A fire tree growing from top to bottom. Delonix regal (fire tree). Growing Delonix at home

People have learned to “domesticate” many tropical plants. One of the most beautiful exotics included in the top five amazing trees, it is considered to be Delonix royalis. People call this tree differently, the most famous being the fire tree.

How to care for such unusual plant at home, what growing conditions does Delonix require? We'll talk about this in this article.

Description

Delonix is ​​often called the royal tree with a spreading crown. People have given the plant many names:

• Phoenix tail;
• fire tree;
• royal fire;
• flame tree.

The tip of the Phoenix's tail is colored bright red color. Delonix is ​​considered a deciduous tree; the branches of the plant have leaves that are not big size, the so-called stipules. It should be noted that delonix hides its leaves at night: the stipules press their backs against each other.

Quite tall, individual specimens can reach 10–15 meters in height. The diameter of the crown is sometimes equal to the height of the trunk. A heat-loving and moisture-loving tree, in its homeland, in tropical countries, delonix is ​​considered evergreen. In unsuitable conditions, such as drought, the tree sheds its leaves.

Delonix belongs to the legume subfamily Caesalpiniaceae. In appearance it is a tall, strong tree with a smooth trunk. In young trees, the bark on the trunk is light, while in older trees it is brown, spotted and rough. With age, the thickness of the trunk and the number of flowers increase. The crown is fluffy and has the shape of an umbrella. The roots go deep into the ground, so the tree can withstand a strong gust of wind. The leaves are large, fern-like, about 35–40 cm long.

Flowering occurs in the warm season, mainly in spring - summer. Flowers are usually scarlet, less often yellow color. Delonix fruits ripen in special pods, about 55 cm long. At the beginning of ripening, the fruits are the same color as the bark, dark brown, and at maturity they are black. There are about 30 fruits in the pod, some of which spill out onto the ground in rainy weather.

It is resistant to drought, but may suffer due to temperature fluctuations. At -1 degree Celsius, delonix dies.

Royal delonix is ​​propagated by seeds, and very rarely by cuttings.

Places of growth

Madagascar is considered to be the birthplace of the royal representative, but today the fire tree is extremely rare there. Often found in warm countries, where it is grown as an ornamental tree. Delonix is ​​planted in parks and squares, in flower beds. It is considered part of landscape design compositions.

IN Russian Federation delonix is ​​found in areas where the climate is close to tropical. However, in open ground the tree is not grown, royal delonix Doesn't even tolerate frost. Grown in winter gardens and greenhouses, in special tubs.

IN natural environment practically exterminated due to the fact that the wood is considered a valuable, strong species. The tree is also cut down because other plants do not grow in the shade of the tree.

Delonix at home

Phoenix tail is quite popular in Russia and Ukraine; it is often grown in greenhouses.

The optimal temperature is considered to be at 12–15 degrees Celsius. If the plant is grown in a tub, then in the warm season Delonix can be kept in the yard, in cold period the tub is brought into the room. Delonix royal at home begins to bloom at 4–5 years. At home it blooms longer than outdoors: from May to September. People who have a dog in their apartment or house are not recommended to raise an exotic giant. The plant is poisonous to dogs.

Choosing a landing site

The fire tree is perfect not picky about the choice of soil. It will grow well in any loose and light soil. It must be drained. Light-loving plant, feels good when hit directly sun rays . In winter gardens and greenhouses it is recommended to place a tub in the south or southwest of the room. In apartments the tree should grow sunny side rooms.

If the windows in the room are located with north side, it is recommended to install auxiliary lighting fixtures for the Phoenix tail.

With the onset of warmth, the plant is taken out into the air, placing the tub in a sunny place. It is necessary to monitor the temperature, the lower threshold should be at least 15 degrees Celsius.

Seed preparation

At home, the plant reproduces only by seeds. There will be no problems with purchasing seeds; they are available for sale in all specialized stores.

Before planting, seeds need preparation. The seeds are immersed in boiling water for a couple of minutes, then the seeds are kept in warm water for a day.

