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Growing Butia capitata indoors

Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 2:09 pm
by benbaron
Hi guys,

whats your take on that, will they grow indoors? Im thinking office but its not got loads of light......

Cheers
Ben

Re: Growing Butia capitata indoors

Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 3:56 pm
by Conifers
benbaron wrote:... but its not got loads of light......
Then it's doomed to fail. Sorry!

Re: Growing Butia capitata indoors

Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 7:00 pm
by David York
There are dozens of palms suitable for growing indoors, but Butias are definitely not included!

Re: Growing Butia capitata indoors

Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 9:11 pm
by Steph
Ours came into the conservatory for the last couple of years, but just during the worst part of the winter.
I reckon its too big to get thru the doors this year but wait and see...

We've taken compliments on it and it is in a huge pot.

Don't bring it in until it really necessary, wait till the last minute.

Re: Growing Butia capitata indoors

Posted: Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:21 am
by GREVILLE
It needs buoyant air. You wont get that indoors.

Re: Growing Butia capitata indoors

Posted: Fri Nov 29, 2013 9:39 am
by Dave Brown
Grown with insufficient light it becomes very stretched and leaflets collapse under their own weight. It then looks a scruffy mess :roll: Needs to be in outside light :wink:

I have a Lux meter, and you would be surprised how dark it is inside, even on a windowsill or outside against a wall. The human eye adjusts very well to low light, so what seems reasonable light to us may be totally useless to a plant.

In summer
light shade is around 9,000 Lux,
medium shade = 4,000 Lux,
deep shade = 2,000 Lux.

In winter
In open, full sky, around 5,000 Lux
Next to a wall, half sky, around 3,000 Lux
In the conservatory 1,000 Lux
On a bright south facing windowsill when cloudy is around 1,500 lux facing the light, about 50 Lux facing into the room
6 feet into the room about 200 Lux.

Note that inside a bubblewrapped conservatory or on a south facing windowsill on cloudy days, light levels are lower than deep shade in summer.

Re: Growing Butia capitata indoors

Posted: Fri Nov 29, 2013 9:46 am
by kata
Being a slow grower I am going to grow a Dypsis decaryi in my lounge,

Its got loads of light.

icon_sunny

Re: Growing Butia capitata indoors

Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 6:58 am
by Rod
Butia is doomed inside - it will slowly decline.
The more light and heat you give them the better.

Kentia & Rhapis palms are great for low light. Try one of these instead.

Re: Growing Butia capitata indoors

Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 10:45 am
by David York
Chamaedorea metallica is perfect for indoors as it will tolerate unbelievably low light levels and still look good. It seems capable of growing in conditions that almost no other plant will.

I've had one growing in a pot for around 30 years. It's around a metre tall now and I've decided to air layer it. Chamaedoreas are one of the few palms that can be regenerated this way.

Re: Growing Butia capitata indoors

Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 11:31 am
by Dave Brown
Butia odorata (formerly capitata) growing in dappled summer shade of Pinus patula canopy, but in winter the sun shines under the canopy so gets a few hours of winter sun (when is shines) icon_thumright

Re: Growing Butia capitata indoors

Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 11:22 pm
by GREVILLE
David York wrote:Chamaedorea metallica is perfect for indoors as it will tolerate unbelievably low light levels and still look good. It seems capable of growing in conditions that almost no other plant will.

I've had one growing in a pot for around 30 years. It's around a metre tall now and I've decided to air layer it. Chamaedoreas are one of the few palms that can be regenerated this way.
Can you initiate a separate thread with some pics when you start this, David? I'd find it interesting as I have one about twenty years old.

Re: Growing Butia capitata indoors

Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 9:10 am
by jungle jas
I grow Butia Eriospatha indoors, they grow really well. However they are in a very large south facing window. I can't comment on capitata though. Eriospatha are not ideal indoors unless you have a large area to fill as they take up a lot of space, ie they are wider than high.

Re: Growing Butia capitata indoors

Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 9:47 am
by Dave Brown
jungle jas wrote:Eriospatha are not ideal indoors unless you have a large area to fill as they take up a lot of space, ie they are wider than high.
The way palms grow, all are wider than tall until a few feet of trunk has formed, unless all lower leaves are trimmed. As the leaves move outward and downward the young palm will end up twice as wide as tall. :wink: