container must be transferred to a cloth and dried at room temperature.

Landing rules:

1. Seeds are planted in small containers filled with sand and peat.
2. For quick germination, they are covered with transparent polyethylene or glass.
3. Keep seeds at temperatures above +25⁰FROM.
4. If everything is done correctly, then after 3 weeks the first shoots will appear.
5. It is only necessary to remove the mini-greenhouse when the seeds are fully grown.
6. Seedlings are transplanted after four full leaves are formed.

Reproduction by lateral processes

It is necessary to separate the processes very carefully. Cut them with a sharp knife as close to the base as possible. All cut sites must be sprinkled with cinnamon or crushed activated carbon. The planting material must be placed in a container with soil, and covered with a glass jar on top. Keep seedlings warm, periodically airing. For quick rooting, the shoots can be treated with phytohormones.

The bottle tree is an incredibly beautiful plant that can be grown at home. Following simple rules, the leaves and trunk will always be beautiful and attractive.

How to successfully transplant a bottle tree - video