Seeds are planted in moist sand mixture, covered with film. The mixture is prepared from sand and turf soil, in a 1:1 ratio. It is necessary to create conditions for the seeds that are close to natural, so the temperature of the room where the pot is located must be at least 28 degrees Celsius.

To speed up seed germination, it is necessary to remove the hard shell from the seed.

Caring for sprouts and mature trees

A representative of royal plant varieties during the growth period, it is a very capricious plant that requires special conditions. Once the sprouts appear, the most important aspect is to preserve them. Special attention needs to be watered. It is important to maintain a certain soil moisture, do not overfill under any circumstances. It is also impossible to underfill, if the plant feels “drought”, it will shed its leaves.

It is recommended to avoid direct sunlight so as not to burn the sprout. It is recommended to keep the plant near a darkened window, thereby maintaining warmth and the necessary light.

Regular annual repotting will be required. The plant grows quickly, it must be transplanted into high tubs, since the plant has a well-developed root system.

There is practically no hassle with adult specimens. Like all plants, delonix needs regular watering, fertilizer and partial soil replacement. Moderate watering is recommended; the soil should sometimes dry out a little to avoid waterlogging. During the cold season, watering should be kept to a minimum. Excessive plant moisture winter time will destroy the plant.

Humidity must be maintained. It is recommended to spray the plant regularly or keep a container of water next to the pot. During the flowering period, water should not get on the flowers.

Feeding must be chosen depending on the time of year. During the flowering period, from May to September, fertilizing for ornamental flowering plants is suitable; the rest of the time, fertilizing for decorative deciduous plants.

Diseases and pests

The most common insect pests of delonix are:

• spider mite;
• scale insect.

You can assemble the shield yourself. Spider mite destroyed special means, which is freely available at any veterinary pharmacy or specialty store.

Along with pests, the handsome giant can get sick due to improper and timely care behind the tree crown. Delonix may get sick if not given timely care. The crown needs to be trimmed regularly. The crown and excess shoots must be removed weekly.

The royal delonix is ​​rightfully considered one of the most beautiful trees in the world. Thanks to its bright appearance, this plant has received maximum recognition in ornamental gardening.

fire tree

This plant is called so for the bright red flowers that decorate it for almost two months. The tree, up to 10 meters high, has a graceful trunk and a spreading crown, the branches of which grow parallel to the ground, which makes the plant look like an umbrella.

The feathery leaves of rich green color reach 50 cm in length and are divided into several dozen pairs of oval leaflets. They resemble fern leaves and tend to fold when night falls.

Royal Delonix is ​​a tropical plant, but, growing in regions where there are dry summers or frosty winters, when the temperature drops below minus 1-2 ⁰C, it usually sheds its foliage during this period. If there is sufficient rainfall throughout the year and suitable air temperature, the tree remains evergreen.

The main and undeniable advantage of this plant is the flowers that cover the entire crown at the end of spring, presenting a delightful sight. From a distance it seems that the tree is on fire - its inflorescences, collected in large clusters, are so bright and dazzling. They cover the crown so tightly that the foliage is practically invisible because of them. Each flower has five petals - four of them are the same size, about 10 cm long, the fifth is slightly longer and different in color (usually yellow or white with specks), and also grows vertically. This petal is called a sail and its role is to attract insects for cross-pollination.

At the end of flowering, long pods (up to 60 cm) are formed, filled with large seeds in quantities of 20 to 40 pieces each. They are able to remain on the tree until spring, then gradually fall to the ground.

Homeland of royal delonix

These are amazingly beautiful ornamental trees can be found in almost all countries with hot climates. They are grown in Africa, the Caribbean and Canary Islands, Australia, Hong Kong, and Cyprus.

But the homeland of royal delonix is ​​the Madagascar Islands, where this plant was first discovered in early XIX century, in a place called Foulpointe. At first, the tree was named in honor of the governor of the West Indies, Blondel de Lonvilliers de Poincy, and only a few years later it was renamed Delonix royal. In Russia and some other countries with harsh climates, it is grown mainly as a bonsai-style pot plant.

