Coniferous palm, Rhapidophyllum hystrix – care of the garden palm

Coniferous palms are quite rare in Central Europe. The runners palm is quite special, looks a little different than many of our beloved palm species. It does not consist of one trunk, but has several very small ones that form a rather dense tangle of leaves. It often makes sense to take out a few spurs so that the mess doesn’t get too big. Less is more is especially true for this palm tree. Otherwise, this bushy palm tree is a feast for the eyes, which adorns every bucket, but also the garden when planted out. Anyone who plants the needle palm should know that, despite all theoretical winter hardiness, they need protection, both from precipitation and from frost. The effort is usually less than with other palm trees, because these specimens do not grow as large

The location should be warm, sunny and sheltered, the plant substrate slightly moist, rich in humus, loose and airy. When cultivating in pots, care must be taken that the pots are tall, because palm trees are deep-rooted. The location is important when planting. When pouring you need a bit of finesse. Watering is penetrating, but then the substrate must dry well, about two-thirds. Fertilize during the growing season. There is no pruning, except for dried fronds. Hibernation is important, both in the bucket and outdoors. The palm should not be too warm, but not too cold either. Propagation is by sowing. Diseases are rare. Pests usually appear during warm hibernation.

location

The location should be sunny, although it is good that the palm is protected from the midday sun in midsummer. A south-facing spot is very good, but if a tree blocks the sun a bit at midday, that’s a good thing.

• Full sun and sheltered from the wind
• Best south facing pitch
• The older the plants, the more sun they need
• At midday, however, the palm tree is welcome to stand in more shade.
• Sun and warmth in autumn promote winter hardiness

plant substrate

The plant substrate should not be too dry and rich in humus. A clay-sand mixture with a larger proportion of humus would therefore be effective. To make it more permeable, gravel, expanded clay or lava granules can be mixed in. The substrate must be able to store water and be permeable enough.

• Moist and humus-rich loamy and sandy soils
• Loose and airy
• Well water permeable
• Soil mixture based on compost, but mixed with sharp sand, gravel, expanded clay or lava granules.
• No peat and no humus soil, as this will collapse and become too solid. Aeration of the root is no longer guaranteed.
• Do not use too much pre-fertilized soil!

plant

When planting, you have to differentiate between whether you want to cultivate the needle palm as a container plant or whether you want to plant it out in the garden. With both methods there are a few things to consider so that the plan works and the palm tree thrives satisfactorily.

container plant

• Use high planters – taproot
• drainage in the planter
• Repot when the root pushes out of the substrate
• Do not fertilize after repotting

Plant out the coniferous palm

I would only plant out if I didn’t live in an area where very long and harsh winters are a daily occurrence. If the warmer and warmer seasons are too short, the plants will not feel well. Officially, however, the palm is hardy to temperatures above -20°C.

• Be sure to choose a place that is protected from the wind, on the one hand to protect the palm from the cold easterly winds in winter and on the other hand all year round, because the widely slit leaves tear apart in strong winds.
• Dig a decent sized planting hole.
• If the soil is too moist, work in drainage underneath, for example made of pebbles. Excess water must be able to run off quickly.
• Submerge the root ball in water until no more air bubbles rise
• Place in the prepared planting hole and fill with appropriate soil (see text for planting substrate).
• Press down the soil, but don’t trample it down.
• Water plentifully, preferably with a watering ring.
• Water very regularly and plentifully over the next few weeks to help the palm tree grow.

watering and fertilizing

Coniferous palms need more water in spring and summer than in autumn and especially in winter. On the contrary, planted specimens must be protected from too much moisture in the cold season. When holding the bucket, a certain amount of sensitivity is required to ensure that there is neither too much nor too little water.

• Water evenly in spring and summer and above all penetrating. The whole floor must be penetrated!
• Allow the soil to dry well between watering (2/3)
• The watering rhythm depends on the size of the plant and the size of the container
• Absolutely no waterlogging
• Water significantly less in winter
• Fertilize every 4 weeks during the growing season
• Do not fertilize for too long, this damages winter hardiness!!!

To cut

As with most palm trees, there isn’t much to trim with the needle palm. You can break a lot with cutting, so do it with care.

