Pachira (Pachira) is a plant of the baobab family native to Mexico, its second name is Guianan chestnut or saba nut. From the Latin Pachira is translated as "fat", because it has a solid hollow trunk expanding towards the roots, capable of retaining moisture. The top of the trunk is narrow, framed by a crown of smooth green leaves.
The size of the plant varies depending on the conditions of stay, so - at home, pachira develops slowly and its maximum length is no more than three meters.
In its natural environment, pachira can reach a height of up to 20 meters, and also produces flowers with multiple long stamens, after which greenish edible fruits ripen. In a domestic environment, the plant does not bloom or bear fruit, but its life expectancy with proper care can be about ten years.
Pakhira is grown not only as an ornamental plant. Its bark is used in folk medicine to relieve pain in the throat and stomach. The fruits of this plant are used in cooking - they are fried, bread is baked from ground "nuts", hot drinks are prepared. In addition, pachira is a symbol of abundance in the house. It is believed that with the growth of this plant, prosperity and good luck come to the family.
| High growth rate. | |
| In the home environment, the plant does not bloom. | |
| The plant is easy to grow. |
| Perennial. |
Pachira care at home. Briefly
Pakhira at home is not particularly difficult to care for. It is enough to maintain the following conditions of detention:
| Temperature regime | In autumn and winter, not lower than 16 degrees Celsius, in summer - not higher than 23 degrees |
| Air humidity | Avoid dry air, maintain humidity at 60 percent |
| Lighting | Indirect sunlight, preferably placed in the south, south-west part of the room, while avoiding overheating. |
| Watering | In hot weather - 2-3 times a week with warm water. In winter - rare watering in order to prevent the surface layer of the soil from drying out. |
| Priming | A mixture of soddy, sheet soil is used with the addition of sand in equal proportions. It is important to ensure good drainage. |
| Top dressing and fertilizer | From early spring to the end of autumn, it is advisable to feed the tree with complex mineral fertilizer once every three weeks. |
| Transfer | It is carried out annually for a young plant, for an old one - every 2 years. |
| Reproduction of pachira | It is carried out by seed method in the spring, or by cuttings closer to autumn. |
| Growing features | It is worth paying special attention to the degree of soil moisture, while avoiding an excess of moisture in the plant. In addition, it is important to control the degree of illumination of the flower. Pachira, staying in the shade, fades and slows down in development. |
Pachira care at home. in detail
Pachira flower will add a note of beauty and comfort to your home. Care at home is not particularly difficult, but still some of the nuances are worth considering in more detail.
pachira flowering
Pachira flowers are very beautiful, have a delicate vanilla aroma, but they can only be observed in natural conditions or in a greenhouse. As a rule, active flowering occurs from the beginning of summer to the end of autumn. The inflorescences are clusters of many long, bright yellow or red stamens, surrounded by pinkish, greenish or cream petals.
The diameter of the flowers is 10-15 centimeters, 30-35 cm long. Later, fruits are formed from the inflorescences, which, after ripening, split into two halves, revealing up to 20 rounded “nuts” inside.
Temperature regime
In hot weather, pachira should be protected from overheating and prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. The maximum allowable temperature in the room is 23-25 degrees. AT winter time drafts should not be allowed, as well as temperature drops below 16 degrees.
In addition, the plant should not be near heaters and batteries.
spraying
Due to the fact that pachira is a tropical plant, it is very important to maintain the natural level of humidity for the flower. If the air in the room is too dry, you can correct the situation by regularly spraying the leaves. When spraying moisture, do not fall on the source of crown growth in order to avoid decay. Spray with distilled water room temperature.
Lighting
But at the same time, prolonged exposure to the sun has a detrimental effect on the leaves, “burn” spots may appear, therefore the best option would be to provide the plant with diffused soft light, as well as some shading of the flower with too intense sunlight.
Watering
In the hot season, home pachira needs regular watering. At the same time, it is necessary to monitor the degree of soil moisture. If the soil surface is damp, watering should be postponed until upper layer won't dry out a bit. In winter, watering is carried out rarely and only when the soil of the plant has dried out by about 3-4 cm from the surface. Otherwise, the plant will begin to rot.
