Cycas care at home: propagation, replanting, feeding

Author: Elena N. https://floristics.info/ru/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=19 Category: Houseplants Published: February 09, 2019Last edits: January 11, 2021

Cycas breeding

Growing from seeds

Reproduction by cutting off shoots

Pests and diseases

Cycas turns yellow

Cycas is drying

Kinds

Drooping cycas, or wrapped cycas, or revoluta cycas (Cycas revoluta)

Curled cycas, or snail-shaped cycas (Cycas circinalis = Cycas neocaledonica)

Cycas media

Cycas rumphii

Siamese Cycas (Cycas siamensis)

Literature

useful links

Comments

Cycas, or cycad, is one of the few representatives of the most ancient flora of the planet that have survived to this day. Externally, the cicada looks like a palm tree, but it is not a palm tree. Cycad is an intermediate link between ferns and ginkgo. Growing cycads at home is a rather lengthy process. There is another difficulty: an adult plant requires a lot of space, and you must take this into account.

In our article you will find recommendations for growing cycas indoors. From it you will learn:

what types of cycads are there;
how does the cicada reproduce;
how to care for a cycad;
what problems can occur in cicada and how to deal with them.

Description of the sago palm

The main decoration of the cicada is the long feathery leaves of a rich, bright green color. This is a dioecious plant. Female specimens are distinguished by reddish or yellowish pubescent leaves against a background of bright greenery. Male cycads form knobby projections – microstrobilae – at the base of the trunk.

Important! In home cultivation, only female specimens are used, since male microstrobili have a very unpleasant odor.

Cycad seeds ripen in cones that usually form on the upper part of the trunk of female plants. These are loose formations that consist of modified young leaves. The ovules are located on these leaves. However, you should know that cycas does not produce seeds under indoor conditions.

When grown wild in subtropical or tropical conditions, the cycas grows up to fifteen meters in height. Houseplants usually grow to a maximum of 150, more often up to 50-80 centimeters.

The sago palm grows very slowly - no more than 3 centimeters per year, and rarely produces new leaves - up to three per year.

The leaves grow from the central part of the trunk, covered with brown scales - remnants of the bases of dead leaves. A powerful vein runs through the central part of the leaves, which has no branches. Segments of young leaves are usually curled like a snail, but over time they straighten out. The lifespan of the leaves is up to three years.

Cycas is also characterized by a very thick trunk, although in home growing conditions it develops rather poorly.

Types of Cycas

Previously, the cicas genus numbered more than two hundred different species. A certain part died out in the evolutionary process, archaeologists talk about them in their research. Currently, the cycad has approximately ninety varieties. The following copies are considered the most popular.

Cycas Revoluta (drooping cycas)

The leading position is occupied by the Cycas Revoluta, which is actively cultivated at home. The plant is compact, so it is in demand among gardeners. If in the external environment this type of cycad grows up to 6 meters high, then indoors an adult cycad forms no more than seven new leaves during the year. This ornamental crop is very convenient to grow even in a small room.

The drooping cycas has a column-shaped trunk, the height of which is 45 - 55 centimeters. At the top of the stem part there is a crown of palm-shaped or fern-shaped leaves. The foliage of a young plant is soft and pubescent; over time it will become harsh and glossy.

Cones form at the top of the stem. The female type cycas has densely pubescent foliage of a yellow or reddish hue. Cones of loose structure. The cycad is a drooping male type with brown cones and tightly fitting scales.

Cycas Revoluta is a decorative indoor plant; it is considered to be a living decoration of apartments and winter gardens. It will not be so easy for novice gardeners to grow this representative of the flora. To do this, it is necessary to study in detail how to care for the plant at home at various stages of development.

Cycas crescent

The cycad received this name because of the curved shape of the leaf, the upper side of which is glossy and shiny, and the lower side is matte. He is originally from Madagascar and India.

Sago is obtained from this crop by extracting it from the stem core. Sago is considered a valuable product for the population of many countries.

The sickle cycas is unpretentious to temperature conditions. Loves well-lit places indoors. Watering is moderate, in winter - insignificant. The plant is replanted every five to seven years if the pot size has become small. They are often propagated by seeds in the spring. Can be propagated by cuttings, which are formed from side shoots. Cuttings need fertile soil and a room temperature of at least +25°.

Cycas snail-shaped (curled)

Australia and India are considered to be the birthplace of the plant. Cycas snail-shaped is distinguished by its large dimensions. Its trunk is column-shaped, reaching a height of up to three meters. Leaves 1–2 meters long are collected in bunches. The cone-shaped top appears in any month of the year. The number of leaves in it is different: 15 – 26 pieces (depending on age and season). Young leaves grow vertically, becoming large, they begin to bend towards the ground, positioned horizontally.

The beauty of this representative of the flora lies in the feathery, large leaves, divided into many narrow leaf lobes attached to the central vein. Such a narrow-lanceolate segment has a length of 25 cm, its width reaches 1.5 cm. The segments are located densely to each other. The central vein of the main leaf has short spines.

This type of cycad reproduces by seeds and vegetatively. Side shoots appear all year round on the trunk of an adult plant.

Cycas curlata is an ornamental, evergreen perennial. Very valued in the tropics and subtropics. The elegant plant is especially popular in Florida.

Cycad Tuara

The plant is native to Madagascar. Cycas is widespread in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Comoros and Seychelles. Prefers sandy soil and likes to grow on coral formations. Under natural conditions it grows about 10 meters. The average height of a tree-like stem is usually 4 meters. The top often branches.

The foliage is from 150 to 210 centimeters long, has a dark green color, and is semi-glossy. Pollen ripens in orange or brown oblong cones. The seeds are large, reaching the size of a goose egg (50-60 mm).