Features of care

An adult tree easily tolerates drought, but is very frost-resistant and can withstand only slight frosts down to -2 ⁰C in the open ground. In summer optimal temperature is 18-30 ⁰С. This plant is undemanding in terms of soil quality, the main thing is that it is provided good drainage, because stagnation of water is detrimental to Delonix. Therefore, watering should be done evenly, avoiding flooding. Very good for a tree great importance has good lighting in the form of diffused sunlight. If it is deficient, the plant may shed its leaves.

Complex fertilizers begin to be applied, as a rule, from the beginning of spring until late autumn at intervals of two weeks. In winter, fertilizing is not required.

Delonix royal is tropical plant, That's why a necessary condition High humidity is essential for its development. In spring and summer, he needs to be provided with abundant watering, which is reduced with the onset of autumn and completely stopped in winter period. Resumption of watering at the beginning of spring has a very positive effect on flowering. If necessary, pruning can be done to form a crown.

Landing place

You should be very responsible when choosing a site where the royal delonix tree will grow. First of all, preference should be given to a place that is well lit by the sun. Perfect option, when direct sunlight hits the tree for a short period during the day. The quality of the soil, as noted above, does not have special significance, but it’s good if the soil is light and loose, planting should be carried out with mandatory drainage work.

Preparing seeds for sowing

Delonix royalis belongs to the legume family, so it is not surprising that its seeds resemble beans. They are quite large (up to 2 cm long), oval in shape and enclosed in a very hard shell, which becomes stronger over time. To speed up the process of seed germination, it is recommended to scarify the seed before planting by sawing off the skin or pouring boiling water over it. After this, soak for a day in warm water. During this time, the seeds swell and the softened shell can be easily removed.

Landing

Seeds are sown in prepared loose soil, consisting of a mixture turf land, leaf and river sand(component ratio - 2:2:1). Its humidity should be moderate, otherwise there is a risk of rotting. The container with the planted seeds is covered with film on top and placed in a well-lit place. After about 2 weeks, the first shoots may appear, which develop very intensively, and within a month they take the form of a real tree.

Propagation by cuttings

This method is more problematic, therefore it is used much less often when planting a plant such as royal delonix. How to grow a full-fledged and beautiful tree using cuttings, recommendations will tell you experienced gardeners. They do this at the beginning of summer. For planting, use an apical cutting, which is rooted in vermiculite at a temperature of 27-28 degrees. Then it is transplanted into a moist soil mixture consisting of peat and sand, covered with transparent plastic bag and place it in a shaded place. Periodically, the plant needs to be ventilated and moistened the soil. As soon as signs of growth begin to appear, the bag is removed and further care carried out as for an adult tree.

Delonix at home

Where climatic conditions are quite severe, Delonix royale is grown as a tub plant. At the same time, it is quite difficult to achieve the appearance of wonderful bright flowers on it. But even in the absence of flowering, delonix has excellent decorative properties due to its openwork bright green foliage.

This plant is very demanding in terms of conditions. It is necessary to provide throughout the year optimal quantity light, warmth and high humidity air. For this purpose, it is recommended to place a container of water nearby and periodically spray the leaves of the plant.

The plant where this tree grows is of great importance for the Delonix royal plant. A place for it should be chosen that is well lit, but at the same time it is better to protect it from direct sunlight.

Delonix should be watered abundantly in spring and summer, and the soil should dry thoroughly between waterings. In winter, this procedure is performed less frequently.

Fertilizing is done with special complex fertilizers for indoor plants. The tree tolerates pruning well, which allows you to regulate growth and form a crown of the required size.

Application

Delonix is ​​widely used by gardeners in landscape design. It is planted in parks and gardens and used for street landscaping. The wide crown of this tree provides reliable shelter from the sun's rays on a hot day.

