Traditionally, we decorate our houses for the New Year with coniferous trees - spruce or pine. But it’s not always possible to put a tree at home - there’s not enough space, small children, and sometimes it’s just a shame that beautiful tree, which has been growing for many years, is cut down simply to stand for a week in human habitation and be thrown out as unnecessary. Lately, artificial Christmas trees have become increasingly fashionable. They are, of course, beautiful and comfortable, but still not alive. Let's think about what kind of living plant can replace the traditional Christmas tree.
Plants to replace the Christmas tree
Araucaria
The simplest and most accessible plant for these purposes is araucaria. This is a tropical Christmas tree that you can grow at home as a houseplant without any problems, decorating it for the New Year. Unlike a regular Christmas tree, araucaria has needles that are lighter and silkier to the touch, which makes it also a very pleasant indoor plant.
Boxwood can be a successful replacement for a Christmas tree. It is usually grown in gardens and parks, like ornamental shrub. It easily tolerates haircuts, which is why living ones are made from it. garden sculptures topiary. If desired, the bush can be given a conical shape, making it look like a spruce. Boxwood can be grown at home, but it does not like flooding and in winter it needs as much light as possible in a warm room. And in the summer you can plant a green bush in the garden or decorate your balcony with it. For the winter holidays, this green fluffy bush can easily replace a traditional Christmas tree.
Indoor cypress
Another one may well grow in the apartment coniferous plant- cypress and its closest relative, cypress. It is usually sold in the form small bushes or an elegant tree with light green needles. You can buy it at any flower shop. But since it is too hot for him to spend the winter in an apartment, the plant should be placed in the coolest and brightest place in the house after the holidays. If there is no cool place, it must be sprayed regularly. In the summer, the plant can be placed in the garden or on the balcony.
Thuja
Another plant that can replace a Christmas tree can be a thuja. It can also be grown in a cool window and decorated for the New Year.
A wonderful New Year's tree can be made from juniper. This wonderful coniferous plant also has a very pleasant smell, which will add special new notes to the aroma of the holiday. Only juniper for these purposes must either be grown from seeds or bought in a store - juniper dug up in the Crimea or the Caucasus does not grow in indoor conditions.
You can decorate the festive interior of your home with a real live Christmas tree growing in a flowerpot or container.
Recently, more and more often they have begun to offer to purchase not a cut down spruce, but one planted in a container. Subsequently, it can either be returned to the forestry department or planted in the garden. When purchasing such trees, you need to make sure that the lump of earth in which they grow is not frozen. If you buy a small Dutch Christmas tree at the store, do not buy plants that have been doused with fake snow spray or glitter - such plants usually do not survive.
Spruce in a pot or container in a warm room can be kept for no more than 7-10 days. Since, due to the heat, the spruce can wake up from hibernation and begin to grow. If the tree still begins to grow, it can no longer be taken out into the cold. The plant should be placed in the coolest, but not freezing place and left until spring. Plant or dig in with a container until next year Spruce can only be grown when the temperature in the place where it is kept is equal to the outside temperature. If you place the plant on a freezing loggia, be sure to wrap the container well so that the earthen ball does not freeze.
You can stock up on a Christmas tree in the fall - buy a good healthy container plant at a gardening center, bury the container in the ground and sprinkle with mulch to root system not frozen. Then, the day before the holiday, dig it up and bring it into the house. Such a spruce can be left for the winter on a frost-free loggia.
Rosemary can be an interesting substitute for spruce. It can be grown simply indoor plant and even for kitchen needs as a spice. Well, for the New Year your kitchen can be decorated with this unusual Christmas tree.
However, for these purposes, you need to buy or grow Mediterranean rosemary, which is more favorable to the dry air of our rooms. Crimean rosemary does not take root in apartments.
The once popular, but now slightly forgotten asparagus also looks like a Christmas tree. And its densely flowered variety can rival a real Christmas tree in its fluffiness and beauty.
Other
Well, in principle, almost any indoor plant can be used as a New Year’s tree - the main thing is that it is beautiful. It could be a ficus, a palm tree, etc.
Araucaria varifolia
Araucaria varifolia the most popular indoor Christmas tree. Outwardly, it really resembles a stem with paws, like a spruce tree. The plant is quite adapted for living in an apartment, and if space allows, it can easily grow to 1-1.5 meters. It has soft needles on the branches. The maintenance requires uniform lighting and a fairly cool temperature: up to 20C in summer, and even cooler in winter. The plant is moisture-loving. Water abundantly from spring to autumn, moderately in winter. Never allow the soil to dry out.