Siamese Cycas

Indochina is the birthplace of the Siamese cycas. Now it can be found in Thailand, southern Vietnam, and in the forests of Burma. We can say about the plant that it is miniature - the height does not exceed 2 meters.

The trunk is in the shape of a tuber: the lower part is thickened, from the middle to the top it narrows, becoming much thinner. The spiny, veiny petioles are yellowish in color and covered with feathery leaves. The leaves on them are narrow, pointed, of medium length, approximately 10 cm, 5 mm wide. The color of the leaves is bluish-white.

Cycad Rumpha

The tallest plant in the cycad family. The trunk, like a column, grows up to 15 meters in height. The leaves are linear in shape, 30 cm long, 2 cm wide, densely arranged on the petioles, forming pinnate leaves two meters long. The leaves grow both symmetrically and in bunches; from a distance, Rumpha's cicada appears unkempt. This cycad grows faster than all its relatives. It lives on the shores of the island of Java, as well as Andaman and Nicobar. It owes its origin to Sri Lanka.

Origin of the cycad

Cycas is a plant from the tropics and subtropics; Australia and the countries of Southeast Asia are considered its homeland. It is believed that this particular plant to some extent became the progenitor of modern spruce trees, as well as ferns and horsetails.

Interesting! Cycas is such an ancient plant that we can safely say that representatives of this genus were closely acquainted with dinosaurs.

It is believed that such longevity of this species in an almost pristine state is due to a rare ancient symbiosis of five different organisms: the cycad itself - the host, a fungus, two types of bacteria, as well as blue-green algae.

The distribution area of the cicada is extremely wide - it does not grow in open ground only in northern Europe and Antarctica. At home, it can also be grown beyond the Arctic Circle.

Features of Cycas

Externally, the cicada has many similarities with a palm tree; for example, it is a tree whose height can vary from 2 to 15 m, while its trunk is quite thick. If a plant reaches a height of about 300 cm, then the thickness of its trunk in girth is, as a rule, 100 cm. The surface of the trunk is “chained in a shell”, consisting of the remains of leaf plates that have already died. The doubly pinnate or pinnate foliage is similar to the leaf blades of a fern that grow from the top of the trunk. The lifespan of such a plant most often exceeds 100 years. Cycas in indoor conditions has a height of 0.5–0.8 m, while over the course of 1 year its increase in height is no more than 30 mm, and it produces only 1 row of leaf blades. Young leaf plates are rich green in color, soft and with slight pubescence; after a while they darken, become bare, hard and shiny. When grown indoors, this plant is very similar not to a tree, but to a bush. It is interesting that most gardeners believe that cycas is a palm tree, because even its name comes from the ancient Greek word “kykas”, translated as “palm tree”, but in fact this plant has nothing to do with palm trees. However, it is a relative of the fern. Since this plant is slow growing, it is often grown as a bonsai.

When grown indoors, such a crop blooms extremely rarely. At the top of the trunk of the female plant, large orange seeds are formed in cones, the length of which varies from 30 to 50 mm. But in order for the seeds to be viable, cycas should be grown in greenhouse conditions, and the efforts of an experienced specialist will also be required.

Cycas care at home / Indoor palm tree

Cycas: types and varieties, photos

The plant is currently represented by a little more than twenty species, among which the most common are C. curled, C. drooping (turned away), C. comb-shaped, C. media, C. non-thorny, C. Rumpha, C. Tuara.

The most popular is the drooping cicada, or turned away, also known as Ts. revoluta. Thanks to its lush, but at the same time very compact crown, it has become a real favorite of designers who use it for indoor landscaping. It is very often found in gardens and parks of the tropics and subtropics. The following varieties of drooping cycas are especially loved by flower growers:

diplofoliolum with forked, double-pinnate leaves, creating the effect of an extremely lush crown;
corrugata - a very rare, but very decorative variety with striped leaves and a bottle-shaped trunk;
alba, or golden cicada, notable for the pale yellow color of young, barely blossoming leaves, which gradually changes to a rich green color;
variegata is the most popular among variegated varieties.

Other types of cycas are much less common in indoor floriculture, mainly due to the high demands on living conditions, as well as due to the fact that their sizes are not suitable for indoor spaces.

3.Varieties:

3.1. Drooping cycad or Cycas revoluta - Cycas revoluta

Spectacular, decorative deciduous, slowly growing plants with a rounded crown of glossy, dark green, arched, compound leaves. With age, the plant forms thick, powerful trunks with a diameter of up to 20 cm. The feathery leaves reach a length of 50 - 150 cm and consist of many narrow, linear leaves, each of which reaches 18 cm in length. Plants are divided into male and female. Male specimens form spindly, orange, scaly cones. The cones of female plants have a round or slightly flattened shape.

↑ Up,

How to choose the right place for a flower

Since illumination primarily affects the normal growth of the cicada and its development, the place for it must be selected with special care, no matter what time of year it is outside the window.

Important! The duration of daylight hours for cycas should not be less than 12 hours. Therefore, choose the brightest room for the plant and place it near the window.

The best option is south-east or south-west windows. At the same time, it is important to organize additional lighting during the period when there will be a lack of natural light.

If the plant does not have enough light, its leaves will not fully develop, will turn yellow early and fall off. Also, the lack of light affects the growth of the cycas: it stops growing.

In the warm season, it is advisable to take the pot with cycad out into the open air. At the same time, unlike most house plants, it is not at all afraid of direct sunlight, although it needs to be accustomed to it gradually.

Important! Cycas is poisonous; when determining a place for it, it is necessary to ensure that it is inaccessible to children and pets.

