Description of the Robelini date palm, planting and care

The Robelena date palm is quite popular and easy to grow. This palm is very hardy. The most important thing is to do it in a bright room. The Robelen date is very attractive, its majestic appearance is much loved, and is very popular among flower growers. It is native to areas of northern Laos, southern China and Vietnam. It is a species of date palm and is widely represented in the palm family.

With a little time spent caring for your Robelena date palm, it can live indoors in a fairly cool environment without any problems. The Robelena date is an unpretentious palm tree with minimal maintenance requirements and is quite hardy. Thanks to these characteristics, this palm tree will please the eye for many years.

In the wild, the Robelen date palm can reach a height of up to three meters, but at home it is only 1.5-1.8 meters. Its leaves are arched and reach an impressive height of 60-90 cm.

The leaves of this date are exceptional, the leaf reaches 30 cm in length. Regardless of the size of the leaf, whether it is mature and well developed or young, they all fall beautifully. At the end of spring, i.e. in April-May, water more, but try not to over-wet the soil, just keep it moist. Do not forget to control air humidity, which can be increased by constant watering. Spring and summer are active phases of vegetation, growth and development.

Robelena is an unpretentious palm tree that can grow well in any house or apartment. Decorating the interior and making it exotic.

To maintain its decorative qualities, it is constantly watered during the summer season. Apply fertilizer once a month. In October, start watering less frequently, spraying once a week, but if the room is actively heated, then spray daily. Typically, the plant enters a dormant phase in late autumn, and fertilizing should be stopped at this time.

In winter, watering is reduced to a minimum. Water only when the lump dries out. Spraying can be carried out only to maintain the decorative appearance of foliage. Also try to keep it away from windows and protect it from drafts and sudden temperature changes.

Description and characteristics of the Robelini date

The dwarf date palm in nature will grow to a maximum of 3 meters. The cultivated species of the plant is even more miniature in size, rarely exceeding 1.5 meters in height.

The trunk of the palm tree is smooth and thin. The tree trunk acquired its unusual appearance thanks to the dead leaves of the plant, which left marks on it. The leaves are thin, feathery and elongated, arched. Young leaves have a powdery whitish coating. In an adult crop, the color of the foliage depends on the lighting.

If the date is in the open sun, the leaves acquire a silvery tint; indoors they are dark green. Mature date palms bear fruit after flowering, and the elongated fruits are eaten.

Important! The dwarf palm begins to bloom in the 10th year of growth. For a plant to bear fruit, it needs cross-pollination. .

Preparing seeds for planting

The seeds of the Robelen date are a hard stone, oblong in shape, reaching a length of up to 2 cm. Under the microporous shell of the stone lies an embryo, characterized by amazing vitality.

Good seeds can be purchased at a garden center.

Mature date (phoenix roebelenii)

To ensure 100% germination, you need to carry out pre-sowing preparation of seeds:

The bones are thoroughly cleaned and washed under running water. After this, they need to be dried for at least a day, placed in a dry place. This will help avoid possible rotting due to decaying organic matter after immersion in the ground.

To help the sprout grow faster through the hard shell of the seed, you need to treat it with fine sandpaper or make small cuts on the shell with a knife.

The next stage is soaking. A piece of cotton wool moistened generously with water is placed on a flat container and a bone is placed in it. You need to lay another layer of damp cotton wool on top. You can also use gauze cloth, hydrogel or sawdust for soaking.

During the soaking period, the seeds must be provided with a temperature of at least +25°C and high humidity.

To do this, the container with the seedling is placed near the heating device and water is constantly added to it. Thus, the natural conditions for the development of the seed are imitated, which guarantees the correct germination and strength of the palm tree in the future.

The readiness of a seed for planting can be judged by its increase in size—swelling. The average soaking time is 5-7 days.

The soaking process shortens the germination period by several months. Even if you plan to plant one tree, it is recommended to plant several seeds. Despite correct step-by-step processing, the seeds may not germinate. This may depend on age and possible negative storage conditions prior to purchase.

Features of growing dates

The Robelena date, although it is a decoration for any interior, has many features during its growth.

The miniature tree is grown in open ground only in tropical or subtropical climates. The date root system is sensitive to the slightest frost. But in the summer, an exotic tree will become the center of the garden composition.

And to produce date fruits, the palm tree needs pollination, for which several plants are grown at once.