• Never cut at the top, because that’s where the growing point is
• Do not remove brown leaves until they are completely dry. The palm still draws a lot of nutrients from these leaves. A small wilted edge should remain.

hibernate

Palm trees that are several years old should tolerate temperatures down to -24°C (hardiness zone 7). I can not believe that. Many plant owners have reported negative experiences and that with less than minus degrees. Without winter protection, a planted palm tree will only survive fairly mild winters, with short, deep frosts not being quite as bad as prolonged sub-zero temperatures, even if they do not go below minus 10°C.

• Potted palms are significantly more susceptible to frost
• After just a few days of frost, the vessels freeze through and palm roots cannot tolerate that.
• It is better to winter them at temperatures of 8°C than outdoors.
• However, low temperatures are required to maintain a rest phase.
• In any case, bright place
• Water little. The cooler the temperatures, the less water the plants need.
• Don’t fertilize
• Protect planted specimens from moisture and frost
• Wetness is usually the killer only 1, not the frost.
• With foil or similar roofing that not too much rain or snow can penetrate into the heart of the palm
• It is best to tie the fronds together at the top and wrap them loosely with fleece
• Unroll in frost-free weather to allow air exchange and prevent rot

Many palm friends also build a small frame around their palm tree, a kind of carport. A roof is put on top, the sides remain largely open, unless the temperatures drop sharply. Then you can close them too. In an emergency, a heater can also be integrated, with today’s technology anything is possible

multiply

Coniferous palms, like other palm trees, are propagated by sowing seeds. This is not particularly difficult if the consistent, slightly moist soil can be guaranteed. Neither seeds nor seedlings tolerate too much moisture. Mushrooms then spread quickly.

• Sow in individual small containers in spring
• Place seeds 1 to 2 cm deep in potting soil
• Keep bright and warm, but out of direct sun
• Minimum temperatures 20°C
• Keep consistently slightly moist

diseases and pests

Diseases are quite rare. They usually appear when kept in buckets and then usually in the winter quarters. Pests are also to be found there the most. Spider mites are then a frequent guest and scale insects and mealybugs are also spreading.

• Spider mites – can be recognized by their yellowish to whitish fronds and fine webs on their underside. Sometimes these webs can only be made visible by misting them with water. If you look with a magnifying glass, you can often see tiny red animals. If the pests are not controlled and can spread en masse, the palm can even die. As a preventive measure, high humidity helps to suppress spider mites. The fronds should be properly misted frequently. Otherwise, the only thing that helps is regular spraying with appropriate pesticides.
• Scale insects – recognizable by lightly colored fronds and brown spots with elevations, mostly on the stems and undersides of the leaves. The sticky patches on the ground around the palm tree are even easier to spot. This is honeydew, the excrement of the lice. Collecting helps here, checking again and again. Brushing with mineral oil so that they can no longer breathe is not very good for the palm either. The last resort should remain chemistry. Systemic agents are recommended. These are added to the irrigation water, absorbed by the palm tree and then sucked up by the pests. This kills them but doesn’t kill the eggs. It is therefore important to repeat the treatment so that the newly hatched little pests can be caught.
• Mealybugs – can be recognized by white, woolly coverings, mostly on the sprouting point of the leaves and later by the yellowish-white discoloration of the leaves. Mealybugs and scale insects can be controlled by collecting them or using systemic agents. Alternatively, a spirit and soft soap solution can be tried.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can be the cause of yellow or brown leaves on the needle palm?
These are usually caused by mistakes in maintenance. Usually too much was fertilized or watered. Therefore, these two offerings should be reduced immediately. If you want to be on the safe side, carefully repot the palm tree. Then you can immediately recognize damage to the root (due to too much moisture) and carefully cut it off.
Brown irregular spots on the fronds, on the other hand, are often a sign of burns. These happen when the palm is exposed to the sun right after being put out or covered.

Is the blue needle palm just as hardy as the normal variety?
The blue needle palm is another type of palm tree. There is only one species in the genus Rhapidophyllum. The blue needle palm is a Trithrinax campestris, a powerful and usually multi-stemmed, runner-forming palm with long spines on the trunk. It also has very hard leaves with thorn tips. Although it should also be suitable for planting out, it probably only tolerates temperatures down to -15°C. The Blue Needle Palm grows significantly larger than the normal version.