Different seasons - different conditions

Season	Lighting	Temperature	Humidity
Spring Summer	The sides of the house facing southwest or southeast have bright, diffused sunlight.	Cycas tolerates heat well, but the optimal temperature is 20–23°C.	Air humidity at temperatures above 20°C should be about 60%. To achieve this, you can place a container of water next to the cicada or use a humidifier. It is worth periodically spraying the leaves and also gently wiping them to remove dust.
Autumn winter	South side, additional lighting with phytolamps (at least 12 hours a day). Lack of light causes the leaves of the cycas to lengthen and turn yellow, and the entire plant may even stop growing.	12–15оС (not lower than 8оС). Sensitive to temperature changes, so you should stick to the norm. If the temperature in winter is high, the cycas will begin to shed its leaves.	At low temperatures, air humidity does not matter for cycas.

In winter, the phytolamp compensates for the lack of light for indoor plants

Substrate, watering and feeding of cicada

Cycas has no special requirements for the substrate. Standard soil for palm trees suits it perfectly. The mixture is made up of turf and leaf soil, peat and sand, taken in equal quantities.

It is recommended to add a small amount of humus, charcoal and fine pebbles, within 20% of the total composition. Such a substrate will most fully correspond to the soil in which cycads grow in nature.

The growing container must be sized to match the volume of the roots - it is 2-3 centimeters larger in diameter to allow the root system to develop.

Any pot for cycads will do, ceramic or plastic - there is no difference. The only thing you should consider when choosing is that moisture evaporates less in plastic pots, so you need to water the plant in it less often than in ceramics. But the clay container is heavier, which means it is more stable. This is especially important for large plants.

Important! The drainage layer is poured at least 3 centimeters. Expanded clay, crushed brick or medium-sized pebbles are usually used as drainage. An important condition is the presence of drainage holes.

The cicada requires rare but plentiful watering. In summer it is watered once every 5-7 days. In winter, watering is more rare - once every 10-12 days. Cycas tolerates drought better than excess moisture. Therefore, after watering, the water from the pan must be drained. Water for irrigation should be at room temperature, soft, and well settled.

Cycas are fed from early spring until mid-autumn once every 15 days. In the autumn-winter period, fertilizing is carried out once a month; you can completely do without it.

Fertilizers designed specifically for palm plants are used. Mullein diluted with water 1:20 is used as organic matter. The cycad also accepts horse manure diluted in water well.

Important! Fertilizers containing calcium or magnesium are not suitable for cycads.

Planting and caring for cycas

Flowering: the plant is grown as an ornamental foliage plant.
Lighting: bright diffused light or partial shade.
Temperature: during the growing season - normal for residential premises, in winter - not lower than 15 ˚C.
Watering: moderate in summer, scanty in winter.
Air humidity: high – 70-80%. It is recommended to frequently spray the leaves with water and wipe with a damp sponge, as well as wrapping the trunk with damp sphagnum moss.
Feeding: during the period of active growth, once a month with organic fertilizers that do not contain potassium and magnesium: a solution of mullein or horse manure. Mineral fertilizers are not suitable for cicada.
Dormant period: relative, from late autumn to early spring.
Replanting: young plants - once every 2-3 years, it is better not to replant adults, but annually remove the top 5 cm thick layer of substrate from the pot and lay fresh soil.
Reproduction: by lateral offspring, if any. Seed propagation is for specialists.
Pests: scale insects, aphids, mealybugs, spider mites.
Diseases: root rot, caudex rot, chlorosis.

Conditions for keeping a cycad

Like all tropical and subtropical plants, cycas loves warmth. However, it is very hardy and can survive short frosts, although with some loss of decorative value. It does not have a pronounced rest period, but during the season of short daylight hours it is advisable to organize a lower temperature for it - 15-17 degrees.

Cycas is not particularly demanding of moisture. However, a level of 70-80% is considered optimal. If the air in the room is dry, which is typical in winter, the containers with the plant are placed on a tray with expanded clay or pebbles, which are periodically moistened. You can also cover the soil in the pot with a layer of moss.

It is periodically necessary to remove dust from cycas leaves, since contaminated leaves are more likely to be attacked by pests. Usually, to maintain cleanliness, the leaves are sprayed with warm water.

Important! When spraying leaves, you must ensure that water does not get on the trunk.

Cycas should be protected from drafts, as they can cause yellowing of the leaves. The plant will also benefit from pruning leaves that have lost their decorative properties due to their age or damage by diseases and pests. A leaf dying due to natural reasons stands out among its fellows by its strong slope towards the ground.

Replanting a plant: stages, timing

Transplanting a cicada is a lot of stress. A healthy plant that consistently produces one layer of fronds during a period of active growth does not need to be disturbed by transplanting. Once every three to five years is quite enough. An important point: you cannot replant the cicada during the rest period (from October to April). When replanting, follow the nine-step sequence.

Dry the soil in the pot.
Choose a container of the appropriate size.
Prepare the soil mixture.
Lay a thick layer of drainage, at least 4-5 cm.
Carefully remove the plant from the old pot. To do this, go deep along the inner diameter of the container with the blunt side of a knife or a ruler to separate the soil from the walls.
Carefully transfer the cicada into a new pot, being careful not to damage the earthen ball and roots.
Fill the free space with prepared soil.
Compact the soil as you fill the pot so that there are no voids.
Moisten the soil.

Soil requirements

The best soil for cycas is neutral. Ideal pH values are 5.5-6.5. Important: it must be well drained, that is, it must quickly pass water without retaining it. It is good when drainage components occupy 60% of the total volume of soil. The optimal composition of the soil for cycad is discussed in the table below.

Table - Recommended soil composition for cycas

Component	Quantity (in%)
Sod land	10-15
Humus	20-30
Brick chips	10-15
Tree bark or crushed walnut shells	20-30
Sphagnum moss	10-15
Coarse sand	20-30

Before transplanting, be sure to sterilize the soil. To do this, pour the soil into a pan and place it in a large metal container with water. Soak the soil in a water bath for about an hour and a half. This way you will get rid of possible parasites and pathogenic bacteria.