How to care

- You can prepare the substrate yourself by mixing two parts - compost soil and peat - with coarse sand. You can also purchase special ready-made soil for palm trees.

— Planting is done in a prepared pot. Place a layer of expanded clay or small crushed stone on the bottom, or you can use shards of broken clay pots. The most important thing is that the drainage hole can allow excess moisture to pass through.

- Repot the palm only when the root system emerges through the drainage hole - this will be a sign that the palm needs a larger pot.

Rules of care

The Robelen date palm is a beautiful but difficult tree to care for. In order for a plant to become a decoration of a winter garden, greenhouse or plot, it is necessary to fulfill certain conditions for the maintenance and care of a tropical tree.

Lighting

The miniature date requires a lot of light, but it does not tolerate direct sunlight. In summer, the tree feels good outdoors. But the winter existence of the plant must be brightened up with additional lighting. For this purpose, fluorescent lamps are suitable, which purposefully illuminate the palm tree for at least 12 hours a day.

Important! If the leaves on the plant begin to turn yellow, this is the first sign of a lack of light.

Temperature

During the summer months, the dwarf palm will do well with average daytime temperatures of 20 to 28 degrees. But in winter, the temperature should be much lower and should not exceed +20 degrees. In this way, the activity of the metabolic processes of the tropical guest decreases. If the palm tree remains at high temperatures in winter, then the lack of natural daylight will lead to complete depletion and death.

See also

The benefits and harms of dates for the human body, rules of use and contraindicationsRead

How to water

The date is watered carefully and in a balanced manner. Excess moisture and lack of moisture will lead to serious consequences and even death of the tree. Too frequent and abundant watering causes the spread of fungal diseases. And after a drought, the palm tree does not recover and dies.

Water the miniature tropical guest with settled, heated water. Irrigation procedures are carried out as needed. As soon as the soil around the plant dries out, it’s time to water.

Air humidity

In its natural environment, the palm tree grows in tropical rainforests. Therefore, air humidity indicators must be observed. To do this, water tanks are placed next to the plant. A nebulizer or humidifier is also used. Be sure to moisten the plant once a week with a sprayer. To avoid waterlogging, the soil is covered with a waterproof film during the procedure.

Trimming

There is no need to carry out the palm tree pruning procedure. But it is necessary to cut off dry or damaged leaves and twigs.

Important! The base of the tree petiole has a sharp, long thorn, the presence of which must be taken into account when working with the plant .

soil mixture

Soil for palm trees is purchased in specialized stores. But if this is not possible, then you can do it yourself. To do this, you will need turf, peat and humus soil with a small content of clay rocks. Sand and manure are added to the soil mixture.

Fertilizer

A small palm tree requires care and feeding in the form of fertilizers. Such work is carried out from spring to October. At least 2 times a month, the tree is fertilized with organic or mineral fertilizers. In winter, the plant does not require additional fertilizers. Specialized stores sell fertilizers for palm trees that replace other products and preparations.

Features of transplantation

Date Robelini painfully endures the invasion of his life. Therefore, replanting is stressful for the plant, although it is a mandatory procedure in the first years of a palm tree’s life. The main thing when working is not to damage the delicate roots of the date.

See also

Why is quince so beneficial for the human body, indications and contraindicationsRead

The tree is replanted by transferring it from one pot to another of larger diameter. For a painless procedure, the plant is first watered abundantly, and only then dumped out of the pot. If the tree comes out of the pot with difficulty, the pot is broken or cut.

Important! The plant should not be replanted in the autumn months. It is then that the palm tree gains strength and accumulates nutrients for a comfortable winter.

Comments (5)

• Natalia

  06/13/2017 at 13:45 |
  I didn’t even think that it was possible to grow a tree from a date seed. Need to try. Has anyone tried it and did it work? How long did it take for the sprouts to appear? Share your experience.

  Answer

  Yulia Expert Plodogorod

  07/18/2019 at 20:54 |

  Hello, Natalia! As a rule, it is not difficult to grow such a plant; a sprout can appear even if you simply dig a seed into a flower pot. But in order to get a beautiful, full-fledged plant, as well as reduce development time, you need to ensure that the date is properly planted and cared for.

