The cobbler's palm convinces as an opulent ornamental leaf plant for indoor culture. Thanks to its undemanding frugality, the Asian, stemless asparagus plant forgives many a beginner's mistakes. However, it does not have to come to that. If you delve into the following answers to frequently asked questions, cultivation will become easy for you.

The cobbler palm is a very easy-care houseplant

Table of Contents

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  1. care tips
  2. Which location is suitable?
  3. What soil does the plant need?
  4. Cut the cobbler's palm correctly
  5. Water the cobbler palm
  6. Fertilize cobbler palm properly
  7. hibernate
  8. Propagate shoemaker palm
  9. How do I plant correctly?
  10. Is shoemaker palm poisonous?
  11. brown leaves
  12. Yellow leaves

    13. care tips

    Like hardly any other houseplant, the cobbler's palm forgives one or the other beginner's mistake. The leaf ornamental plant is nevertheless grateful for the following care program:

    • Water moderately with soft water
    • Fertilize liquid every 14 days from April to October
    • Cut off completely withered leaves to 3 cm
    • Repot at most every 4-5 years in early spring

    If the butcher palm lingers in the partially shaded location on the airy balcony, allow the plant before the first frost. From November to March, the houseplant rests at a cool 8-10 degrees Celsius and reduced water supply. There is no fertilization in this phase.
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    Which location is suitable?

    The houseplant owes its names shoemaker's palm and butcher's palm to the fact that in the past it thrived even in the dimly lit shoemaker's workshop or on the poorly lit counter in the butcher's shop. The Asian beauty puts itself in the limelight under all conceivable light and temperature conditions. Only in direct sunlight could the decorative leaves suffer sunburn. The plant loves to be in a semi-shady, warm place on the summer balcony. It prefers to spend its well-deserved hibernation on the cool windowsill on the north window of the house at 10-12 degrees Celsius.

    What soil does the plant need?

    The quality of the soil primarily contributes to healthy growth. Choose a good compost-based potting soil or a special palm soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 as a substrate. This value can be read on the packaging. To provide a cobbler palm with premium conditions, mix the potting soil yourself. The following recipe is based on many years of experience:

    • 4 parts of standard soil (TKS1) or normal potting soil
    • 2 parts clay soil
    • 1 part quartz sand
    • 1-2 parts lava granulate (€13.99) or expanded clay

    Check the pH of the mixture with a test strip. If the result is above 6.5, add leaf compost or peat to lower the pH.

    Cut the cobbler's palm correctly

    Although the shoemaker palm does not develop a trunk, it still shows the growth typical of palm trees. Thus, the only growing point is at the top of the plant. If you attack your green darling here with scissors, it will stop growing indignantly. How to properly prune a butcher palm:

    • Never cut the apex of a cobbler's palm
    • Do not remove brown leaves until they are completely withered
    • Using a knife or scissors, cut off the leaf stalk to 3 cm

    Before using the cutting tool, it should be disinfected with high-proof alcohol. Any cut opens the door to the inside of the plant for cunning viruses, fungal spores and pests.

    Water the cobbler palm

    Water the cobbler palm very sparingly all year round. Only when the upper two-thirds of the substrate have dried is it watered. Only use stagnant tap water or collected rainwater so that the pH value in the substrate does not rise. After 20-30 minutes, please check the coaster to pour out the excess water.

    Fertilize cobbler palm properly

    The 14-day rhythm during the vegetation period has proven to be excellent for the nutrient supply of butcher palms. Give a commercial palm fertilizer in liquid form from April to October. Please note that liquid fertilizer should not be applied to dry substrate. First moisten the soil with clear water and then add the fertilizer to the irrigation water. From November to February, stop giving fertilizer.

    hibernate

    The shoemaker palm is not frost hardy. Clear the plant in good time in autumn so that it can spend its dormancy in the winter quarters. A partially shaded window seat at a cool 8-10 degrees Celsius is ideal. An unheated stairwell, a cool conservatory or the frost-free garage can also be considered. Water moderately to keep the root ball from drying out. Stop fertilizing from November to March.

    Propagate shoemaker palm

    Propagate the robust cobbler palm in early spring by dividing the rhizomes. Cut off root strands with at least 2 leaves. Plant them individually or in small groups in lean, well-drained and slightly acidic substrate. At the partially shaded window seat, you can take care of your pets like adult plants. The only thing that is not given is fertilizer, which impairs rooting in this phase. Once the young plants have fully rooted their seed pot, repot them in palm soil and start the normal care program.

    How do I plant correctly?

    Only replant a cobbler's palm every 4-5 years in spring, as the houseplant likes to be left undisturbed. Use a spacious tub for the powerful root ball. Some potsherds above the water outlet effectively prevent harmful waterlogging. Fill in palm soil or your own mixture up to a third of the height of the pot. Make a well in the ground with your fist. Then unpot the butcher palm and shake off the leached soil. The planting depth should be maintained as precisely as possible. Finally, pour the ornamental foliage plant with soft water.

    Is shoemaker palm poisonous?

    With a probability bordering on certainty, the shoemaker palm is not poisonous. In the absence of scientific evidence and well-founded references in the literature, we still recommend wearing gloves if you have a health history of allergies.
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    brown leaves

    Brown leaves are an unmistakable symptom of waterlogging. Too frequent and intensive watering results in this classic pattern of damage to cobbler palms. Repot the affected plant into fresh, dry soil. In the future, only give soft water to the root ball when the soil is two-thirds dry.

    Yellow leaves

    With yellow leaves, the shoemaker palm signals a lack of nutrients as a result of an excess of lime. A slightly acidic pH value is of fundamental importance for the roots to be able to access the nutrients in the substrate. If hard tap water is used, the lime contained in it fixes the vital iron. The result is leaf chlorosis with yellowed leaves. Therefore, only water with soft, room-warm water.

Category:

Indoor plants