Common mistakes

It happens that the grower did everything according to the rules, but after replanting, problems still appeared: the leaves of the cycas turn yellow, the roots rot. One of the five common mistakes may have been made.

Alkaline soil. If the soil pH exceeds 6.5, then a situation occurs when the cycas “starves”, because organic substances are difficult to absorb from the alkaline soil.
Roots are damaged. Perhaps some of the roots were broken when the plant was handled. In the cycas they are very fragile, so you need to replant the flower as carefully as possible.
Tsikas released new fronds. The plant spent some of its energy on new branches, and now there is a new stress - replanting. The cycad goes into “energy saving” mode and dries out the fronds.
We transplanted the cicas after purchase. If the plant has no pests or signs of rot, there is no need to replant it immediately after purchase. A good appearance indicates that the soil is quite suitable. At sales you can find cycads with yellow leaves or even without fronds at all - then replanting is even recommended as one of the “reanimation” options.
Pot too big. For replanting, you need to choose a flowerpot that is approximately 2-3 cm larger in diameter than the old one, and just as deep. Otherwise, the soil that is not filled with roots will quickly turn sour, and putrefactive flora will spread to the roots.

Care after transplant

Transplanted, what next? How to care for a cicada after transplantation? Now follow these guidelines:

remove the pot to a shaded place;
water as usual, when the soil dries 1-2 cm;
Spray the leaves with warm water daily;
Spray the plant with a solution of the Zircon preparation once a week;
For each watering, also use a Zircon solution - four drops per liter of water.

The transplant is considered successful when the young fronds begin to hatch. Now you can place the plant in a lighted place, but not in direct sunlight.

How does a cycad reproduce?

Reproduction by shoots

If normal conditions are created for the cicada at home, fully complying with all the rules, it periodically forms shoots (offshoots) from the trunk.

Important! The procedure is carried out very carefully to prevent damage to the trunk of the mother plant.

The process of separating the offspring is as follows:

The plant is carefully removed from the soil.
The offspring is separated with a sharp disinfected instrument (scalpel or knife). At the same time, the condition of the root system is usually checked.
After separating the shoot, it is necessary to treat the cut on the main trunk with crushed charcoal or cinnamon powder.
The leaves are carefully removed from the cut shoot, the cut is treated with an antifungal drug, then with a root formation stimulator.
The offspring is planted for rooting in well-moistened coarse sand or coarse perlite. At the same time, it is buried approximately three-quarters of the size of the cone.
Until complete rooting, the container with the shoot is kept at a high temperature - about 30 C - in a slightly shaded place. Important! The substrate must be constantly moistened.
During the first week, the shoots require watering every 2-3 days. Then watering is reduced.
Cycas shoots take a long time to take root, up to six months; some varieties require 8-9 months. The offspring is carefully transplanted into a standard substrate for cycads when its roots grow and become stronger.

Propagation by seeds

This method is little used for home cultivation, since it is quite difficult to obtain cycas seeds; the plant blooms in adulthood, when it is over 50 years old. It is more suitable for greenhouses or open ground.

However, in recent years, it has become possible to purchase cycad seeds from online stores or brick-and-mortar seed stores.

In this case, the seeds are first soaked in warm water for 24 hours. After soaking, they are laid out on a layer of perlite or well-washed coarse sand, slightly pressing them into the substrate.

Seeds take a long time to germinate, the process lasts two, usually three months. When the seedling forms its first true leaf, it is transplanted into the soil required by the adult plant.

Cycas breeding

Growing cycas from seed

In indoor conditions, it is very difficult to propagate cycas by seed. As a rule, this is done by experienced specialists in nurseries or greenhouses. The fact is that such a palm tree blooms extremely rarely in indoor conditions, and even if this happens, there will be no one to pollinate the flowers. If you have good seed in your hands, then before sowing it should be placed in lukewarm water for 24 hours, after which the seeds are evenly distributed over the surface of the perlite and slightly pressed into it. Place the crops in a warm place (not lower than 25 degrees). The first seedlings should appear 2-3 months after sowing. 1–2 months after the emergence of seedlings, they should have one true leaf blade fully formed. When this happens, the plants are transplanted into individual containers in a soil mixture intended for adult bushes.

Cycas from seeds

How to propagate by separating a shoot

If a plant is kept in conditions unsuitable for it, then shoots appear on its trunk. Take a very sharp knife and cut off the shoot, while trying not to injure the trunk. Cut off all the foliage from the offspring, treat the cut with a solution of a fungicidal preparation, and then with Kornevin. Then the offspring should be planted in very coarse sand or coarse perlite, after which they are watered. Be sure to treat the cut site on the mother plant; charcoal powder is used for this. During rooting, the shoots are placed in a shaded, warm (about 30 degrees) place, and care must be taken to ensure that the soil mixture is always slightly moist. The offspring should take root in 6–12 months. When this happens, it is carefully transplanted into a soil mixture intended for growing an adult cicada.

Cycas transplant

Cycas is one of those plants that do not particularly favor transplantation, since their roots react painfully to shocks of this kind. However, at a young age it is recommended to replant it every two or three years.

More mature plants, older than 5-6 years, are replanted only if it becomes obvious that the roots in the pot are crowded, usually every 5-6 years. The need for replanting will be indicated by roots protruding through the drainage holes.

The pot for replanting is selected so that its diameter is 2-3 centimeters larger than the diameter of the trunk. The depth of the pot should be 2-2.5 times the diameter. For example, if a container with a diameter of 15 centimeters is required, its depth must be at least 30 centimeters.

It is believed that any season is suitable for transplanting cycas, but preference should still be given to the spring period, before active growth of the cycad begins.