It should be watered with settled or rain water, without using irrigation using a pallet.
Pachira pot
Pot, in this case, is selected depending on the size of the flower and its root system. So, a young plant with a minimum number of roots does not need a deep container, a fairly small but wide container with a diameter of at least 29 cm.
A pot that is too small will stunt the growth of the pachira. And in too deep - part of the earth will not be used by the plant, which can lead to a change in soil properties, its further acidification.
Soil for pachira
Successful cultivation of pachira requires "breathing", not too saturated with nutrients soil. A mixture of turf and leaf soil, mixed with sand, brick chips in equal proportions, is suitable. Including favorable for the growth of pachira and universal land for palm trees, dracaena. The main condition is that the soil should become permeable, with good drainage.
Top dressing and fertilizer
Feeding pachira is best done in the spring and summer months, with a frequency of every two weeks. As fertilizers, you can use either specialized mineral additives for non-flowering decorative leafy plants, or feed the tree by spraying the leaves with anti-stress preparations.
In the first case, 50 percent of the recommended additive concentration for decorative foliage varieties should be used. When spraying leaves, it is better to use the dosage indicated by the manufacturers.
Pachira transplant
A pachira flower at home will decorate any dwelling with its appearance for a long time, if it is transplanted in time and thereby prolongs the period of active growth. It is better to transplant a young flower every year in the spring. Perennial specimens are transplanted every two years, also in the spring months. In both cases, transplantation is carried out with a complete replacement of the soil and the whole process is as follows:
- the plant is removed, while the root system is slightly straightened;
- the roots are placed in a container with water for no more than 15 minutes;
- the remnants of the earth are removed from the roots, while dead, damaged and decaying areas are also removed;
- if desired, shorten the remaining healthy roots;
- fill the pot with a mixture for transplanting in the form of a slide;
- on top we place the root system of pachira, evenly distributing the processes throughout the entire volume of the pot;
- we fall asleep the remaining volume of the flower container.
How to cut pachira
Pakhira at home does not need to be circumcised. This is only necessary if the plant has lost its decorative appearance. In this case, formative pruning is carried out in early spring. In places of cut, the flower branches and the crown becomes more magnificent, spherical. Just dead, dried leaves and stems can be removed at any time.
Reproduction of pachira
Reproduction of this plant is possible in two ways - vegetative and seed.
Propagation of pachira by cuttings
The vegetative method of propagation of pachira is propagation by cuttings. For this purpose, a cutting up to 10 cm in size is taken, which has a formed structure with two leaf nodes.
Rooting is carried out as follows:
- the lower edges of the cuttings are treated with a rooting activator
- a soil mixture is made from the same parts of sifted sand, charcoal, leaf humus and half a part of sphagnum
- the resulting mixture is sterilized
- cuttings are planted in containers, or plastic cups with obligatory drainage hole
- the lower parts of the cuttings are immersed in the soil by 30 mm, followed by watering.
The root formation period is about 3 weeks. Under favorable conditions, namely: diffused light, temperature 20-22 degrees, humidity level about 80 percent, this process can also be carried out in water.
To do this, the treated cuttings are placed in a container with water and, after the roots appear, they are transplanted into the soil mixture. This is a rather stressful moment for a young pachira, therefore, during such a period, the flower must be provided optimal conditions for germination.
Growing pachira from seeds
Propagation by seeds is carried out in the following way: pre-soaked and squeezed sphagnum is placed in a sealed bag in a layer of 2-3 cm. On top we put a flower seed, which is covered from above with another layer of moss. Since the germination rate of pachira seeds is approximately 30-40 percent, it is worth preparing 4-5 such packages in order to guarantee the desired result.
Conditions for the germination of pachira seeds:
- air temperature 25 degrees
- scattered light
- wet and not wet sphagnum moss
- indoor humidity - 80 percent
- ventilation several times a day.
Germinated specimens are planted together with moss in the soil and the first week of germination for the plant maintains a high level of air humidity. A month later, in the presence of active development, you can carry out the first feeding of pachira.
