Auracaria or Christmas Plant (in polybag)

Height & width:         1.2 feet

            This plant does not require frequent fertilizer. It prefers partial or indirect sunlight. But this plant cannot tolerate weather adversity. Its leaf tips may be burnt due to weather adversity and leaves may shed from the plant gradually. This plant likes normal room temperature with proper ventilation. Under suitable climate, this plant grows well without any fertiliser. We can keep this plant in air cooled room (by desert cooler) also. It is suggested that we expose this plant to morning sunlight for at least an hour on alternate days, if we have kept this plant in a room without diffused sunlight.  This plant prefers misting during summer. This plant is a perennial plant. If we grow this plant outdoor, it can become a tree. Growth of this plant is slow.

During summer, if we have kept this plant at a warm room or any area, we should immediately shift this plant to a cooler place. Temperature higher than 32⁰ C is harmful for its leaves. We must try to protect this plant from summer, especially in afternoon hours (when atmospheric temperature is maximum). We can cover this plant by wet Jute cloth to provide relief from hot weather. Wet Jute also enhances humidity level in surroundings of plant. Similarly, atmospheric temperature less than 10⁰ C, is also harmful for its leaves. During night (temperature remains lowest), we must cover this plant by dried Jute cloth to provide relief from frost of cold weather. Porous composition of Jute cloth allows exchange of needful gases for the plant while protecting from weather adversity. During summer with rising temperature level, atmospheric humidity level comes down at the lowest level. Humidity level of your city can be checked easily on www.google.com. Humidity percentage less than 40 % may adversely affect this plant. During summer, most of the Indian cities with high temperature face low humidity level. In Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Delhi etc. humidity % goes less than 20% during hot days of summer. Such low level of humidity acts as poison for this plant. An outer cover of wet Jute cloth provides plant protection from high temperature and due to continuous high rate of evaporation, humidity % also increases. However during winter, plant needs protection only from low temperature. Dry Jute cloth works like our clothing for plant and protects plant from cold or frost. Rainy season enhances growth rate of all the plants due to availability of optimum temperature and humidity level. Moreover, due to raining all the leaves enjoy natural misting and stomata available on lower sides of leaves perform their basic function of respiration very well. These all factors lead to better health of plants.

Watering & Sunlight:  This plant prefers to grow well in diffused sunlight. We should water, only when the soil becomes dry. Proper drainage by making sufficient holes in bottom of pot is must.

Soil:     Its potting mix must be aerated well by use of drainage media upto 20 % (river sand, Leca, Pumice/Perlite or rice husk- use any one of them). All these items help in aeration also. We can mix upto 30% cocopeat and 50 % (mix of 20 % vermi compost + 25% sterilised garden soil + 5% Neem Cake) in its potting mix. We may add liquid fertlizers on monthly basis.

 Uses:             Ornamental use. It looks awesome at every office or drawing room.