The washingtonia is a very tall palm, so much so that it can exceed ten meters in height, and it will do so in a few years if the climate is warm and there is water available. In reality, when conditions are very favorable, it grows at a rate of between 50 and 70 centimeters per year, sometimes even more. It is therefore interesting to ask whether it can be kept in a pot.
For many, the answer is clear: a resounding no. We are talking about a plant that is not only tall but also has a trunk that measures at least 40 centimeters, so it is logical to think that it would be expensive to look beautiful in a pot. But Let’s see if it is a potted washingtonia palm or not.
Contents
What does a potted washingtonia need?
Washingtonia, both hardy and filiferous, as well as the filibusta hybrid, these are palms that not only grow fast but are also very easy to care for. They live in a part of North America where temperatures can be very high and there is little rain. Therefore, they are genetically primed to withstand drought, and even grow in nutrient-poor soils.
It is interesting to know if you want to plant it in the ground, but if you have it in a pot it will be necessary to pamper it a little. You must be thinking that since you will only have soil that fits in said container, it will dry out quickly. As a result, we must not neglect irrigation.
Also, several things must be taken into account that we will tell you below:
Choose a pot according to its size
As far as plants are concerned, the size is very important, because if they are put in pots that are too big, there is a greater risk of drowning, because they would have much more soil than they need at that time, and also we watering them would add more water than their roots are able to absorb. As a result, we don’t need to be in a hurry to plant our washingtonia in a large pot.
It’s best to take it little by little, and go transplant it every 2 or 3 years into a bigger one every time. Now, what size should it be? As it is not always easy to know, it is advisable to be guided by the diameter of the clod or the bread of roots; that is to say that if for example it measures ten centimeters in diameter, the new container will have to measure approximately 17 or 20 centimeters wide by more or less the same height.
Give him a suitable ground
It is true that the Washingtonia palm is not demanding, it grows in poor soils and can also do so in fertile soils. But if we are going to have it in a pot, we must use a substrate that allows it to grow well. Its roots do not tolerate waterlogging, so the soil we choose should not be heavy.otherwise it will take longer to absorb water and dry.
As a result, I recommend using the universal substrate or for green plants of the following brands: Flower, Fertiberia, Westland, or Weedness for example. If you want to buy one, just click on the links we have given you.
Water your potted Washingtonia palm from time to time.
Image – Wikimedia/Alejandro Bayer Tamayo
It must be watered regularly as long as it does not rain. Especially in the summer, when the temperatures are higher, care should be taken that the soil does not stay dry for too long, otherwise the plant will dry out. For him, We recommend moisturizing it on average 3 times a week if it is hot, and 1 to 2 times a week the rest of the year.
Now, how to water it? It is best to wet the floor. You have to pour water until it comes out through the drainage holes of the pot; this way we make sure that all its roots are hydrated.
Fertilize it in spring and summer
It may seem counterproductive to fertilize a palm like this that is grown in a container, but if you don’t, it will run out of nutrients in no time. There is also a little trick: you should use slow-release fertilizers so that these nutrients are released little by little.
If you want to use fertilizers like the one from Flower that you can buy here, you should add half the dose indicated on the package. For example, if it is indicated that you must dilute 10 ml of product in 3 liters of water, you will put 5 ml of fertilizer in these liters of water.
Is it possible to grow it in a pot for life?
We have seen how it is maintained, but now we are going to talk more about keeping it always in a pot. And, to see, in my opinion, it is very difficult. In some nurseries, I came to see specimens of washingtonia robusta and filibusta about 3-4 meters high in pots about 100 centimeters in diameter by about 70-80 centimeters high, and they did well. But We are talking about plants that exceed 20 meters when they are on the ground.
Another problem is its roots. These are non-invasive, so they are not capable of breaking anything. But when they take up all the space they have in the pot, what will happen is that their growth will stopand if they are not planted in a larger one or in the ground, there will come a time when they will weaken and begin to die.
As a result, If possible, I advise you to plant them in the ground.. And if this is not the case, then you have to think about buying a pot as large as possible, at least 1 meter in diameter that measures the same height, because it will need it as it grows. .