Diseases and pests
Types of pachira homemade with photos and names
Pachira aquatica, water (Pachira aquatica)
Belongs to the Malvaceae family, has smooth green leaves on oblong petioles and inflorescences 30 cm long, resembling a panicle. The flower gives the aroma of vanilla and later a greenish fruit is formed from the ovary, inside which there are up to 20 edible nuts covered with a dense peel. These seeds, as well as the leaves and bark of the tree, are used in cooking and in the treatment of certain diseases.
The rarest type of plant. Distinctive feature is an unusually round leaf structure. The shoots of this flower in the wild creep along the ground, therefore at home it can be grown in hanging planters and flowerpots.
It differs from the most popular water pachira, only by the original pattern on the leaves in the form of many silvery stripes-threads.
Most indoor plant lovers have probably heard of such a name as a bottle or money tree. Why is it so named and how to grow it yourself? This will be discussed in this article.
Palm Description
In the wild, pachira grows in swampy areas and tropical forests of South and Central America. In addition to the main name, it has several other names, in particular, Guianan or Malabar chestnut, saba walnut, money or Chinese tree, and bottle tree due to the similarity of the stem with this vessel.
It belongs to the subfamily Bombacoideae of the Malvaceae family. Pakhira is related to baobab and durian. At home, it grows very slowly, and in natural conditions it reaches three meters in height.
The life expectancy of pachira is very high. With proper care, it can grow and develop for several decades.
The optimum temperature for its cultivation in summer is 21–25 °С, and in winter it is about 15–16 °С. This indoor tree loves bright light, but it should not be too intense and direct. A comfortable place to be located indoors is near a window facing west or east. The plant does not tolerate constant darkening or being in the shade.
The price varies depending on the type and size of the tree. The average cost on the market is 4–6 thousand rubles for a pachira 90 cm high and 12–15 thousand rubles for a tree 180 cm high. A very small tree can be bought within 1.5–3 thousand rubles. This product is sold in special flower shops, and it can also be purchased at botanical nurseries.
You should not buy a plant with dry or brown leaves at the ends - most likely, it is infected.
Pakhira is not poisonous, so it does not need to be kept in a place isolated from children and animals, but can be placed freely. It also does not release any harmful human body substances, so it can be safely used to purify the air in the room. 
In my own way appearance reminiscent of such representatives of the flora as the aforementioned baobab, chestnut and walnut tree.
Flowering and fruiting
Pachira blooms in room conditions very rarely. It looks like this: a large number of narrow and long, up to 15 cm, fragrant flowers of white or yellowish color are collected in a large paniculate inflorescence, about 35 cm in length (pachira flowers are also compared in shape with salute salutes). After flowering, fruits of an elongated-round shape of olive color are formed, from 10 to 25 cm in length.
When the fruits ripen, they split in the center and the seeds become visible. Each fruit contains 10 to 25 seeds. They are also called nuts because they are covered with a tough brown skin. The fruits are edible and can be used to grind flour and bake bread. In addition, they can be eaten in any form: boiled, fried or raw, and the leaves and flowers can also be used as food. They also make drinks that taste like chocolate from nuts.
Signs and superstitions
There is a belief among the people that this plant brings wealth and prosperity to the house. It is not for nothing that pachira is called the money tree. Its presence in the apartment has a beneficial effect on the mood and energy of a person, directs him to success in business and protects him from troubles and material problems. 
Properly placed according to the eastern teachings of Feng Shui, the money tree is a powerful tool in attracting good luck and wealth, so it should be placed in the southeastern sector of the home. You can place an image of water or an artificial waterfall nearby, and decorate the plant itself with red ribbons or hearts to enhance the magical effect.
Pachira flowering is considered a very good sign, symbolizing the imminent enrichment. You should also make wishes during this period.
Is it suitable for shaping bonsai?
Pakhira is conditionally suitable for bonsai with long and painstaking care. The trimming algorithm is as follows:
- to make the trunk thicker and the crown thicker, it is necessary to cut and pinch the tips of the shoots;
- make an incision 2.5 cm below the place where you need to grow new leaves;
- three plants can be planted side by side so that their trunks are intertwined into a pigtail (for this they are loosely tied with twine and the bark is cut off at the points of contact).