Araucaria
Step 2
Jacaranda mimofolia
Jacaranda mimofolia- a South American plant, rare in home culture. In general, jacaranda is a real tree. At home, at good care, the plant will reach a meter in height. Jacaranda needs good lighting when the sunny day is shortened. winter period, then must be present additional lighting. Air temperature – 17-22 C. Watering the plant should provide moist soil, but without stagnation of water. They propagate both by cuttings and seeds. Jacaranda blossoms in summer period vertical racemose inflorescence, flowers look like elongated bells.
Jacaranda
Step 3
Silaginella– tender small plant with very ancient history. It is similar in type to a fern; it reproduces by spores or by dividing the bush. Prefers partial shade and high humidity air. The New Year's fir paw can be depicted inside a glass container such as a “goblet” or a small one. fishbowl where there will be a humid microclimate. The roots are not deep. One of the most decorative species– Selaginella martensa (pictured).
Silaginella
Step 4
Kalanchoe- familiar to many home plant, which is also used as a medicine. One of Kalanchoe species– Kalanchoe serrated, with proper cultivation, resembles in its shape a small Christmas tree with fragile succulent leaves. If you root one shoot of such a Kalanchoe in a pot, the similarity will be even greater.
Kalanchoe prefers bright lighting When it blooms, the rest of the time there is short but bright daylight. Watering is moderate, but without prolonged drying of the soil. Temperatures in summer can reach up to 30C, in winter it can be cool 16-18C.
Kalanchoe.
Step 5
Euphorbia tirucalli- a plant with thin long branches-stems. These plants from the genus Euphorbia contain a milky sap that is released when the plant is broken; the plant is a succulent. Euphorbias love good light (otherwise they may begin to lose leaves); you can keep them in direct sun. Resistant to dry air; do not overdo it with watering, because... Succulents do not like overwatering. Blooms small yellow flowers at the tips of the branches. Not whimsical, but original.
Euphorbia.
How to care for a live Christmas tree in a pot, where to store it, how to replant it, where to replant it and whether it is worth doing it.
Last year we were given live Christmas tree for the New Year in a pot. The Christmas tree was somewhere around 40 cm. The pot was small, but the roots were not visible, and the tree was surrounded by a battery-powered New Year's garland. They carried her, and she shimmered all over.
I didn’t think about replanting it, since there is a lot of negative warning information on the Internet. And I didn’t have time to look after her. But, after standing on my kitchen windowsill for 10 days, it produced young light green shoots. To be honest, I didn’t know what to do with it, I watered it a little, but the pot was so small that the water immediately flowed out and maybe that’s why it began to turn yellow at the ends of the shoots, however, the sun was still shining directly on it through the window. Deciding that this was not a houseplant after all, but an outdoor one, I took it out to the balcony and sprinkled the pot with snow.
Our winter was warm, when snow fell, I sprinkled new snow on the Christmas tree, then the snow melted and of itself slightly moistened the ground under the Christmas tree. Spring has come. As it turned out, the balcony is not the place where Christmas trees can grow. My balcony faces east and after lunch spring sun singes young needles, watering is also a problem, well, I don’t want to go out onto the balcony in early spring and gardening, besides, the pot is just childish for such a Christmas tree. And in the spring, at the end of March, I gave the Christmas tree to a private house. She was taken out of the pot and planted near the house. And, lo and behold! The Christmas tree began to grow, and now it has been standing in this place for almost a year. That is, it was planted last spring in March 2015, and now it is January 2016. She grew by 7 cm. Here is our Christmas tree.
Fortunately, unexpectedly for myself, I managed to fulfill all the conditions for caring for a Christmas tree in a pot.
Recommendations for choosing and caring for a Christmas tree in a container, tub or pot
- You need to buy from a reliable garden center or store. Because Christmas trees grow directly in pots or tubs, so their root system is formed in limited space pot and when transplanted, the earthen ball with all the roots retains its integrity.
- A growing Christmas tree can be kept warm in the house for no more than 2 weeks.
- Moderate watering, without drying out or flooding.
- After 10-14 days, the forest beauty should be taken out to the balcony, terrace or yard, and the pot and some of the branches should be covered with snow, the most reliable covering material of all times.