This plant has gained special recognition for its decorative properties. Its mesmerizing appearance during the flowering period cannot leave anyone indifferent. Rampagers bright colors flowers fully justify its name - the fire tree. Delonix royal enjoys the attention of gardeners both for its unpretentiousness to soil quality and for the possibility of planting in tubs.

Also of interest unusual feature this plant will delight with abundant flowering when abundant watering is resumed after a long break. The ability of the tree to easily tolerate pruning allows you to shape the crown in accordance with design decisions.

Becoming very popular lately dwarf forms delonix royale, which grow only up to three meters in height.

Decorative trees for the garden

Most of these plants are used as hedges, but there are also those among them that, like the royal delonix, serve as a bright touch that attracts everyone's attention and turns the garden into a unique ensemble of colors and shapes. The range of such trees is growing every year, but it is mainly the classic varieties that remain constant.

This is a bright Norway maple, whose dense crown bursts into color in the fall.

A compact garden tree - willow allifolia - stands out among the variety of flowers with its light, airy appearance. Perfectly play the role of an accent among ornamental grasses and other low-growing plants silver birch, forest beech, hawthorn. Tall ones can transform the appearance of not only the garden, but also city streets and squares.

Delonix royal is one of the most beautiful plants planet, famous for its bright flowering, during which the crown glows with red hues. This became the reason for the origin of another unofficial name, “Fire Tree.” It is possible to grow it in room conditions, which is not easy, but if desired, it is quite possible.

Royal Delonix is ​​a deciduous tree of the Legume family, characterized by:

• Powerful tap roots, growing from the trunk and giving the tree stability. They are so strong that they break through asphalt and destroy nearby buildings.
• A tall (10–20 cm) trunk covered with smooth bark, changing color as it grows from light to brown with dark patches. Every year the trunk grows 3 m higher, reaching maximum dimensions by 3–4 years.
• A spreading crown with a diameter equal to the height of the trunk, during flowering it turns into a huge fiery umbrella.
• The unusual shape of long (up to 50–60 cm) bright green, double-pinnate, short-petioled leaves, reminiscent of ferns. They grow in August after flowering, and every evening they fold and droop.

However, delonix gained worldwide fame thanks to its unrivaled flowering beauty.

In the spring, before the leaves appear, a huge number of large (up to 10 cm) buds are formed on the branches of delonix, collected in apical or axillary racemose inflorescences of bright red, scarlet or orange shades. Each flower is formed by five petals with jagged edges and bases that sharply taper towards the center. Four of them are identical in shape and shades, the fifth has the shape of a sail and is colored with light specks or peculiar strokes. The central part of the bud is decorated with a pistil with a dozen velvety, long and upward-curving yellow-red stamens.

The flowering period is 2–2.5 months. In place of the pollinated buds, fruits develop that quickly increase in size - flat pods about 4 cm wide and up to 60 cm long, changing color from green to dark purple, brown or black. Inside the fruit there are 20–30 seeds, 2–3 cm long, covered with a hard dark shell.

Where does the fire tree grow?

Delonix is ​​native to Madagascar. From this island, the seeds of the Fire Tree were brought to Japan, China, India, Northern Australia, and then to Africa and the Caribbean islands.

Delonix royal grows in areas with tropical and subtropical climates, excluding the presence of minimal subzero temperatures. This condition determines the area of ​​its growth.

On the territory of Russia under open air the plant is not cultivated, but if desired, its smaller copy can be grown as a bonsai or as an ordinary indoor flower.

Growing Delonix at home

The tree reproduces by seeds. The process of growing adult plants from seeds is lengthy and requires pedantic implementation of all plant care recommendations during the first 2–3 years.

Requirements for soil and pot

The plant is planted in large pots that have a good drainage compartment and holes for water drainage. In spacious rooms, winter gardens and greenhouses they are grown in tubs.

The fire tree is not demanding on the composition of the soil, but it is important for it that the soil is light and loose and freely allows air and moisture to pass through. These properties are possessed by a mixture of leaf and turf soil (2 parts each) with the addition of coarse river sand or small (3–5 cm) pebbles (1 part).