Home Care
During the flowering period, you need to further enrich the soil with useful substances. During the dormant period, top dressing can be done once a month.
In the spring, carefully cut off the tips of the branches to form a spherical or conical shape.
Pachira should be planted in a shallow, but at the same time wide container. A clay pot is best for this.
What kind of soil is needed
The soil most suitable for pachira should consist of sod and deciduous soil, river sand in a ratio of 1:1:1. You can buy a ready-made mixture for palm trees and dracaena in the store, or make it yourself by sprinkling it charcoal from pests.
Drainage should also be provided at the bottom of a pot of river pebbles or expanded clay.
Transfer
Every year the plant must be transplanted into a new pot with a different soil, and bigger size than the former. To do this, remove all dead parts or affected by pests. 
Pachira may need a transplant when:
- it has just been brought home after purchase;
- the tree has grown, and the pot has become cramped;
- the soil has become too oversaturated with nitrogen and other substances;
- the plant was attacked by pests or diseases.
To keep the color alive and not get sick in the future, you should spray it with insecticides.
It is not recommended to transplant pachira during flowering, this can lead to death.
After transplantation, it is required to carefully observe the irrigation regime and avoid direct sunlight.
Immediately after buying a flower, you need to let it settle and then, after 2 hours, gently spray it with water from a spray bottle. After that, the pakhira needs to be transplanted into a prepared container.
reproduction
The earth must be normal. Additionally, you will need a small spatula and polyethylene. It is better to propagate plants in the spring. The temperature should be + 20–25 ° С, soil moisture is uniform. Shoots need to be planted in wide grooves and sprinkled with earth.
Possible methods of reproduction:
It is necessary to ensure proper temperature conditions and the greenhouse effect for seed germination. In order for the cuttings to take root, add peat and sand to the soil, and pre-cut marks from the cuttings.
Fertilizer and top dressing
To saturate the soil in which pachira grows, you need to use the following types of fertilizers:
- organic (humus, manure, bird droppings, peat, silt);
- mineral (soluble and insoluble).
There are many products for feeding on sale: liquid fertilizers "Agricola", organic top dressing "Biohumus",
You can prepare natural supplements at home. For this, the soil is cultivated:
- sugar solution (1 tablespoon of granulated sugar per 0.5 liters of water);
- coffee grounds;
- infusion on orange peel;
- ash;
- yeast.
During the flowering period, pachira must be fed as soon as the buds have formed, and continue until the end of flowering. Most of all, at this time, the plant needs phosphorus and potassium, but nitrogen, on the contrary, slows down the process of flower development. 
During the dormant period, it is recommended to feed pachira with mineral fertilizers no more than once a month.
Watering
In the warm season, irrigate with clean, settled water for 2 days. The liquid must be poured in a thin stream, without touching the trunk. In winter, it should be watered rarely or completely stopped watering so that it does not start to rot.
Pakhira does not require a large amount of moisture. Water should be soft, temperature not lower than +20 °C.
If you are going on vacation
To organize watering during a long absence, you can place a pot with a bottle tree in a basin or bath of water at the bottom 2 cm high and pour wet expanded clay on the bottom and sides of the flower pots.
Growing problems and mistakes
Pakhira blooms in artificial conditions quite rarely. Sometimes this is due to oversaturation with moisture or non-compliance temperature regime.
Diseases
The main disease that affects the bottle tree is root rot, which is characterized by the appearance of black mold at the base of the trunk. This happens due to the strong moisture content of the soil as a result of improper watering. To get rid of this disease, you need to remove the damaged part of the plant and transplant it into a new soil. The trunk and leaves must be treated with a fungicide solution, and continue to follow the rules of watering, without oversaturating the ground with too much moisture.