- Christmas trees are planted in acidic soil.
- Plant no deeper than the root collar.
- When planting, take into account the orientation of the Christmas tree.
Our New Year tree was planted like this:
The hole for the green guest was dug much larger than the actual earthen ball of the potted Christmas tree, expanded clay and broken brick were poured into the bottom of the hole (do not forget that spruce grows on rocky soil), then fertilizer for conifers (bought at a garden center) was mixed with soil and poured broken bricks on top. Then they carefully took the Christmas tree out of the pot and placed it in the hole.
And when burying it, they took the trouble not to cover it with soil above its root collar. In other words, they buried it exactly the same depth along the stem as it was buried in the pot.
The only mistake that the new owner of the green treasure made was the orientation of the tree in space. He said that he “changed the orientation of the tree” :). Turns out Christmas trees have fluffier needles on the south side, and this fact must also be taken into account when planting. But our Christmas tree was not offended and began to grow with its fluffy side to the east. So smart.
Storing the green guest on the balcony until spring will incredibly decorate the balcony; you can continue to decorate the Christmas tree outside.
The story of one New Year's Living Tree
But I found this story of a Christmas tree in a pot on cybergooch.com
Recommendations from a professional florist on how to care for Christmas trees and other conifers purchased in pots at the store.
The New Year's song about a small Christmas tree made me deeply sad as a child. At first everything is fine, the green and slender beauty, wrapped in snow, is sleeping. But the further development of events is not encouraging. A certain man appears and cuts down the Christmas tree “to the very root.” And then she, dressed up, brings “lots and lots of joy” to the kids. As a reader of the magazine “Young Naturalist,” I did not share their joy: after all, the tree was finished. It still saddens me to look at the cut down New Year’s trees. But now there is an alternative to the ruined spruce and pine trees - araucaria, homemade Christmas tree. She is an almost exact copy of the coniferous beauties from our forests. At the same time, it takes root in apartments without any problems. According to experts, among indoor conifers, araucaria is one of the easiest plants to care for. Subject to compliance with not such complex rules This elegant plant can decorate and make your home unique.
From giants to little ones: description of Araucaria
Araucaria is not always a toy Christmas tree. It descends from ancient giant trees that existed on earth long before the appearance of man - in the Jurassic period. Now many of those species have disappeared completely, and some are under the care of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In nature, Araucaria is majestic conifer tree. The average height is about 50 meters, and some specimens of Hanstein's Araucaria reach 90 meters.
In freedom, Araucaria is a giant tree
Most araucarias are dioecious plants, meaning one tree produces female flowers and another produces male flowers. If pollination is successful, giant fruits appear to match the giant parents.
Araucaria cone
For example, a Bidwill araucaria cone can weigh about three kilograms. The seeds have a pleasant taste. They once served as food for the Indians South America. This continent is home to two varieties of Araucaria - Chilean and Brazilian.
This is how araucaria blooms in natural conditions
Another dozen and a half species of araucaria inhabit the forests of Australia, the islands of New Guinea and New Caledonia. Two types of “street” araucaria have taken root on the Black Sea coast, in the Crimea and in the Caucasus. There they are grown for urban landscaping.
Araucaria variegata, which is most often grown at home, comes from Norfolk Island, located near Australia.
What does a home grown araucaria look like? This is a harmonious coniferous plant with a crown in the form of a wide pyramid. Whorls (branches of one horizontal tier) are located on the trunk at right angles.
If you look at your home Christmas tree from above, you can see that its branches form something like a snowflake, each face of which fits into an isosceles triangle.
From above, homemade araucaria looks like a snowflake
The branches are densely covered with small, about 2 cm, leaves-needles, light green, soft and slightly curved upward. As they mature, scale-like leaves appear instead of needles, which overlap each other in a spiral, completely enveloping the branches of the tree. A homemade Christmas tree can grow up to about one and a half meters. But araucaria grows very slowly. Although maybe that's a good thing. A small seedling will organically decorate a terrarium or flower arrangement on the windowsill. A grown Christmas tree looks great on a table or stand. And an adult specimen that has settled in a bucket pot is a real New Year's tree. Only a living one, with whom you won’t have to say goodbye forever after the holiday.