Important! Cycas are not replanted while new leaves are forming.

Before transplanting, about a third of the leaves are removed from the plant, cutting off the oldest ones first. The root system requires special attention when replanting, since deformation of the roots or their breaking off, especially thick ones, can lead to putrefactive diseases.

The plant is replanted by transshipment, without affecting the earthen lump surrounding the roots. It cannot be shaken off or washed off.

Transplant procedure

Young cicadas under 5 years of age require annual replanting. For adult plants, the pot is changed as needed, every 3–5 years. The only suitable time for this is the end of winter or early spring. If replanting is not required this year, remove a 3–5 cm thick layer of soil from above and add fresh substrate.

Soil for replanting can be purchased at a specialized store (the one intended for palm trees) or prepared independently by mixing in equal proportions fertile turf (it should be quite heavy and clayey), leaf soil, humus, coarse river sand, then adding a glass of sifted wood ash for every 3 liters of soil.

The pot is selected so that there is no more than 2–3 cm between its walls and the earthen lump. If the cicada is too spacious in the pot, there is a high risk of soil acidification and subsequent plant disease. A large drainage hole and a drainage layer at least 3–4 cm thick are required. Expanded clay, brick chips, crushed stone, pebbles, and small ceramic shards can be used in this capacity.

Transplantation is carried out extremely carefully and only by transshipment. It is strictly forbidden to shake off the soil from the roots of the cicada, much less rinse them under running water. The earthen lump is carefully removed from the old pot and placed in a new one on a layer of substrate. During the process of adding soil, you must constantly ensure that you do not fill the cone-shaped base of the trunk. Subsequently, it is strongly recommended not to loosen the soil in the pot. The roots are very easy to damage.

Place the earthen lump removed from the cycas pot entirely into a new pot.

Even if the transplantation procedure was carried out in compliance with all the necessary conditions, it will take 1.5–2 months to restore the functioning of the roots of the cicada. To make the task easier for the plant, with each watering and spraying, add a couple of drops of Epin, Zircon, Topaz to the water for every 200 ml. After 2 months, switch to regular water.

The “bump” must remain above the ground surface

Plant transplantation - video

Cycas pests

The scale insect settles on the leaves, sucking the juices from them. The leaves first turn yellow, then begin to dry out and fall off.

Spider mites appear when the air humidity is too low, entangling the leaves with a thin web. The leaves also lose color, dry out, and fall off.

Thrips inhabit the lower parts of leaves; their appearance is also associated with insufficient air humidity combined with low temperature. Whitish dots and small spots appear on the leaves. Then the leaf acquires a light brown color with a silvery coating.

The preferred means of combating these sap-sucking insects are folk ones - a solution of laundry soap, zoo shampoos, infusions of garlic or onions. Plants are treated several times at intervals of 5-7 days, picking off pests manually whenever possible.

If traditional methods do not help, you have to resort to treating plants with chemicals - Actellik, Fitoverm, etc.

Mealybugs also appear on plants at low humidity, especially during the off-season. Often its appearance is provoked by the accumulation of dust on the leaves. The scale insect is recognized by the appearance of white sugary formations.

Important! Causative agents of sooty fungus often settle on mealybug secretions.

It is best to remove scale insects manually using cotton swabs soaked in vodka or a solution of laundry soap. If the pest colony is too large, it is recommended to use preparations based on imidacloprid (Biotlin, Iskra, Tanrek, etc.).

In this case, treatment is carried out weekly for one and a half months.

Diseases and pests: treatment methods

Cycas cannot be called a weak plant, but improper care weakens the plant’s immunity, which can lead to attack by unwanted pests and the appearance of diseases. Insects such as scale insects, thrips, and spider mites pose a danger. The trunk, petioles and leaves become their habitat. The results of the vital activity of pests are reflected in the health of the plant: yellowish and purple spots appear on the foliage, it dries out and falls off.

Spider mite

It starts if the air in the room is very dry. You can identify it by the web that appears. The leaves wither and then turn yellow, which leads to their falling off.

How to deal with it?

Wipe the cicas with a sponge, having previously soaped it. Rinse the plant in the shower, covering the soil in the pot with a bag to avoid getting it wet. The plant must be sprayed regularly. If the cycas is severely affected by the pest, it is better to immediately treat it with Actellik (0.15%). Dilute 1-2 ml of product in 1 liter of water.

Thrips

The cause of thrips is high temperature and low humidity. If you turn the leaf over to the reverse side, you can see many tubercles (colonies). The upper part of the leaf becomes covered with light dots, becoming grayish-brown over time.

Ways to fight

Cycas must be treated (sprayed) with insecticides such as Decis, Inta-vir, Fitoverm. Repeated processing is required.

When a plant is infected with scale insects and mealybugs

Pests can be collected by hand using a damp cloth. After two days, you should inspect the flower again; suddenly, during the initial inspection, the scale insect went unnoticed under the leaf. This inspection should be carried out throughout the week. If there are a lot of pests, you won’t be able to deal with them manually. Insecticides will come to the rescue, for example, Corbofos (add 15 drops to 1 liter of water). You will have to process several times, with a five-day interval between treatments.

Rot

Not only the leaves can hurt, but also the root system and the lower stem part (caudex). Rot on these parts of the cycas is caused by overwatering. If a disease occurs, the palm tree must be carefully removed from the pot and the roots removed from the soil. Using a sterile knife, trim away darkened areas, blackness and rot from the protruding part of the trunk above the soil. Remove parts of infected roots. Place the plant in a fungicide solution for 30 minutes. Change the soil at this time.

Disinfect the pot with dissolved potassium permanganate or boiling water. After treatment, sprinkle each cut with crushed charcoal and allow the treated areas to dry. Before planting, moisten the roots with a stimulant to form a root system. Remember that when recovering from an illness, the cycas may shed its foliage at the time of rooting.