Pests. Table
| Name | Description | Reasons for the appearance | How to fight | Prevention |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worms | Small size, white | Introduced with soil or seedlings | Soil treatment with a weak solution of potassium permanganate | Sprinkling the soil with crushed hot pepper or tobacco powder |
| spider mite | Arthropod up to 1 mm in size, pale green | Too dry soil; blown by the wind or with seedlings | Mechanical removal of affected leaves; treatment with Entobacterin, Dendrobacillin, Biotlin, Fitoverm, Bitoxibacillin. | Spraying the soil with acaricidal preparations; maintaining high temperature and air humidity |
| Shchitovka | Size from 3 to 7 mm, the body is covered with wax shields | Increased air humidity combined with insufficient lighting | Isolation of infected plants; mechanical removal of insects; insecticide spraying | Spraying the plant and soil with garlic or onion water, pepper tincture, a solution of celandine juice |
| Aphid | Tiny green insect up to 3–4 mm | Shady room, too close to other plants | The use of insecticides Inta-Vir, Bi-58, Accord, etc. | Ensuring adequate lighting; soil treatment with onion infusion |
| thrips | Black insects with an elongated body 0.5–14 mm long; serrated paws | Low air humidity | Insecticide treatment; mechanical removal of affected areas of the plant | Timely watering; spraying the leaves with water |
Leaf problems. Table
Types of pachira with photos and names
Only three of the existing 45 species of this plant are suitable for breeding at home.
Aquatic or water (Pachira aquatica)
The most popular variety in terms of indoor breeding;
looks like a mini-tree with a trunk thickened at the bottom and dense dark green leaves.
Silver (Pachira argyreia)
It looks the same as the water pachira, only it has a silvery color of the foliage. 
Round-leaved (Pachira rotundifolia)
A plant with creeping shoots and rounded leaves.
Thus, by purchasing a bottle tree, you provide yourself for many years not only with a spectacular element of the interior in the form of a fancy plant, but also with an excellent “green assistant” that helps to enrich the air in the apartment with oxygen.
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Pachira, which is native to South America, belongs to the baobab family. This is a plant with a rather unusual appearance, a chic crown and a slender trunk, reaching 3 meters in height at room conditions.
A feature of pachira is that, if desired, you can get a rather exotic specimen with a trunk twisted into a pigtail. And although caring for pakhira at home is a rather laborious process, the unusual appearance of the plant justifies all efforts.
Types of pachira grown indoors and photos
- It is the most common type of pachira in room culture. The plant resembles a miniature tree with dense dark green leaves and a trunk thickened at the bottom. Such a thickness of the trunk is explained by the presence of a cavity between the wood and the bark for the supply of liquid, because pachira belongs to bottle plants.
- Pachira is silver. Similar to the previous water, but differs in the silver-green color of the leaves.
- Pakhira round-leaved. It has creeping shoots with rounded leaves. Often grown as an ampelous plant.
When choosing a place for pachira, you need to consider that this plant loves light.
When choosing a place to place pachira, you need to remember that the plant will develop well only in a lighted area. The more light, the more intense the growth of new leaves. It is best to place the pot on a western or eastern window. The plant can even tolerate direct rays, but only in the morning and late afternoon. The north side is not suitable for cultivation, because in this case, the pakhira is strongly stretched and loses its decorative effect. And the pakhira, placed on the south window, requires shading from the direct sun. Otherwise, burn spots will appear on the leaves.
Optimum temperature for growing pachira is 22 - 24 degrees. During winter maintenance, the temperature should not be above 18 and below 15 degrees. Lower temperatures will cause root rot.
It will be wrong to place the plant above the heater (battery) in winter. This leads to overdrying of the earthy coma and the development of diseases. Also, do not place the plant near drafts.
water pachira should be carefully water at room temperature. Do not allow moisture to get on the trunk, as this may cause it to rot. It is better to pour water in a thin stream along the edges of the pot or pour it into a saucer. Between waterings, it is necessary to ensure that the earthen clod has enough time to dry out, but not to dry out, because both waterlogging and underfilling lead to the death of the roots and the fall of the foliage.
With the onset of cold weather, it is necessary to reduce watering by three to four times, because at this time the plant cannot absorb the same volumes of water as before.
She can tolerate dry air, but in hot weather
Pachira can tolerate dry air, but should not be abused
time is better to spray the crown of the plant. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that drops of water do not fall on the trunk, which can cause it to rot.