The plant is not picky about soil acidity, but does not like strong alkalization.

Preparing and planting seeds

Delonix seeds are covered with a very dense shell, so they take a long time to germinate.

To speed up the process, before planting they are processed using one of the following methods:

• Place in boiling water for 2–3 minutes, then dilute it with cold liquid so that your hands are comfortable and leave for a day without additional heating;
• pierce or file the seed coat with a sharp object (an awl, a thick needle, a file), and then leave it for 24 hours in a solution of a drug that stimulates tissue growth (Zircon, Epin).

Planting is carried out in small containers filled with a damp mixture of sand and turf soil (1:1), peat and vermiculite (1:1). By appearance It is difficult for a seed to determine the place where the sprout and roots emerge, so the seeds are placed horizontally and sprinkled with soil 2–3 mm deep.

The surface of the container is covered with a transparent, airtight material, simulating a greenhouse with an air temperature of at least 27 °C. Every other day, the seedlings are ventilated. When the top layer of soil dries, lightly moisten it.

Subject to optimal conditions sprouts will appear in 1–1.5 months. Slow germination gives way to a rapid (10–15 cm per month) process.

Rules for caring for sprouts and mature trees

An important point in growing delonix from seeds is caring for the seedlings.

They are so tender and weak that they can die from direct sunlight or slight overwatering.

For this reason, young plants:

• placed in partial shade or darkened from direct sunlight;
• Water moderately, focusing on the condition of the top layer of soil: it should always be slightly moist. The plant reacts to a lack of moisture by shedding its leaves and looks unattractive before it increases;

The first flowering will have to wait 3.5–4 years. As a reward for your work and patience in indoor conditions, delonix blooms a month longer than its “outdoor” counterparts.

Caring for an adult plant is less burdensome and consists of: correct placement, watering, feeding, transplanting, pruning and organizing a rest period:

• From spring to autumn, the flower is placed in a warm (20–25 degrees) and bright place - on the windowsills of southern or southwestern windows. In summer they are taken out into the open air.
• During flowering (from May to September), delonix is ​​watered rarely, allowing the top layer of soil to completely dry to a depth of 2-3 cm. During leaf growth, watering is increased.
• From March to September, indoor specimens are fed. Before flowering begins, mineral additives are applied for decorative deciduous plants, and from the moment the first buds appear, fertilizers are applied for decorative flowering forms. Fertilizing is combined with watering, using solutions in concentrations recommended by the manufacturer.
• Young (up to 3 years) plants are replanted annually, changing the container to a more spacious one. Adults - as the entire volume of the pot is filled with roots. For very large specimens, they limit themselves to annual changes of the top (2-3 cm) layer of soil.
• In spring, the main shoot of the plant is shortened. In the fall, after flowering, the crown is formed by pruning, giving it the desired appearance. The fire tree tolerates these procedures painlessly.

After autumn pruning the flower is forced to rest.

In isolated cases, if growing conditions are violated, damage by scale insects and spider mites is possible:

• Scale insects develop with a lack of sunlight. The insect settles on shoots and leaves, forming small dense dark tubercles or plaques. If pests are detected, they are removed manually with a soft cloth soaked in a concentrated solution. laundry soap. In case of severe damage, they are repeatedly treated with insecticides (Inta-vir, Fitoverm, Aktara) according to the instructions for the drug.
• If the flower is kept for a long time in a poorly ventilated room with dry air, spider mites may appear, which settle on the underside of the leaves, forming a gray or brownish coating. With severe damage, a thin cobweb is visible between the shoots and leaves. The insect is removed by treating the ground part with a soap solution. Before carrying out activities, cover the soil waterproof material. After 1.5–2 weeks, the composition is washed off under a warm shower. If there is no result, the plant is repeatedly treated with acaricides (Antiklesch, Fufanon, Sunmite) at weekly intervals. The room where the flower is located is regularly ventilated and all measures are taken to increase air humidity.