This exquisite plant requires special attention. If proper care is taken at home, the cycas will reciprocate the gardener's feelings. Exotic cycad will create an atmosphere of comfort, mystery and uniqueness in the room!

Cycad diseases and their treatment

The most dangerous diseases of cycads are rot of the root system or trunk. Putrefactive lesions are caused by fungi.

To heal a plant, first remove it from the pot, carefully wash the roots with warm water and carefully examine it.

Important! If the trunk or roots are affected by rot at a level of 70% or higher, it will no longer be possible to cure the cycad.

Partial lesions are removed with well-sharpened sterile instruments. Decaying areas are cut out to healthy tissue, which is light brown in color. Then the cleaned areas are sprinkled with crushed charcoal or activated carbon and left to dry for several hours.

Roots affected by rot are darker in color than healthy ones. They are also soft to the touch and do not have small secondary roots. All affected areas are cut out, then the roots are placed in an antifungal solution. After soaking for half an hour in the fungicide, the roots are treated with a root growth stimulator, and the cut areas are filled with wax or candle paraffin.

After these procedures, the plant is planted in a small pot. Clean coarse-grained sand is used as a substrate, which is pre-disinfected by steaming or calcination.

As a rule, the recovery period for a cicada lasts up to six months. All this time you need to carefully monitor the plant in order to repeat the treatment in time if the need arises.

Important! During recovery, the cycad often sheds its foliage, which during this period takes away from it the strength required for a complete recovery.

The aboveground part of the cycas affected by rot in most cases leads to the death of the plant. Therefore, you can only try to save the lateral processes that can be rooted.

Leaf spot is a less dangerous disease of cycads. It occurs due to violation of plant care rules: lack of fertilizing, drafts, low humidity, excessive watering. Treatment in this case consists of restoring the regimen of all care activities.

Pests and diseases of cycas

Pests

The greatest danger to the cycas is that scale insects are due to the fact that they have a waxy coating that reliably protects them from the effects of insecticidal preparations. Adult insects are removed from the bush manually, and to destroy the larvae, the above-ground part of the bush is treated with a systemic or contact agent, for example: Carbaryl, Pyriproxyfen, Acephate, Pyrethrin or other pyrethroids. The bushes are treated in the morning or evening, and the air temperature in the room should be below 30 degrees. If necessary, the bushes can be sprayed again after 5–10 days.

Mealybugs can also settle on such a plant. They can be found on all parts of the bush. After the harmful insects have been collected by hand, the bush is sprayed with a product that contains cypermethrin, and the substrate in the container must be moistened with such a drug. If this is necessary, the palm tree is treated again after 5 days. You can spray the bush up to 4 times.

If aphids have settled on the plant, then it must be treated with phosphorus twice or thrice with a break of 7 days.

In order to get rid of plant mites that settle in the above-ground part of the bush, you will need 3 sprays, which are carried out with a break of 7 days, for this they use a solution of an acaricidal agent.

Diseases

Most often, such a plant is affected by rot of the root system and caudex (lower part of the trunk). The affected bush must be carefully removed from the substrate, after which the remaining soil mixture must be carefully removed from the root system. Using a very sharp, pre-sterilized knife, it is necessary to cut out all soft, darkened and blackened areas. Then plant for 30 minutes. immersed in a solution of a fungicidal preparation, after this the cut areas must be treated with charcoal powder, and then the bush is left in the fresh air for several hours to dry. Then the cycas is planted in a new soil mixture, which must be disinfected; do not forget to dip its root system in a solution of a product that stimulates root growth. If during rooting all the leaf plates fly off the plant, then this is quite normal, this is how the plant tries to survive. If the inside of the trunk is affected by rot, this will lead to the inevitable death of the plant.

Cycas turns yellow

Very often, flower growers are faced with the fact that the foliage on the bush turns yellow. Despite the fact that this problem occurs very often, in most cases the plant can be saved. But in order to help him, the first step is to establish the reason why the leaves turn yellow, and there may be several of them:

lack of microelements;
insufficient amount of nitrogen in the substrate;
improper lighting;
injury to the root system.

The first problem is most often associated with the fact that the plant was not fed on time or it cannot properly absorb the applied fertilizers due to very low temperatures or because the pH of the substrate has changed; this happens when the bush is systematically watered with hard water. As a result, the development of the root system stops. If the cycas feels a lack of nutrients, then it needs to be fed, and the new foliage that appears on the bush will be of normal color. If it turns yellow due to improper care, then it will need to be transplanted into a fresh substrate, and you will need to start caring for it according to all the rules. If there is not enough nitrogen in the soil mixture, then nitrogen-containing fertilizer will need to be added to it, but the old leaf blades will still remain yellow. If the reason is improper lighting, then in this case it should be taken into account that each species has certain lighting requirements; therefore, yellowing of foliage can be associated with both an excess amount of light and its lack. In some cases, yellowing of the leaf blades begins after the bush is moved to fresh air in the spring without first hardening it off. Yellowing of the foliage of the cycas can be observed due to insufficient or very frequent watering, and also when the root system is cold or the bush has been fed with an overly concentrated nutrient mixture. In these cases, the root system signals the presence of a problem by yellowing of the leaf blades, so when such a signal appears, you should try to make every effort to save the flower.

WE SAVED A YELLOWED CICAS FROM DEATH!

Cycas is drying

Yellowing and drying of the lower leaf blades is considered a natural process. If the air humidity in the room is excessively low, then the tips of the foliage will dry out because of this; this also happens when the palm tree is fed with the wrong dosage of fertilizers.

Problems of growing cycads

The leaves have turned yellow - what to do?