During the growing season(spring - summer) pachira needs to be fertilized with complex fertilizer. The frequency of top dressing is once every three to four weeks. The concentration of fertilizer should not be strong, as this can burn the root system.
They transplant pachira in spring, young plants annually, older ones - once every three years. For planting, choose a shallow wide container 5 cm larger than the previous one. Since pachira develops a superficial root system, when planting, the trunk cannot be deeply buried in the ground, this is fraught with decay. For the same reason, a quarter of the pot should be filled with drainage, to which broken brick and charcoal can be added.
The potted mixture is prepared from equal proportions of soddy, leafy soil and sand. A ready-made mixture for palm trees and dracaena is also suitable. The soil should be light, slightly acidic and not overly nutritious.
Trimming the pachira and shaping the pigtail
It is best to prune the plant in spring and summer.
In order for the pachira to form a beautiful lush crown, it must be cut periodically. Pruning is carried out in the spring and summer, when the branches get stronger and grow enough. In the future, new shoots appear at the cut site, which makes it possible to give the crown the desired shape.
Several plants with an intertwined trunk look spectacular. To get such beauty, it is necessary to plant two or three pakhira cuttings of the same height in one pot. These cuttings are braided or curled in a spiral, and so that the shoots do not disperse, the top is pulled together with twine. The main thing is not to overtighten, otherwise the trunk will be damaged and sap flow will be disturbed.
Gradually, the stems take on a given shape and the plant continues to grow. As it grows, you can trim the leaves and continue curling the trunks. The main thing is to carry out this procedure before the stems begin to woody. You can cut the bark in the areas of contact between the trunks. Then they will grow together and the plant will look more harmonious.
An important point in care— control of the hardness of the barrel. It is important that it be flexible. A softened trunk indicates excessive watering and the beginning of root rot. In this case, the plant is dug up, the rotten roots are cut off, and the sections are powdered with crushed coal. After that, the plant should lie in the shade for a while, and then it is planted in a new soil and left for a week without watering.
Pakhira is propagated by seeds and cuttings.
Pachira is propagated by cuttings and sowing seeds. Cuttings are carried out in August. To do this, take sections of the stem with one bud and leaf and root in a mixture of sand and peat at 25-30 degrees. The cuttings should be under the film or glass. Inside the greenhouse, it is necessary to maintain high humidity and temperature. In addition, it is possible to carry out the rooting of pakhira cuttings in water.
Pakhira is able to produce a fruit-berry with edible seeds, which are also used for reproduction. It is necessary to take the seeds immediately after ripening, otherwise they will lose their germination. For sowing, standard soil with a temperature of 25 - 30 degrees is used. Seeds are lightly sprinkled with earth, sprayed and covered with glass. The temperature in the greenhouse should be maintained at 27 degrees. From time to time, the greenhouse is ventilated, and the earth is moistened. Sprouts appear in about twenty days. When the seedlings are strong enough, they must be planted.
Difficulties in Growing Pachira
This can happen due to a temperature difference or the plant is in a pot that is too large and deep.
Often, when growing pachira, flower growers face some problems that are caused by errors in care and damage to the plant by pests.
- softened stem- a sign of waterlogging of the soil, especially in cold weather.
- The tips or edges of the leaves turn brown- dry air, insufficient watering or drafts.
- The leaves are curling up, become soft, and the tips turn brown - temperature changes. Perhaps during the day it is normal, but at night it drops below normal.
- elongated stem, which has lost its thickening, indicates a lack of light.
- Dry spots on leaves- sign sunburn. A plant that is under direct rays must be shaded immediately.
- If the leaves of the pakhira fall, then the plant is in a too large and deep pot.
Very often, the reason that pachira turns yellow and leaves fall off is the presence of pests in the soil - small white worms that appear on the surface of the soil. To remove them, it is necessary to treat the soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. You can powder the top layer of soil with hot pepper or tobacco powder.
Also, the reason that the leaves of the pachira turned yellow is the lack of minerals in the soil. This is easily eliminated by applying liquid dressings.
There are more and more people who want to start intricate exotics in their apartments, and the more unusual the plant, the more interesting it is to grow it. These curiosities include the pachira flower, which is of increasing interest to lovers of indoor plants.