Patience and competent care will certainly give a positive result - the royal delonix will annually surprise others with its unusual and spectacular flowering.

Today we will talk about very interesting plant, whose second name is “Fire Tree,” about Delonix, who originally came to our homes from wildlife East Africa, from the island of Madagascar. During flowering, it is covered with a huge number of flowers and looks extremely beautiful.

Royal Delonix (from Latin Delonix Regia) is a deciduous tree. Has quite interesting structure leaves are “many-fingered” branches on which small leaves are formed - stipules. Such leaves are called opposite. In addition to all this, the crown of the tree is distinguished by the ability to fold leaves at night, in this case downsides stipules move closer to each other. The leaf folding mechanism is very similar to a cane umbrella.
Fire tree reaches a height of 10-15 meters. The crown is spreading, in diameter approximately equal to the height of the plant. Under its shadow in hot countries like Cyprus, or countries South America It is customary to organize gazebos. In general, Delonix royale is a plant from the tropics, it loves a humid climate and there it is evergreen, but in an unusual habitat, during drought, it sheds its leaves.

Delonix royale, where does such an interesting tree grow?

This plant is grown in many countries; the only limitation during cultivation is the presence of negative temperatures. Delonix does not tolerate frosts even one degree below zero, so when asked: “where does it grow in Russia?” The answer, I think, is clear - nowhere in the open air, unfortunately of course. But don’t be upset, if you still want to get such a handsome one, you should try to grow it indoors, there won’t be any problems with it. Read below about how.
The fire tree is native to the island of Madagascar. In addition, Delonix can be found in Argentina, Northern Australia, Japan, China, India and Africa.

History of discovery

Why do you think the hero of the article is called royal? This name was given to it by the botanist from Austria Wenceslas Boer, who in 1822, together with his colleague Hilsenberg, Prince Rafal of Malagasy and a representative of the British government James Hastley, traveled to Madagascar, where he discovered delonix. So it was named royal in honor of King Radam I, who kindly met them during the trip. And the beauty of the fire tree encourages us to call it royal.

To what does the fire tree owe its beauty?

Of course, to his flowers. The color varies from bright red and red with white splashes – “feathers” – to deep yellow. When open, the flowers reach a diameter of 10 cm. The flowers are five-fingered - four petals of which are most often the same color, wide open, and in close proximity to the fifth there is a pistil with ten velvety stamens. This fifth petal is different in color from the other four; in various literature it is called “sail”.

The main flowers emerge from a calyx that opens into five sepals during flowering. Pollination is cross-pollination and occurs by insects attracted by the same “sail”.
By about 10 years the tree becomes “sexually mature.” Of course, the tree begins to bloom at 3-4 years, but the buds are not capable of setting into pods at that age. The flowering period lasts approximately two months and by autumn pods form on the branches. What is noteworthy is the beauty of the tree itself, as well as the number and size of flowers, is directly proportional to the age of Delonix. In addition, the number and size of flowers, and therefore the beauty of flowering, is also influenced by the previous winter: if it was dry and the temperature was in the range of +8...+14 degrees Celsius, then the flowering will be very abundant.

Classification

Oddly enough, the plant belongs to the legume family. They belong to the subfamily Caesalpiniaceae for their five-petaled flowers with ten stamens per flower. And they are legumes because at the end of flowering, pods appear on the branches of the tree, about half a meter long, brown or dark purple in color.

After ripening, about 40 seeds are formed in each of them, and from these we will try to grow this truly beautiful tree. The most favorable time for collecting seeds from late October to early November, when flowering is completely completed.

Breeding

The tree propagates in two ways: by cuttings and by planting seeds in the ground.