The main reasons for the appearance of yellowness on leaves are excessive watering, excessive fertilizing, unsuitable soil, and lack of light. This problem also occurs when there is a lack of nitrogen or iron, other nutrients, or due to alkalization of the substrate.

The problem is resolved by restoring the required maintenance regime. If the reason is an overabundance of fertilizers, the soil can be washed by spilling it with plenty of water.

Important! When washing the soil, the water that has flowed into the pan is immediately removed.

Yellowing of the lower leaves, the oldest in age, is usually associated with the natural processes of their death. To make young leaves appear faster, old ones are cut off.

Young leaves are too long but underdeveloped

The problem is related to insufficient lighting. The cicas must be moved to a well-lit place, and the defective leaves must be removed, as they will quickly turn yellow and fall off.

Brown color of leaf tips

There are several possible reasons:

not enough nutrition to form new leaves;
excess fertilizer;
sunburn;
freezing of leaves;
putrefactive diseases.

In the first case, you need to restore the normal regime of feeding the plant. In the second, rinse the soil well several times. If a cycad has a sunburn or, conversely, frostbite on the foliage, it needs to choose a place where it will be free from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight and protected from exposure to cold air. If the leaves turn brown due to disease, it is necessary to urgently treat the plant.

No new leaves appear for two years or more

The problem can be caused by violations of living conditions (lack of light, heat, minerals) or diseases. In this case, you first need to carefully examine the entire plant, including the root system. If the disease is excluded, the problem is solved by restoring the necessary conditions.

How to overcome care mistakes and revive a plant - table

What's happening	Cause	Solutions
Leaves turn yellow	the plant is exposed to direct sunlight	Shade the plant or move it to another place.
	moisture stagnation	Adjust the watering mode.
	lack of fertilizer	Feed the cycas.
	natural foliage renewal	If only the lower leaves turn yellow, there is no cause for concern - this process precedes the appearance of new foliage. Yellowed lower ones can be removed.
The upper part of the trunk is soft, the leaves darken and fall off	rotting has begun	Often rotting in the upper part of the trunk causes the death of the cycad. You can try the following: cut off all affected areas to living tissue; treat with a fungicide (for example, Hom); dry, cut into layers and place in a greenhouse (pot covered with a bag) on moistened perlite. Maybe roots will appear and you will be able to get a new plant.
The base of the trunk softened, dark spots appeared		Immediately remove the cicada. Free the roots from the soil, cutting off the rotting parts to healthy tissue. Place in the solution of the drug Hom. Dry. Lubricate the wounds with garden varnish. Treat the base with Kornevin. Plant in sand. It may take up to 6 months for the plant to recover.
New leaves have not grown for more than a year
	lack of heat and light	Change location.
	lack of nutrients	Adjust the feeding regime.
Young leaves are long and weak	little light	Remove underdeveloped leaves, change the place for the pot to a more illuminated one.
Short leaves	eating problems	Adjust the feeding regime.
	acclimatization	Wait a while.
	intense lighting	Shade the plant.
Leaves turn brown	sunburn	Shade the plant.
	excess or lack of fertilizers	Adjust the feeding regime. It may need to be replanted into new soil.
	excess water	Water less often.

Tsikas in the interior

Cycas, like all its close relatives, belong to relict plants. This is the reason for their external attractiveness and beneficial effect on humans.

The appearance of the cycad is very impressive. Any plant, even a flowering one, loses its decorative value next to it. Therefore, in interior design, he is a soloist who needs space, but does not need a “back-up dancer.”

The cicada is usually placed indoors so that it can be seen from any point. That is why it is undesirable to bring it closer to the walls. Only if there is not enough space is it placed closer to the corner, while preventing its crown from touching the walls to avoid deformation of the leaves.

The unusual property of cycad - its calming, calming effect is best used when arranging relaxation corners: next to a comfortable sofa or armchair. Moreover, this property should be used both in residential and office premises.

Despite the more than venerable age of cycads, they fit perfectly into the modern interiors of any phytodesign solution. The main thing is to choose a container that matches the style.

The only limitation to the use of cicada in the interior is its size: it is completely unsuitable for small rooms, since it itself is large in size, and its pointed leaves “tear” the space.

Numerous reviews of cycas and its cultivation at home confirm both its decorative value and calming effect on the psyche. Properly placed in the room, it adds coziness and is reminiscent of southern countries, with which many people associate memories of a wonderful time - summer vacation.

Possible problems

With all the natural endurance of the cicada, he also sometimes gets sick. There can be many reasons for this: rotting of the root system, non-compliance with maintenance conditions, damage to the flower by pests.

Root rot

The most common disease of cycas is root rot. The main reasons are waterlogging of the soil and too low air temperature. If everything is in order with the temperature regime, then pay attention to the drainage properties of the soil. If water lingers on the surface of the earth after watering, and the soil itself turns into mud, it is not suitable for cycads.

Signs:

brown spots appear on the leaves and trunk;
the plant weakens, withers;
the trunk becomes soft;
the top of the trunk softens (in advanced cases);
mold and rotting areas are visible on the roots (if you dig them up).

How to resuscitate

Remove the plant from the pot.
Gently rinse the roots under a warm shower.
Remove all affected parts.
Use a sharp blade to cut off rotting areas from the trunk and large roots.
Wash in fungicide solution.
Sprinkle the wounds with crushed activated carbon.
Treat with a root former.
Plant the cycas, but not in the ground, but in perlite or moss.
Water the plant by spraying the substrate from a spray bottle.

If the treatment is successful, after a few months the cycas will grow new roots, and then it can be transplanted into the ground. Unfortunately, there are situations when it is impossible to save a plant. This usually happens if the disease was not noticed in time, or the rot has affected most of the root system and trunk.

Insect pests

Pests on cypress are a rare occurrence, but it is better to know the “enemy” by sight and clearly understand how exactly to deal with it. The table below describes the symptoms of infection by various parasites and indicates treatment methods.