The homemade Christmas tree is not the easiest indoor plant to care for. It is more difficult to tame than the unpretentious ficus or Spartan cactus. You will have to remember this tree constantly; it will not tolerate neglect. But compared to other coniferous species, for example, cypress or cedar, araucaria is still a fairly docile pet. Caring for araucaria is not only pleasant, but also useful, because it is a powerful source of healing phytoncides.
Instead of flowers - toys
In nature, Araucaria Varifolia blooms, like all conifers, unusually. This is a monoecious plant, and the flowers on it are different - female and male. But they are formed only on adult mature individuals. And our home Christmas tree is a child or best case scenario teenager. Therefore, it has not yet been possible to achieve flowering of araucaria at home. But perhaps breeders will someday develop varieties with early puberty.
In the meantime, they will be a great substitute for flowers on your home Christmas tree. New Year's toys. Choose those that are lighter so as not to injure the branches, and decorate the araucaria. She will cope perfectly with the role of the New Year's beauty.
A live Christmas tree is a great gift for the New Year
Photo gallery: varieties of araucaria
How ornamental plant Araucaria Chilean is now widespread in Europe Australian aborigines consider Bidwill's Araucaria a sacred tree Cunningham's Araucaria lives up to 400 - 500 years Cook's Araucaria has a second name - the columnar Araucaria Hanstein grows to a 90-meter height Araucaria brasiliensis - a powerful spreading tree Araucaria variegated, also known as the Norfolk co sleep 
Araucaria can be used to form a bonsai tree
Christmas tree in a pot prefers cool weather
Araucaria is a native of the southern hemisphere, but this does not mean that the indoor Christmas tree loves the heat. She prefers a temperate climate, slightly cool, humid air and diffused light. This preference has its own explanation. Araucaria does not become a giant tree with thick bark and mighty branches that stretch towards the burning sun right away, but after three or four, maybe more, ten years. And those Christmas trees that grow in pots at our house are babies, young shoots. Young Araucarias natural conditions live in the lower tiers tropical forest, where it’s damp, shady and not so hot. Keep this in mind when growing your tree.
Table: conditions favorable for indoor Christmas trees
| Spring | Lighting - diffused bright light, partial shade possible. The best place for araucaria - east or west side. In the south it will be necessary to shade; in the north the plant may develop one-sidedly. Humidity is high - 60 percent or more. Spray your araucaria regularly and use other methods of moisturizing. Provide fresh air, ventilate the room. Temperature is moderate, about 20 degrees |
| Summer | In summer, keeping it on the balcony or in the garden is suitable. Lighting - partial shade, bright diffused light. A small amount of sun is permissible only in the morning and evening. Provide shade from the midday sun. Spray the plant more often, especially in hot weather. The temperature is moderate - 20–25 degrees. He can hardly bear the heat. Protect the plant from drafts. Protect from precipitation |
| Autumn | The lighting is bright and diffused, partial shade. The temperature is moderate, about 20 degrees. Humidity is high. Spray your araucaria regularly, maybe twice a day. |
| Winter | Lighting - partial shade, diffused light, possibly a small amount of sun. Additional lighting need not. Humidity is high. Dry air is destructive. Place the araucaria away from radiators and protect it with a screen. Be sure to spray twice a day. The warmer the room, the higher the humidity should be. The temperature is cool - about plus 15 degrees. Protect from drafts |
There will be no special problems with lighting for araucaria. Just keep in mind that in order for the crown to develop evenly, the plant must be rotated from time to time different sides to the light. But to provide high level humidity is more difficult. In heated rooms the air is dry, like in the desert. Araucaria takes this painfully. Ways to increase humidity:
- The simplest thing is to spray the plant regularly. The water should be lukewarm and the spray nozzle as fine as possible. Place plants that also love moisture next to the araucaria. Then, after water procedures, air humidity will remain longer;
- Place the pot of araucaria on a large tray filled with pebbles, gravel or expanded clay. Keep the litter moist;
- Another option is a double pot. Place the container where the araucaria grows in a flowerpot without drainage holes, fill it with sphagnum moss, coconut fiber or peat. Constantly moisten the contents of the pots. Evaporation will help maintain high humidity levels. But when moisturizing moss, know when to stop and constantly control yourself - excess moisture will harm the plant.
Video: interesting plant - araucaria, features of home care
Araucaria does not like transplants
The homemade Christmas tree doesn’t really like housewarming parties. Therefore, even young araucarias are not replanted every year. You should start replanting when the plant has outgrown its pot and roots become visible from the drainage holes. And this happens about once every 4 years. It is necessary to replant on the eve of the growth period - in the spring, or, in extreme cases, in early summer.