• To propagate by cuttings, it is necessary to cut a branch from a plant with an already woody trunk, but not too thick. Next you need to process the bottom of the cutting, where it will develop root system, a special solution - a growth stimulator. Before planting, you should prepare the soil: there is nothing special in it - mix peat soil and sand in a 1:1 ratio. After all preparatory procedures we plant our future tree in a container with soil, water it well, and cover it transparent film, well, or a jar, and place it in a shaded place with a temperature of about +27 degrees. Further, our participation will consist of monitoring the plant and regularly moistening the soil. As soon as new leaves appear, you can take apart our greenhouse, we can congratulate you, now you have your own royal tree!
• The second and most popular propagation method is to grow Delonix royale from seeds at home. It’s not very difficult to get seeds now, if you are vacationing in warm countries in late autumn - early winter, you can collect them completely free of charge, fortunately, quite a lot of delonix are grown in warm countries. If you don’t plan to travel abroad, you can buy them in the now widespread online stores. To stimulate seed germination, you can go in two different ways:
  1. pierce the seed with a needle and then put it in warm water for about a day;
  2. put the seed in boiling water for a couple of minutes, and then add it to the same container cold water, and also wait a day.

  During this time, the seeds must gain enough moisture to begin growth. For more stable germination, you can also add growth stimulants to the container; this will not do any harm. Next, we plant the seeds in wet soil to a shallow depth and just sprinkle it with a little earth, we also create a mini greenhouse using the film we are already familiar with and place it in a room with a temperature of +27 degrees. Well, then follow the already familiar path: moisturize, observe (in no case should you soak too much, rotting is possible) for 2-5 weeks.

How to grow delonix royale at home?

There are two ways to use this plant as a home different directions: it is grown as a tub tree or created as a work of art - bonsai.
In this article, I will not tell you in detail how to grow a bonsai, since this is a separate, large topic, and it requires separate research, but I will tell you about what kind of care the Royal Delonix requires at home. I’ll just give you an image of the beauty you can get.
So, we have sprouts from seeds or sprouted cuttings, now we need to choose a suitable tub, not very large to begin with, we determine the most sunny place indoors and install our new tree there.

Care

It is necessary to organize drainage in a pot or tub in order to prevent stagnation of water and rotting of the root system. The fire tree grows quite quickly, so be prepared for the fact that after a year the delonix will need a larger pot. And in general, it is advisable to replant young plants every spring, and adult ones after a year or two. When the tree reaches the age of 5-7 years and it becomes difficult to replant it, all that remains is to renew the upper third of the soil in the tub. Delonix responds positively to crown pruning, sending out new shoots and becoming thicker. From spring to autumn, it is necessary to provide the tree with abundant watering, very bright lighting, you can even place it directly under the sun, this will only have a positive effect on our hero. The air humidity should also be high; it will be better if you spray the foliage of the plant, but try not to get it on the flowers (if you have them, of course). From the onset of spring until autumn, periodic application of fertilizer is required, with breaks of 2 weeks, this will stimulate flowering - after all, this is exactly why you should start a fire tree. With the end of flowering and until spring, it is necessary to organize periods of rest; for this, the temperature in the room is reduced to +10...+12 degrees, or the tree is taken out to the balcony (but the temperature is not allowed to drop to -1 degree - the death of the plant is possible), and watering is reduced. You should not be upset if the delonix has dried out; the plant will regard such external influence as lack of watering as the arrival of autumn, and it will most likely shed its leaves and stop blooming until the next “in its opinion, spring.” A short summary: the better our hero rests in winter, the more abundant flowering is waiting for you in the spring.

Diseases and pests

Delonix is ​​a fairly pest-resistant plant. There are cases of scale insects, but they are very rare, since this insect does not really like bright lighting, unlike Delonix!

