Rapis: types of domestic palm trees and their care

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Rapis (Rhapis) is a plant from the Palm family. Homeland – China, Japan. The name of this plant comes from the word “rhapis”, which translates as “rod” or “stick”. That is why in everyday life the tree is sometimes called a stick palm.

Thanks to a thin reed-like tubular trunk covered with felt-mesh fibers, the rapis palm tree is distinguished by its elegance and perfection of form. However, it is worth considering that all representatives of this genus are multi-stemmed plants.

The stems are thin, similar to bamboo. They always grow in groups, as they have a strong root that forms side shoots.

The leaves are fan-shaped, rigid, dark green, deeply dissected into 7-10 segments. They are short and are located at the ends of the trunks.

The rapis plant can have different sizes, which differ depending on the species and the development environment. Indoors it grows up to 2 m. But there is also a short version.

Types of rapis palm

In nature, there are only 15 species of such a flower as rapis, but it is worth considering that only 2 species are used in culture, which are quite easy to classify.

Most popular:
Rapis high (R. excelsa);

Rapis low (R. humilis).

Rapis high (R. excelsa) . This plant stands out for its larger size and short foliage. Can grow up to 3 m in height.

As can be seen from the photo , this rapis palm does not produce a very large number of lateral shoots in comparison with a stunted species.

Each individual sheet does not reach a length of more than 30 cm and a width of more than 5 cm. The dissection passes only 2/3 of the length. Along the leaves are two relief veins. The surface is leathery and shiny.

The petioles are quite long – they can grow up to 40 cm. They are very thin at the base and covered with fibers along the entire length. Inflorescences at home almost never appear. In rare cases, they are up to 30 cm long.

Papis low (Rhapis humilis) . This rapis as a domestic palm is distinguished by a much greater density of shoots, but at the same time it is about two times lower than the previous species.

The maximum growth of this plant is 1.5 m, but it is worth considering that usually it rarely exceeds even a meter height.

A large number of stems are well covered with fibers.

Their maximum diameter is 2 cm. The cuts on the leaves begin almost near the base.

The length of the leaves varies in the range of 20 – 25 cm, and the width does not exceed 2 cm.

Petioles are about 30 cm tall.

Home flower rapis: care and reproduction

Rapis prefers bright rooms with shading from direct sunlight. Tolerates a lack of light. It is best to place this plant near an east or west window. The flower will also feel good at the northern windows.

As you can see in the photo , with improper care at home, burns may appear on the rapis due to contact with direct sunlight. It is also desirable to turn the plant from time to time in different directions to the lighting. This is done in order to properly form the crown.

Normal temperature in the warm season should remain between 20 – 22 ° C. In summer, you can take it out into the air – to the balcony or to the garden. However, in this case, it is necessary to monitor the absence of drafts. In winter, it is recommended to keep at a temperature not lower than 5 ° C.
Caring for the rapis palm usually does not require any additional room humidification, as the plant freely tolerates dry air. However, regular spraying will still be beneficial for this flower. You can wash the leaves in the shower from time to time, while reliably covering the soil. It is worth remembering that at low air temperatures such procedures must be suspended.
Suitable soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. The substrate is clay-turf and leaf soil, peat, sand (1:1:1:1). You need wide pots.
Abundant watering is necessary, during the summer the soil in the pot should be moist. It is necessary to water the plant after the topsoil has dried. However, in no case should the earthen coma be allowed to dry out completely. Otherwise, the leaves will begin to wilt. It must be remembered that waterlogging this plant does not tolerate better. It is believed that after a drought it is much easier to restore a palm tree than after water stagnation in the soil. In winter, water less often, but so that the soil lump does not dry out. It is best to use soft, settled water.
One of the important points for the proper care of rapeseed at home is the timely feeding of the flower. During spring and summer, twice a month, they are fed with flower fertilizers.
At home, caring for a palm tree such as rapis includes the obligatory transplantation of a flower into a new pot. Young plants are transplanted annually, after 5 years – every 3-4 years. To do this, they use the transshipment method – they almost never get rid of the old earthy coma, as this can damage the root system, and the plant will recover for a long time. At the bottom of the pot, it is necessary to pour a layer of drainage from broken bricks and expanded clay. Drainage should not come into contact with the roots. The roots of the palm tree are located in the upper layer of the soil, so it is necessary to choose a wide pot that is not too deep. In the case of planting a plant in a deep vessel, constant stagnation of water may occur, which will certainly lead to flower diseases.
The main ways of propagation of rapis are by shifts and offspring that appear on the mother plant. Seedlings and separated offspring grow extremely slowly, after about 2 to 3 months. It will be possible to get an adult large palm tree after a few years.
The most commonly used method of dividing the rhizome during transplantation. This method is considered the simplest and most effective. Younger shoots are separated from an adult bush and planted in a separate pot. It is important to cause minimal damage to the root system of plants. After such a procedure, rapis will require more careful care for some time to adapt.

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