Choosing new pot, pay attention to the size: it should be only 2-3 cm wider than the old one, stable. Both plastic and ceramic containers are suitable for araucaria. But give preference to ceramics, it is heavier and takes away harmful salts from the soil. And araucaria is very sensitive to them.
In order for the Christmas tree to grow well and not get sick, it needs porous and slightly acidic soil. You can plant it in ready-made universal soil from the store, adding a little peat. Or mix the substrate according to one of the recipes:
- two parts each of leaf and peat soil, plus one part each of turf soil and sand;
- equal parts clay, turf and leaf soil and half sand;
- in equal parts deciduous, turf and coniferous soil, humus, peat and sand.
During transplantation, the most important thing is not to damage the roots of the araucaria and not to break the delicate branches. Both are very difficult to restore.
Sequence of plant transplantation:
- We water the araucaria about an hour before transplanting.
- Let's prepare a pot, disinfect the soil and drainage and begin replanting.
- We place a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot, and a soil substrate on top.
- Carefully remove the plant from the old pot and inspect the roots. We remove the rotten ones.
- We install the araucaria in a new pot, straighten the roots.
- Carefully fill the space between the earthen lump and the walls of the pot, shaking it.
- We compact the soil with our fingers, being careful not to damage the roots.
- We water the araucaria and spray its crown. Wet air will help the Christmas tree adapt faster.
- For about a week, and if necessary longer, we keep the transplanted araucaria in partial shade. Then we put it on permanent place and take care of it as usual.
Even a slightly larger pot will make the Christmas tree grow. But your araucaria is already a large tree, and you don't want it to get even bigger? Then don't replant it. And it is enough to renew the soil only from the top. Remove a few centimeters of old soil and fill in new soil.
Why araucaria does not need rain, direct sun and peace
Araucaria living in an apartment is a young plant when compared with long-lived trees. And the secret to maintaining her health is simple - home conditions should be close to the conditions of the tropical forest. Only not on its upper tier, but much lower. If you managed to recreate the humid climate of the tropics and provide diffused light, then you are on the right track.
Care, water, feed, spray
Street rain will not do any good to your home Christmas tree. We are talking about man-made precipitation - irrigation. It requires soft, desalted water. You will have to boil it, settle it or filter it. By the way, the same requirements for water for spraying.
All year round, except winter, araucaria requires a lot of water. But it is necessary to maintain a balance between dry and waterlogged soil. Watering should be done when the soil is dry on top. A lump of earth in a pot should not be turned into a cracker, but a swamp is also bad. If you are in doubt whether to water or not, feel the soil 3-4 cm deep. If it’s dry, water it; if it’s slightly damp, it’s better to spray it. Through the prickly crown, the araucaria will also receive a dose of moisture.
In winter, it is recommended to reduce watering, especially when kept cool. But in a warm room there should be enough moisture for the araucaria. Observe the condition of the Christmas tree and react to changes in its appearance. Remember to keep the humidity high. Dry air is the main enemy of araucaria. By the way, it is recommended to add “Epin” or succinic acid to the water for spraying.
Araucaria will be happy with additional nutrition. This is understandable if you remember that the plant is replanted quite rarely. You need to feed your home Christmas tree from spring to the end of summer, on average once every two to three weeks. Will do mineral fertilizers for coniferous plants from the store. But pay attention to the calcium content in them, there should be a minimum amount of it. Excess nitrogen causes excessive elongation of the trunk between tiers of branches. Make the feeding solution twice as weak as in the instructions for the drug.
Evergreen araucaria does not need rest
The Christmas tree is indifferent to the dormant period, which many plants cannot do without; it is also evergreen. Without a doubt, Araucaria slows down its growth in winter. But you can’t call this a complete vacation. Rather, this is due to seasonal changes in the climate of our apartments. As flower growers assure, araucaria will overwinter well on an insulated loggia if the temperature there is not lower than plus 10 degrees. It’s good if the room in winter is not very bright, but cool. Or if the temperature is moderate - 20 degrees, but there is a lot of light. But araucaria will not tolerate a hot, poorly ventilated and dark room.
To trim or not to trim?