YOU WILL NEED
Yarn (100% cotton; 90 m/50 g) - 350 g light gray; hook number 4.
PATTERNS AND DIAGRAMS
BASIC PATTERN
Knit st. s/n. Start each row with 3 ch. lifting instead of 1st st. s/n, finish 1 tbsp. s/n in the 3rd v.p. lifting the previous row.
MESH PATTERN
Knitting in the round: the number of loops is a multiple of 3.
1st row: 1 tbsp. b/n in the 1st article. s/n, * 4 vp, with 2 tbsp. skip s/n, 1 tbsp. b/n, from * repeat, finish 4 vp, with 2 tbsp. skip s/n and make 1 connection. Art. in the 1st art. b/n row.
2nd and all other rows: 2 connections. Art. in the arch from vp, 1 tbsp. b/n for the 1st arch from vp, * 4 vp, art. b/n for the next arch from vp, from * repeat, finish 4 vp. and 1 connection Art. in the 1st art. b/n row.
LACE BORDER
Knitting in the round: the number of loops is a multiple of 21. Knit according to the given pattern. Start each row, as shown, with 3 ch. lifting instead of 1st st. s/n, resp. 4 v.p. lifting instead of 1st st. with 2/n and 1 v.p. lifting instead of 1st st. b/n, finish 1 connection. Art. in the last v.p. rise. Repeat the width 6 times. Perform in height 1 time from the 1st to the 9th row.
KNITTING DENSITY
14.5 p. x 7 r. = 10 x 10 cm, knitted with the main pattern:
14.5 v.p. initial chain x 10 rub. = 10 x 10 cm, knitted with a mesh pattern;
lace border: 13 p. x 5 p. = 10 x 10 cm.
The samples are made with crochet number 4.
ATTENTION
The upper fragments of the front and back are knitted from bottom to top in rows in forward and reverse directions, the lower fragment is knitted from top to bottom in the circle from the initial chain of the upper part of the product.
In the drawing of the pattern pieces, the knitting direction is indicated by arrows. The lace border widens slightly downwards, this is reflected in the drawing as a bevel.
COMPLETING OF THE WORK
UPPER BACK
Using crochet number 4, make an initial chain of 63 vp. + 3 v.p. lifting instead of 1st st. s/n 1st r. and knit with the main pattern in rows in forward and reverse directions, with the 1st st. s/n work in the 5th loop from the hook.
After 17 cm = 12 r. from the initial chain, decrease on both sides for armholes 1 time, 7 points each, including roundings, as follows: 4 connections. tbsp., 1 tbsp. b/n, 2 p/st., 49 st. s/n, 2 p/st., 1 tbsp. b/n, leave the last 4 stitches untied. In the next row at the beginning of the row, go to st. s/n and on medium 49 sts. knit st. s/n.
After 28.5 cm = 20 r. form a neckline from the initial chain, to do this, subtract the middle 25 sts, including roundings, as follows: 12 tbsp. s/n, 1 p/st., 23 st. b/n, 1 p/st., 12 tbsp. s/n. After this, both sides (on the outer 12 sts. s/n each) are knitted separately.
After 35.5 cm = 25 r. from the typesetting chain finish the work.
UPPER FRONT
Knit like the upper back, but with a deeper neckline. To do this, start shaping the neck after 25.5 cm = 18 r. from the initial chain and perform as described for the back.
BOTTOM PART
Sew the side seams of the upper front and back pieces.
Then, starting from one of the side seams, continue the work on the loops of the initial chain and knit with a mesh pattern in the circle = 42 arches from vp.
After 6 cm = 6 r. Pull the end of the thread through the last loop.
Attach a new thread at the side seam and knit 1.5 cm = 1 r. in a circle st. s/n as follows: in each st. b/n of the previous row - 1 tbsp. s/n and for each arch from v.p. previous row - 2 tbsp. s/n = only 126 tbsp. s/n.
Then knit a lace border in a circle = 6 repeats wide.
After 18 cm = 9 r. (corresponding to 25.5 cm from the beginning of the lower part) finish the work.
ASSEMBLY
Sew shoulder seams.
Tie the edges of the armholes and neckline with 1 p. pico: * 1 tbsp. b/n, 3 v.p., 1 tbsp. b/n in the 1st ch, skip 1 cm of edge, repeat from *, finish 1 connection. Art. in the 1st art. b/n.
Photo: Verena Podium magazine No. 2/2019

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