Table - Cycas pests and methods of controlling them

Pest	Signs	Treatment
Aphid	— Small green bugs appear on the back of the leaf (can be black or whitish); — there are visible punctures on the leaves; — the fronds weaken; - sticky honeydew appears	- Wash the fronds under a warm shower; - treat the leaves with a solution of laundry soap; - if there are a lot of aphids, spray with insecticides once a week, the duration of treatment is two to three weeks
Shchitovka	— Convex brown plaques are visible on the fronds and trunk - these are the insects themselves; - honeydew appears; — in places where there are bites, the surface darkens and dries; - the fronds are turning yellow and withering	- Remove all specimens with your hands; - wipe the leaves with a cotton pad soaked in alcohol or vodka; - treat the plant with an insecticide solution once every five to ten days, three to four treatments will be needed (until the insects completely disappear)
Mealybug	— On the fronds you can see white insects that look like thick worms and are covered with a waxy coating; - formations similar to pieces of cotton wool appear on the leaves; - honeydew is visible; - leaves turn yellow; - the plant dies	— Remove insects mechanically; - wipe the plant with alcohol or vodka; - completely treat the plant and soil with an insecticide solution once every five days, a total of at least four treatments will be needed

If there are other indoor plants next to a sick cycas, then there is a risk of infection among the “neighbors.” Therefore, first of all, isolate the cycad, and only then begin treatment.

Diseases and methods of combating them

In addition to root rot, cycas can be affected by other diseases. The reason for their appearance is usually non-compliance with maintenance rules. How exactly these or other errors in care manifest themselves is described in the table below.

Table - Atypical conditions of cycas, their causes and remedies

Symptom	Cause	What to do
The leaves have turned brown	— Excessive feeding	— Place the pot in a bathtub or deep basin; - spill the soil with plenty of water to wash away excess fertilizer; - let excess moisture drain from the pot
The leaves have turned brown	— Excessive direct sunlight (burns)	— Put the cicada in a shaded place
The edges of the leaves have dried out	- Little light	— Move the cicada to a more illuminated place
The edges of the leaves have dried out	— Little moisture	— Review the watering regime; - spray the plant more often
Doesn't produce new leaves	— Lack of nutrients	— Review the dosage of complementary foods
The leaves are curling	— Lack of moisture	— Increase watering; - spray the fronds more often
The fronds turn yellow and fall off	— Alkaline soil (cycas starves)	— Transplant the plant into suitable soil composition
	— The land is poorly drained	— Transplant the plant into suitable soil composition
	— Excessive feeding	— Place the pot in a bathtub or deep basin; - spill the soil with plenty of water to wash away excess fertilizer; - let excess moisture drain from the pot
	- Too much watering	— Check the roots for rot; — if there is rot, then carry out resuscitation and transplantation; - if there is no rot, replant the cycas in well-drained soil
The crown of the caudex turns yellow and softens	— Water gets in and stagnates when watering or spraying	— Wash the top of the trunk with an insecticide solution; - dry; — when watering or spraying, make sure that water does not accumulate there (wipe it with a soft cloth)
Doesn't grow for a long time	— Low temperature (the cicada is cold)	— Move the plant to a warmer place
	— Lack of light	— Move the pot to a brighter place
	— Insufficient complementary feeding	Symptom

Having received information on how to care for a cicada, for some it may seem like a very difficult task. It's actually not that scary. You shouldn’t give up on an overseas handsome man because of seeming difficulties. Just try it, and the tsikas will reciprocate.

Final part

Judging again by the reviews of the owners of this amazing plant, as well as by discussions on forums (FrauFlora, BestFlowers, woman.obovsem.com, iplants.ru), the cicada brings more joy to the house than trouble - caring for it is not difficult .

On the mentioned forums you can also find a lot of useful tips on caring for the cycas at home - how best to position it, what to feed it, how to make soil for it, how to treat it, how to urgently resuscitate it.

Cycas leaves are turning yellow: what to do? (reasons and solutions to the problem)

The leaves of the plant begin to turn yellow:

from excessive watering;
frequent feeding;
incorrectly selected soil;
insufficient lighting, too low temperature conditions;
with a deficiency or excess of microelements in the soil: iron, nitrogen and others.

When the first signs of yellowing occur, it is necessary to determine the cause and adjust the care of the cicada at home.

If the lowest leaves begin to turn yellow, there is no need to worry too much. This means that the plant is preparing to grow new ones. The condition of the plant can be determined by its entire appearance: green shiny upper leaves. There are exceptions. The plant lacks nutrition, old leaves share their resources with new, growing ones. They die off on their own.
The second reason lies in an excessive overdose of fertilizing. If you “overfed” the plant, do not expect the problem to solve itself. It is better to replant the palm tree or change the soil.
If the foliage is of uneven color, with light spots, you should think about the amount of fertilizing, and also pay attention to external factors: light and temperature.
The tips of the leaves have turned yellow - the cycas is not receiving enough moisture. It is necessary to adjust watering and air humidity in the room. This usually happens when the flower is close to the radiator.
New leaves do not reach the length of existing ones, they are much shorter. Conditions of detention have changed, not for the better. The flowerpot was moved to another place, less lit and vice versa. The young shoot has not had time to grow, but it will have to adapt to new conditions.
New leaves don't grow. At least two of them should grow every year. It is worth reviewing the temperature regime, lighting, watering, fertilizing. The reason may also lie in the appearance of rot on the trunk.

Forming the foliage of a cicada yourself is a waste of time. It needs sanitary pruning if the old leaves have turned yellow and are ready to die. It is worth remembering that the sap of the plant is poisonous. Any work must be done with gloves. Limit access to cicada for children and animals.