This unusual tree in a pot will surprise anyone with its interesting appearance, exotic flowers and fruits. This beauty will look great both in the winter garden and in the office, and even in a simple apartment. Yes, and pachira is a compliant plant, if proper care is established for it.
Pakhira in the photo plant species
A flower at home takes up too much space. Therefore, only a few varieties of this exotic beauty are grown at home:
- pachira aquatica is the most famous and widespread species, a plant with beautiful panicle-like flowers and unusual fruits. Leaves are large and glossy. The height of the species reaches three meters;
- pakhira round-leaved - a flower with long creeping shoots;
- pachira silver - a plant with silver stripes on the leaves.
Planting and reproduction
Reproduction of the plant is possible both by seeds and cuttings.
- When the seeds ripen, they are placed on top of the soil in a pot and sprinkled with soil on top. The pot is covered with a film, slightly moistening the ground. The seed germination temperature should be +28 degrees. As soon as sprouts appear (this will happen in about a month), the film is removed. after the seedlings get stronger, they are transplanted into individual pots.
- Cuttings are cut from an adult flower in August, together with the stem part, they are planted in moist soil, maintaining an air temperature of +26 degrees. In two weeks, the cuttings will take root.
The plant is transplanted every three years into a larger pot, using a new fertile soil.
Care
Home care for pakhira is simple if you follow the following rules:
- place a flower on an east or west window, but you need to protect it from direct sunlight. On the north side, the plant may wither;
- the air temperature in the room where the exotic grows should not be below +16 in winter, and in summer +25 and above. It is necessary to protect the capricious beauty from drafts and sudden changes in temperature;
- air humidity for the pachira plant does not matter. It is only necessary to occasionally wipe the leaves from dust;
- the trunk has the ability to absorb and retain moisture, so the best irrigation option is water in the pan. The soil in the pot should have time to dry out between waterings. If a flower is oversaturated with moisture, its roots will die;
- it is advisable to cut the elongated shoots of the plant;
- from mid-spring to the end of summer, pachira should be fertilized with complex mineral fertilizers for indoor flowers. In winter, it is not fertilized.
Video: We take care of it right
Pakhira: leaves turn yellow
What to do? If the pakhira turns yellow, there may be several reasons for this:
- pests in the soil. To fix the problem, you need to treat the soil with potassium permanganate;
- micronutrient deficiencies. It is necessary to feed the flower;
- drafts or burns. It is worth choosing a suitable place for the pot.
Pachira (Pachira) is an exotic plant belonging to the baobab.
For the shape of the foliage, it was called the Guiana or Malabar chestnut, and for the appearance of the fruit, it was called the walnut tree.
Translated from the Latin "pachira" sounds like "fat".
Under natural growing conditions pahira can reach 20 meters in height. When grown indoors, its growth slows down significantly, and finally it is no more than 3 meters. But, at the same time, it branches strongly and the crown can reach a diameter of about 1.5 meters.
bright green the foliage has a palmately complex shape and long petioles. In the wild, the pachira flower is very beautiful, narrow white or yellowish in color, up to 15 centimeters long. The flowers are collected in huge panicle inflorescences, see photo:
Plants that are grown indoors, almost never bloom. The fruits are berries with a lignified olive skin.
They have a length of 10 to 25 centimeters and resemble a coconut in appearance. Inside they are filled with rounded seeds that can be eaten raw or roasted.
Pachira is native to the rocky African deserts. Under natural growing conditions, some species of this plant can also be found in the jungles of South and Central America. It has now become a very popular houseplant around the world.
At home, pachira can also grow quite large, as shown in this video:
To date, more than 20 types of pachira are known. Only a few of them can be grown indoors.
Pachira water
Pachira aquatic or pachira aquatic (Pachira aquatic), unlike other species, prefers to settle in humid areas. Therefore, a thickening on the stem to collect moisture may be absent.
It is also characterized by a wrinkled surface of the leaf plate, which has a rich bright green color. This type of pachira is one of the most common types of this plant grown indoors. Moreover, all its parts are edible.
Pachira silver (Pachira argyreia) is a highly ornamental plant. Its green leaf plates have veins and a pattern of silver color and differ from the water pachira only in this.