Beginning araucaria owners often ask the question: should it be pruned? Arguments in favor of pruning: the crown will become more luxuriant, the tree will be renewed and will look better. Experienced needle growers answer unequivocally: if you dream of growing something like a slender Christmas tree, pruning your araucaria is not necessary, it can only do harm. Coniferous plants inevitably lose their lower branches as they age, and no amount of pruning will bring them back. But you can disrupt the harmonious growth by trimming the Christmas tree.
Forming a spruce bonsai
However, one cannot be absolutely categorical when it comes to pruning. Sometimes you can't do without it. This procedure is necessary if you are forming a bonsai from araucaria. But then caring for the plant must be special.
If you decide to grow a bonsai tree from an araucaria, then replant your Christmas tree more often: once every year or two. Each time the roots must be shortened by half. Such araucaria needs a special low ceramic container and soil with a large sand content, so that the Christmas tree grows very slowly, but constantly.
It is quite possible to form a bonsai from araucaria
Araucaria bonsai need to be pinched and trimmed. In the spring, young shoots are pinched and the crown is adjusted. Branches that worsen the appearance or become yellowed are cut off. A special wire is used for shaping. It cannot be used on young shoots and should not be left for longer than 4 months.
The tree must be watered regularly and sprayed daily. In spring and autumn, it is recommended to feed Araucaria bonsai with slowly decomposing organic fertilizer.
Stages of growing a tree in bonsai style Diseases, pests and... mistakes of gardeners
The most common reasons death of araucaria at home - excess watering, excessive feeding and lack of light. All this is especially dangerous in winter, when dry, too dry conditions have a depressing effect on the plant. warm air. In addition, indoor Christmas trees are difficult to tolerate stress, disease and pest attacks. The following table will help flower growers recognize the problem and find the answer to what to do to solve it:
Table: care problems, diseases and pests of home araucaria
| Problem | Cause | Elimination |
| Araucaria grows too slowly | Excess calcium in soil or water | Replant the Christmas tree in soil for conifers, water it with soft water, check whether the fertilizers used do not contain calcium. |
| New branches are thin and weak | Nutrient deficiency | Increase fertilizing. If you haven’t replanted for a long time, change the soil or at least upper layer soil. |
| The trunk grows crookedly, the branches are asymmetrical | Araucaria is illuminated unevenly | Turn the pot 90 degrees about once a week. |
| The shoots turn yellow and dry out | The air is too dry | Increase the number of sprays. Humidify the air in every possible way. |
| The needles dry out and fall off | Dry air, overdried earthen clod | Follow the rules for caring for the plant. |
| Araucaria branches droop sluggishly | Excess water or too heat air | Dry the soil, adjust watering. Remove the plant from radiators if it is winter. IN summer heat Place the araucaria in an air-conditioned room. Spray frequently. |
| The needles turn pale and die. Small insects visible | Aphid infestation | Spray the araucaria with an insecticide (Decis or Fastak). |
| The needles turn brown, the tips of the shoots die | The plant is being eaten by moths | Treat with a product containing pyrethroids (Kinmiks or Molniya). |
| The shoots become deformed, the buds dry out | Pine loach larvae infestation | Remove damaged parts and treat the plant with Fastak. |
| White, sticky fluff on the branches. The needles gradually turn yellow, darken, and die | Mealybug | Remove insects with a damp cloth and treat the araucaria with a solution of insecticide or alcohol. |
Mealybug on Araucaria
It happens that a recently cheerful araucaria suddenly becomes sad, hangs its branches and loses bright green color. The reason is unclear. Experienced flower growers advise not to wait for the Christmas tree to die, but to immediately carry out resuscitation.
Resuscitation for araucaria is spraying with drugs that improve immunity. This is the well-known Zircon and the rarer Silk. The latter is an extract from Siberian fir needles. Make a solution of these drugs (Zircon - 4 drops per liter, Silk - 5 drops) and spray the sick araucaria. After 4-5 days, the procedure can be repeated, reducing the dose by half.
The loss of lower branches by araucaria with age is a natural process. But the safety of the top must be monitored. This is the growth point of the Christmas tree. Damage the top of its head, and it will stop actively growing upward. Only side shoots will develop. When a branch on the side of a plant breaks, there is no need to worry too much - it will heal itself. Conifers secrete a protective resin. But if you are afraid of infection, you can cover the abrasion with garden varnish.
To save araucaria, sometimes gardeners decide to take extreme measures.
