Beaucarnea gracilis
This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2021) |
Beaucarnea gracilis | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Asparagaceae |
Subfamily: | Nolinoideae |
Genus: | Beaucarnea |
Species: | B. gracilis
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Binomial name | |
Beaucarnea gracilis | |
Synonyms[3] | |
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Beaucarnea gracilis is an attractive member of the subfamily Nolinaceae of the family Asparagaceae native to partial-desert areas in Mexico. Its name "gracilis", meaning "slender", is misleading, as its trunk is especially bulbous. It was formerly known as Nolina gracilis.
Description
[edit]As a seedling, B. gracilis grows as a tiny, bark-covered ball of succulent "trunk", growing tufts of long, extremely narrow leaves. In habitat, this forms a ground rosette of over 3 feet in diameter. The trunk becomes extremely large and grows a sparse coverage of short and sparsely dividing branches which can grow up to 20–23 feet. Thick tufts of leaves of up to 3.3 feet long and 0.4-0.8 inches long grow along the tops of these branches. The flowers are tiny, yellow and white and grow in vast numbers, but only on very old individuals.
Cultivation
[edit]B. gracilis is extremely easy to cultivate, growing rapidly in even very inhospitable environments and pots, and thus makes an excellent pot plant, willing to grow happily in a wide range of indoor settings. It prefers sandy soil, sunny position and infrequent watering, and does well in a cool wintering.
References
[edit]![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
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- ^ Fuentes, A.C.D.; Martínez Salas, E. & Samain, M.-S (2020). "Beaucarnea gracilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T136808246A137376199. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- ^ "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species".
- The Complete Encyclopedia of Succulents by Zdenek Jezek and Libor Kunte