  Read also:  Use of urea (carbamide) as a fertilizer in the garden and in the garden, how to dilute

  First of all, you need to choose the material for planting. Those fruits that have undergone heat treatment are not suitable for planting. It is best to buy fresh dates. Dried ones are also suitable.

  We would like to note that the process of growing the described plant is not quick. All work on growing and replanting at home can take up to six months. But there are tricks, some that help speed up the process a little.

  In addition to the described methods of processing with sandpaper or making cuts, which can speed up germination, you can dip the seed in boiling water.

  There are several other options for preparing the substrate. You can mix soil brought from the forest or garden with peat or old sawdust. Before planting seeds that have already been soaked, the soil should be disinfected.

  Disinfection can be carried out by watering the prepared soil mixture with a solution of manganese, boric acid or Fitosporin. In addition, you can pour boiling water over the soil or fry it in the oven.

  The last option is the most effective, because not only harmful spores die, but also insects. But, after the soil mixture has been processed, it must be left for one and a half or two weeks to restore beneficial microflora.

  It is best to start growing the described plant at the end of winter or the very beginning of spring. If all the work is done correctly and the temperature is appropriate, sprouts will appear in 2-3 months.

  We would like to note that when the already grown sprouts are transplanted to a permanent place, you should not purchase a pot that is too large. The plant is young, its root system is not very developed.

  Therefore, the roots will not absorb all the moisture they receive, they simply will not get it in a large pot. This can cause stagnation of water and putrefactive or fungal diseases.

  Answer

Treatment against diseases and pests

The date palm, like other plants, is susceptible to diseases and pests.

As soon as the tree has lost its appearance, and the leaves and twigs dry out, it means the plant is sick or is exposed to pests.

The following activities are carried out first:

1. Wipe the branches and leaves of the tree with an alcohol solution.
2. Spray the palm tree with a solution made from laundry soap.
3. Treat the palm tree with a tincture of garlic and water.

If such measures to save the plant do not produce results, then special chemicals are purchased that will help cope with diseases or pests.

Gallery

Inflorescence

Fruit

Flowers (male)

Date palm, also Phoenix, Date (lat. Phoenix) is a genus of plants of the Palm family (Arecaceae). The genus includes 14 to 17 species of palms from Africa and Eurasia.

The fruits of some species of this genus, especially the species Phoenix dactylifera, dates, are a common food product.

The date palm was grown back in the 4th millennium BC. e. in Mesopotamia, on the territory of which modern Iraq is located. In the Ancient Near East, the date palm (Akkadian gishimaru) was the standard of beauty.

Clean Air is a study conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in collaboration with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA). The results of this work showed that some common indoor plants, in combination with activated carbon as a substrate, help to naturally purify the air of a number of substances toxic to humans, such as benzene, formaldehyde and trichlorethylene, helping to neutralize city dweller syndrome.

The first list of air-purifying plants was compiled by NASA published in 1989, which was aimed at purifying the air in the confined environments of space stations. Plants from the first list, in addition to absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen (a common property of all plants associated with gas exchange during photosynthesis), also eliminated significant amounts of benzene, formaldehyde and trichlorethylene. The second and third lists were compiled later by B. S. Wolverton in a book and article. They provide information about plants that eliminate more specific chemicals from the air.

NASA researchers suggest that effective air purification can be achieved with at least one plant per 100 square feet of home or office space. While the original study only looked at plants grown hydroponically (i.e. without soil), later studies showed that microorganisms in a potting mix were able to remove benzene from the air. Certain plant species also make some contribution to benzene removal.

Breeding methods

The Robelena date is grown in several ways.

Propagation by seeds is a long-term method of growing a new plant. From the planted seeds, the first shoots appear after 3-5 years. For propagation, daughter shoots are separated from the palm tree, which, after being kept in greenhouse conditions, can be safely planted in the soil.

Beneficial features

Date fruits are shown:

• anemic, suffering from tuberculosis, engaged in heavy physical labor, despondent, nursing and pregnant, heart patients, hypertensive patients, having problems with gums, weakened and cold;
• as a healthy dessert;
• when the diet is poor (fruits contain a lot of minerals and a complex of easily digestible vitamins).

The older the plant, the more decorative it is.

In the homeland of dates, palm fruits are used to prepare drinks, bread flour, and fried dishes.

Young dates are quite sensitive to irregularities in the watering regime and often die during transplantation. But if you set the goal of creating comfortable conditions for the plant, which is expressed in normalized watering, sufficient lighting and the absence of drafts, the hatched palm tree will take root and in five years will delight you with many spreading leaves.