Video: how you can help a dying plant
Reproduction of domestic araucarias
“It reproduces with difficulty, it is better to buy rooted plants,” this is how the 20th century flower grower guru Dr. Hessayon wrote about araucaria. However, now a homemade Christmas tree can still be propagated: by cuttings and seeds, although both methods do not provide one hundred percent success.
There is no guaranteed success when propagating araucaria.
Propagate by cuttings
Before you start taking cuttings, evaluate the need for this procedure. Whether it will be possible to get a young plant is still a big question. And you will definitely cause damage to the tree. For cuttings, it is recommended to take apical shoots. They produce more symmetrical plants. But then the mother Christmas tree will suffer. You can take an axial shoot from a side branch, but in this case the new plant will not be very beautiful. If you still decide to take a risk, go for it, but follow the rules below.
- August, when the plant slows down, is the most the right time for cuttings.
- Cut the apical shoot 3–4 cm below the whorl or separate the side branch with part of the bark - the “heel”.
- Let the cuttings stay in the air for a day.
- Remove the resin from the cut area. Treat the cuttings with the Kornevin stimulator.
- Mix the substrate: equal parts coarse sand and peat. Disinfect.
- Pour the substrate into a greenhouse (ideally with bottom heating), moisten it, and dig in the cuttings.
- Cover with a transparent lid, film, or some container. Maintain the temperature at 25 degrees.
- Check the condition of the cuttings every day. Ventilate, moisten the substrate, and spray the seedlings every 3-4 days.
- Rooting araucaria - long process. The rudiments of the roots are formed only after 5–6 months, and a little later young needles will appear.
- After this, transplant the cuttings into separate containers filled with soil for conifers and sand in equal parts. Keep the temperature at 25 degrees. Leave the protection on top.
- Rooting will be completed only by the beginning of next summer. After this, transfer the cuttings into permanent pots. TO fresh air Accustom the young animals gradually.
Plant the seeds
For each Araucaria seed or nut you will have to pay 30 rubles or more. Be careful: Christmas tree seeds quickly lose their viability and are stored for no more than 3 months.
- Soak the seeds for two days in water, you can add Epin or Zircon.
- Perform stratification: bury the seeds in damp sand and put them in the refrigerator for 10 days. Without this procedure, the seeds will not be able to germinate.
- Don’t forget about scarification - scratch the seed shells with some sharp object, violating their integrity so that the future sprout can overcome this obstacle.
- Prepare and disinfect the substrate: peat, sand and crushed charcoal. Fill small containers with substrate and moisten it.
- Plant araucaria seeds one at a time in a pot, but you can also do several. Do not dig in, but simply place and cover with a layer of sphagnum moss sprayed with water.
- Place the crops in a bright and warm (25 degrees) place. Moisten and ventilate regularly. The first shoots may appear after 2 weeks. The average germination time is a month.
- After the first needles appear, pick the seedlings into separate pots (8 cm in diameter), if they were in a common container. Protect from direct sun. Araucaria seedlings begin to branch after three months.
- Replant the shoots when the roots have covered the entire soil in the pot.
The araucaria seed has finally hatched
Conifers - these indoor plants are very similar in appearance to a miniature Christmas tree and can easily replace a New Year's beauty. Even after the holiday, they will perfectly fit into the interior of the apartment, help improve the climate in it, and fill the space with their green beauty and unique pine aroma.
Get yourself such a green home friend and the problem of how to decorate your house for the New Year will be partially solved. 
After all, if desired, this indoor coniferous plant in a pot can be nicely decorated for the New Year:
- pour snow soil on top of the soil in the pot,
- choose a beautiful flowerpot,
- decorate the tree with mini Christmas tree toys.
Thereby creating a pre-holiday mood and decoration in the interior.
He will tell you about the most popular conifers, which you can buy now in the store for the holiday, and about the basic rules for caring for them. What coniferous indoor plants can you use for New Year's decor, a detailed selection with photos and name.
Cypress is very often used to decorate New Year's and holiday celebrations. The tree has a neat shape in the form of a pyramid and appearance resemble mini Christmas trees. In addition, these trees will be wonderful on New Year, it can be presented to the owners for the holiday. 
If you have this wonderful green plant, then you need to know how to properly care for it.