This species appeared on sale relatively recently, therefore, in home floriculture, it is still less common than others.
Pakhira round-leaved
Pachira round-leaved (Pachira rotundifoloa) has an unusual structure for this plant. Its stems in natural growing conditions spread along the soil. Unlike many varieties, its foliage has a rounded shape.
Signs and superstitions, feng shui pakhira
Folk signs say that the pakhira living in the house cannot be transferred or given to someone. If this is done, then in the future the rest of the flowers stop growing and blooming. But, if for some reason the plant still needs to be given away, then you need to take some thing from the new owner, or at least a coin.
Feng Shui theory says that pakhira endows households with health, good luck, wealth and prosperity. Moreover, after the appearance of the next young leaf, there is an increase in all these benefits. With the advent of this plant in the house, positive energy rises, and negative energy weakens sharply, which creates a friendly atmosphere in the family.
Since pachira flower is a tropical plant, it loves bright lighting.
Therefore, it is better to place it in the western or eastern part of the room.
If it is located on the south side, then during the hottest time of the day, additional shading should be created for it to protect it from sunburn.
Pakhira belongs to heat-loving plants therefore, in spring and summer, the temperature in the room should be about 25 degrees, and in autumn and winter at least 14 degrees. It does not impose special requirements on air humidity, but reacts positively to regular spraying.
Important! Pakhira does not like drafts, which provoke the development of many diseases.
This plant should be watered regularly, but only after the top layer of the soil dries out. Pachira should be fed from the beginning of spring to the end of summer. For this, complex mineral fertilizers are used once a month.
To form a beautiful crown of the chosen shape (ball, oval, etc.), you should regularly trim the plant. Cardinal pruning is carried out in the spring, and the current one can be applied at any time as needed.
To give the pakhira a more decorative look, you can plant several seedlings in one container, remove the lower leaves from them and intertwine. Of course, this is a long process, but as a result, very beautiful specimens of this plant can be obtained.
Planting pachira is desirable spend in the spring. To do this, you need to pick up a low, but wide pot, with a diameter slightly larger than the size of the root system.
Important! In too large a container, it will take a long time to grow roots, and the green mass of the plant will not develop.
Next, you need to make a light, nutritious soil mixture, you can make it yourself from the following components:
- Sod land - 2 parts;
- Leaf land -1 part;
- Peat land - 1 part;
- Coarse sand - 1 part.
Pachira transplantation is carried out 1 time in 2 years. For this, a container is used no more than 5 centimeters larger in diameter than the previous one.
The pachira plant is the so-called "bottle tree", having a thicker lower part of the trunk than the rest. The bark and wood are separated by a cavity in which water reserves are created. They allow the plant to receive moisture during the dry season, which saves it from death.
Diseases and pests, treatment and prevention
pachira tree quite resistant to diseases and pests.
But, non-compliance with the rules for caring for a plant can lead to the fact that they settle on it. spider mites, scale insects and aphids.
If pests are found, all parts of the pachira should be washed with soapy water and treated with an insecticide solution.
Of the diseases for the plant, root rot is dangerous, which occurs, as a rule, during overflows. In this case, pachira should be transplanted into a new soil, after removing the affected areas of the root system, and treat the rest with a fungicide solution. In the future, you need to observe the irrigation regime.
For cuttings it is necessary to cut well-developed shoots about 15 centimeters long from an adult plant in early autumn.
They need to be planted in boxes with a mixture of peat and sand. After they take root, and new sheets begin to develop on them, the seedlings can be planted in separate containers.
For propagation by seeds, you need to prepare a box with soil, which is used for planting adult plants. Planting material must be fresh, as it quickly loses its germination. Seeds are evenly distributed over the ground, covered with a thin layer of soil and moistened.
The boxes are wrapped in plastic wrap and sent to a warm and well-lit room. Shelter should be removed regularly to ventilate and moisten the plantings.
Shoots should appear within a month after sowing. When 3 leaves are formed on the seedlings, they are planted in individual pots.
Pachiru often called the money tree. At proper care This ornamental plant will delight its owners for a very long time.