Possible problems

If the tree has stopped growing or has lost its healthy appearance, then you may be faced with the following problems:

1. Brown leaves on a palm tree indicate severe sunburn.
2. If the tree has stopped growing, this means a lack of nutrients, low air temperature or increased acidity in the soil.
3. Drafts cause leaves to fall.
4. Yellow leaves on the plant indicate insufficient humidity or the palm tree is reacting to hard water.
5. Drooping leaves indicate low air humidity.

By devoting a little time to caring for your date palm and providing it with the necessary growth conditions, you will get a beautiful and unusual decoration for your garden or greenhouse.

Types of Date Palm:

• The Canary date palm (Phoenix canariensis) is native to the rocky shores of the Canary Islands.
• The palmate date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is the main delicacy of the countries of Africa, Iraq, and Iran.
• Robelen date palm (Phoenix roebelenii) is a shade-tolerant, compact 2-meter representative of the genus.

Phoenix roebelenii.

Where to put

– The lighting should be light, although the Robelena date can grow in any conditions, but it will feel better with diffused light.

– There is a wide range of temperatures, and this palm can tolerate any temperature. But in winter, the temperature in the room with the Robelena date should be above 10 degrees.

– Humidity should be high, this will create conditions for good growth. Therefore, we regularly spray and wipe the leaves from dust. You can use special humidifiers. Spray the plant regularly with warm water.

You can read more about proper care of palm trees here.

Reproduction at home

Robelini can be propagated by seed or by separating daughter specimens from the main palm. However, dwarf date babies are a rare occurrence, and besides, they can only be separated if they have their own roots.

Initially, the children are placed in a greenhouse with high air humidity and the soil is regularly irrigated so that it always remains slightly moist. When young plants enter the active growth phase, they should be accustomed to the open air. They care for juveniles in the same way as for adult dates.

Growing a robelini palm from seed is difficult as it will take at least 10 weeks to germinate. In addition, the seeds must be fresh and kept in a warm, moist soil mixture during germination. It is surprising that planted seeds can hatch 10-12 months after planting.

Sown robelini grows extremely slowly; in the first two to three years, the plant develops regular lanceolate foliage, which later gives way to characteristic pinnate foliage.

This is interesting! Sometimes in floriculture there is information about multi-stemmed dates, however, it is unreliable - all varieties of these palm trees have only one trunk. As a rule, date “multi-stem” is the work of human hands, when the owner plants several trees in one container, placing the trunks close to each other. Despite the fact that the multi-stemmed robelini is only an illusion, it looks quite impressive.

Flower design

From a design point of view, this palm tree does not need separate decoration. You can use additional lighting to highlight the beauty of the leaves. The Robelena date is a solitary plant and does not need to be supplemented with other indoor plants. The only condition is to choose a decent pot or flowerpot that will highlight the greatness of this palm tree and fit perfectly into the interior of your home. This palm is very often confused with the palmate date. Good luck to you.

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Contraindications

• Diabetes mellitus is the main exception. Dates contain a large amount of sugar, so they are contraindicated for diabetics.
• Not recommended for overweight people.
• Not recommended for people with gastrointestinal diseases.
• Consumption in large quantities may cause an allergic reaction.

Dates are a very healthy product, as we have seen. And even its bones can be used. For example, ground and roasted seeds replace coffee. But bones can be used not only in everyday life.

They have healing properties. Their decoction is used in the presence of stones in the kidneys and bladder. Ground seeds are used for chronic diarrhea and for healing wounds.

For women and men

• Adding dates to a woman's diet will bring many benefits. The main advantage for women is the effect on the normal functioning of the reproductive organs. Due to their high magnesium content, dates strengthen muscles, so they are also useful for athletes. This product is also recommended for nursing women and during pregnancy.
• Useful for men too. They improve potency, give male energy and vitality.

How to choose

Should have a rich brown color. If dried fruits are light, it means they are not ripe. There should be no defects or damage visible to the eye. Externally should be dry. Treats should be crumbly

Please note that they do not clump together. There should be no obvious shine

The shine may indicate that the fruit has been dried mechanically, but it should be dried in the sun. Sugar should not be visible on the surface

There will be a clear disruption of production or transportation.