Features of care and watering. Homemade cypress loves cool weather (12-15°C) and does not tolerate bright light. Therefore, if the windows of your apartment overlook sunny side, it is better to refrain from buying such a “Christmas tree”: with singed ends it will have a pale appearance. Watering should be moderate, the main thing is to prevent the soil from drying out. Therefore, watering will be once a week optimal solution for this tree. But you can spray the cypress tree at least every day.
How and when to feed.
The plant needs regular feeding with complete mineral fertilizer for conifers: in summer and spring - once a week, in winter and autumn - once a month. In summer, it is better to take the plant out onto the balcony or take it to the country house. 
The second most popular use as a small live Christmas tree in the house for the New Year is a coniferous indoor plant - araucaria. She is most similar to an ordinary forest beauty, being her decorative miniature. Therefore, you don’t have to buy toys for it; you probably have small Christmas tree decorations at home. All that remains is to “dress” smartly flower pot and the living tree becomes beautifully decorated for the holiday! 
Features of care and watering. Araucaria or indoor spruce is unpretentious in care, but heat is contraindicated for it! Optimal temperature content - +15-20°C. Ideal place for a flower - a western or eastern window, where it is light enough and at the same time cool. For uniform growth and development, araucaria needs to be turned periodically - approximately once every 5-7 days. Moderate watering warm water room temperature(23-25 degrees) every 3-4 days and daily spraying with settled water is the key to its beauty and freshness (the soil should not be allowed to dry out too much).
How and when to feed. For (once every three weeks) use mineral fertilizers with low calcium content (prepare the solution according to the instructions, but twice as weak). An indoor Christmas tree has a period of active growth in spring and summer; during this period it can be fed even more often - once every two weeks. In summer, the plant can be “walked” on the balcony or taken to the country house.
Many people are familiar with rosemary as a spicy plant, the branches of which are added as an aromatic seasoning to a variety of dishes. But the plant itself in a flower pot also looks very nice, which allows it to be used as a main decoration on New Year's celebration. Rosemary placed in an elegant flower pot will look wonderful not only on the kitchen table, but also on the holiday table. 
The tree-like variety of rosemary - the standard tree - will fit perfectly into the holiday atmosphere. 
Features of care and watering. The basic principle of growing a spice flower is compliance temperature regime. In summer, the plant feels great on a south-facing window, but in winter it is better to move it to the coolest windowsill or insulated loggia. Rosemary likes moderate watering, so moisten it as the soil dries.
How and when to feed. Not at all demanding - once every three months apply any fertilizer for flowers or vegetables - this is quite enough for full development rosemary.
In addition to the tree itself, you can use sprigs of rosemary to decorate room and table decor. To do this, they make elegant round or heart-shaped wreaths, weaving bright ribbons into them. 
Rosemary sprigs are placed on the festive table, and they are also used to decorate New Year's cocktails. 
In a word, if you have this plant, then new Year's Eve you can use any holiday decoration idea with it.
Pinnate asparagus or putanka often lives in many houses and delights owners with its lush, green, coniferous crown. 
However, if you embellish this plant a little, then it will take its rightful place among the New Year’s decorations of the room. 
Features of care and watering. The best place for a flower is east and west windows. Asparagus is picky about temperature: in summer - no higher than 20-22°C, in winter - about 15°C. If the room is warmer, daily spraying will help. Loves moisture: in summer, water frequently and abundantly, in winter - at least once a week.
How and when to feed. From spring to autumn, feed twice a month. liquid fertilizer for flowers.
General recommendations for caring for coniferous indoor plants
- It is better to replant a young cypress (up to 3-4 years old) every year, and an adult Christmas tree - once every 3-4 years. Rosemary and asparagus need to be replanted every two years, and araucaria only if the flower has noticeably outgrown its pot.
- The ideal soil for these plants is a mixture of soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 3:1:2.
- All conifers love to be sprayed with water at room temperature from a spray bottle. This can be done several times a day (2-3 times). In this way, you will not only help your green pet grow healthy, but also solve the issue of excessively dry air in the apartment. The second option would be to cover the soil surface with sphagnum moss (which can be purchased at a flower shop), which should be sprayed once a day. This way the earthen ball of the flowers will not dry out too much and the humidity in the room will increase.
- To ensure that all the branches on a miniature tree develop and grow evenly, do not forget to turn the flower pot 90 degrees once every 2 weeks.
If you still don’t want to deviate from traditions and decide to decorate your home by installing a real or artificial Christmas tree, then you can read tips on how to choose a forest beauty
