Bokarnea unbent, better known as nolina, is an extravagant, curious and beautiful indoor tree. It is distinguished by a very swollen trunk at the base, which is intended for moisture reserves, and long, narrow, slightly curly dark green leaves that fall from the crown like jets of a fountain. The pattern of the gray-brown bark covering the thick trunk resembles the skin of an elephant, hence the very common household name of the plant - Elephant's leg.
On sale you can find very young plants, one or more often three copies in a pot, whose stems are shaped like a small ball with numerous thin leaves sticking out in different directions. Subsequently, after many years, the trunks will stretch upward and expand further from below.
Bocarnea is characterized by very slow growth, specimens with elongated trunks, crowned with bunches of leaves, have been for many years, so their price is much higher. Branching in nature occurs only after flowering in old plants, but with artificial cultivation it achieves by pruning - the trunks of purchased plants are cropped from above and cannot grow further, an increase in size will occur due to the slow growth of lateral shoots.
Bocarnea is a long-term and unpretentious plant; it will decorate a home or office for many, many years even for novice florists.
Lighting. Bokarne is comfortable enough in a slightly shaded area, but she prefers very bright lighting, and the more light, the faster it will grow. Give her the brightest place, and the bokarney will delight her with her appearance. On a sunny southern or western windowsill, the plant will release many new leaves, the crown will become very lush. In the shade of the bokarney, it gradually thins and degrades, its growth stops. Prolonged lack of light will lead to death. If there is a lack of natural light, place artificial lighting over the plant.
Unroll the plant regularly for even crown growth under side lighting from windows.
Watering. Bocarnea is native to the arid regions of Mexico, and the ability to store water at the base of the trunk is a natural adaptation that helps the plant survive when there is a lack of moisture. Plant physiology is based on warm and rainy growth periods and cool and dry rest periods. Water regularly from spring to autumn as soon as the soil dries out. In winter, the need for water will be less cool in the coolness, the frequency and abundance of watering is reduced.
The roots in constantly damp soil quickly rot, therefore, between waterings, the soil is allowed to dry completely. From constant waterlogging, large brown spots appear on the leaves, they begin to fall off en masse. However, it is not worth prolonging the drought for a long time during the growing season, from spring to autumn, the plant will cope and will not die, but this will slow down its growth.
In order for the bokarney to replenish its reserves, immediately after the soil has dried, it must be watered abundantly, moistening the entire lump, but be sure to drain off the excess moisture that has come out into the pan after 30 minutes. A common mistake that is made when caring for a bokarnea, fearing waterlogging, is poor watering in the summer. This leads to depletion of water reserves in the lower part of the trunk, the caudex decreases and becomes soft. When these signs appear, wet the soil well, change the mode and abundance of watering.
Water for irrigation should be soft, room temperature or slightly warmer.
Read more in the article Watering rules for indoor plants.
Air humidity... From too dry air, the tips of the leaves become dry, but otherwise the bokarnea is undemanding to air humidity.
Temperature. Bocarnea, as a houseplant, shows great flexibility in temperature conditions, it tolerates heat well and can withstand short-term drops in temperature to zero, but at -7 ° C the plant dies.It is optimal in summer to maintain moderately warm conditions, comfortable for humans, + 22 ... + 25 ° C. In winter, it is advisable to lower the temperature to + 12 ... + 15 ° C.
Soil and transplants. Bocarnea grows on stony and poor soils, so the main requirement for the soil is that it must be well drained. After the purchase, the plant does not need an urgent transplant; it will be comfortable in this pot for at least another year.
The root system of the bokarnea is shallow, wide and low pots are better for it, in which the plant is stable and looks the most impressive. Choose a new pot that is approximately the same shape as the plant was sold in, but one size larger (plus 2–3 cm in diameter).
The best time to transplant is late February - early March. Adult plants are transplanted infrequently, once every 4-5 years.
During transplantation, it is impossible to change the soil, this will lead to severe damage to the roots. The peat substrate in which the plant was grown is well suited for its physical characteristics, there is no need to replace it. All transplants are carried out only by careful transshipment with the addition of a small amount of fresh soil. To prepare it, add one part of perlite and one part of coconut substrate to two parts of universal peat soil (or soil for palm trees, ornamental foliage plants).
- Soils and soil mixtures for indoor plants
- Transplanting indoor plants
Top dressing. Bocarnea does not require high doses of nutrients. From April to September, feed her with fertilizer for cacti, and during winter dormancy, cancel all feeding. After the next transplant, start feeding after 4-8 weeks when the nutrient supply of the added soil is depleted.
Read more in the article Top dressing of indoor plants.
Pruning and shaping. The main trunk of the already acquired large bokarny cannot grow, it was previously docked. With the slow growth rate of the side shoots that make up the crown of the plant, pruning is usually not required. Long leaves can go down to the floor, but you should not shorten them, an ugly brown dry strip will appear at the cut site, which will gradually expand. Better to rearrange the plant on a higher stand, allowing the leaves to hang freely.
In those grown from small bokarny, the trunk can stretch over time. If desired, it can be cut at a height of about 30-40 cm above the caudex, after a while the lateral buds should wake up.
Read more in the article Methods for the formation of indoor plants.
Bloom in room culture is extremely rare.
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Reproduction possibly shoots, occasionally growing on the trunk. They are cut and rooted in the soil and greenhouse according to the standard technique. You can take side shoots from the crown, separating them entirely and cutting off the strongly elongated ones.
The method of growing from seed has the advantage that seedlings form the lower caudex better than those grown from cuttings. Seeds sprout at a temperature of about +25 degrees from several weeks to several months, on average, one plant grows per 5 seeds sown.
Read more in the article Cutting indoor plants at home.
Pests. Bocarnea is often affected by mealybugs, white formations, similar to cotton balls, are visible on the trunks and in the axils of the leaves. Thrips can parasitize on it, while the leaves are covered with a light mesh. If these pests are found, treat the plant with systemic insecticides (Aktara, Confidor, etc.).
In very unfavorable conditions, at high temperatures during the winter, standing next to the heating devices, the bokarney can be strongly affected by spider mites. Improve the living conditions, wash the leaves in the shower, treat with acaricides.
Read more in the article Houseplant pests and control measures.
Possible problems when growing bokarnea
- brown spots on the leaves caused by systematic waterlogging.Reduce the frequency of watering, let the soil dry completely between waterings.
- dry leaf tips are formed at very low air humidity. Can be trimmed neatly without going over the green parts of the leaves.
- caudex decreased, became soft - the reason is a lack of moisture. After the soil has dried, water abundantly, do not prolong the drought in the summer, when the plant is actively vegetating.
- massive loss of leaves, crown thinning occurs in a lack of light. Find a place for the plant on a very light windowsill or place it under a light.
