Palm Plant Care

Palm, or palmae, is a family of flowering plants, which generally grow in temperate, tropical as well as subtropical climates. There are about 2600 palm tree species, out of which some species have been grown as house plants for a long time. They look great and can enhance the interior of a house considerably. Kentia, majesty palm, phoenix palm and areca palm are some of the species that are commonly grown as indoor plants. Here are some tips on how to take care of a palm plant.

How to Care for Palm Plants?

Palm trees need a lot of sunlight to grow properly. So you can place the big palm trees in areas well-exposed to bright and direct sunlight. However, small palm plants cannot tolerate direct sunlight for a long time. So moving them to a well lit area for a few hours will be sufficient. Next to sunlight, the second most important factor for proper growth is watering. Palm plants need a lot of water, so keep the soil moist, but avoid over watering. If possible, use rainwater or stale water, as the large amount of salts found in tap water can cause the appearance of yellow spots on the leaves. Otherwise, you can boil tap water and let it cool off before using for watering. Soil for growing palm plant should be rich in nutrients and it should be able to retain water. But at the same time, it should also be able to drain water efficiently. Apart from these common caring for palm tree tips, let's take a brief look at how to take care of the different types of palm plants grown indoors.

Kentia Palm Plant Care
Kentia is the common name of howea forsteriana. It is one of the widely grown indoor palm plant species. It can reach a height of around 60 feet if grown outdoors, but when used as a indoor plant, it grows to a height of 5 to 12 feet. Kentia is very suitable to be grown in a container or a pot, as it does not have a tap root system. It can also be grown in the shaded areas of your home, provided you expose it to indirect sunlight for some time, especially in the morning. Watering is very important, but over watering can result in yellowing of the tips of the foliage. On the other hand, under watering can cause browning of the tips. So, you have to be very careful while watering your kentia plant. If proper care is taken, kentia palms are great as indoor plants.

Majesty Palm Plant Care
Ravenea rivularis is the scientific name of majesty palm plant. This plant requires moderate lighting and water to grow. So it can be placed in a partially shaded area of your house. While watering, make sure that the roots do not sit in water. A proper drainage arrangement is quite essential for growing this plant. The tip of the leaves usually turn brown if the plant is not getting enough water. On the other hand, over watering can result in yellowing of the tips. Hence watering should be more frequent if you observe that the foliage tips are turning brown, and less frequent if the foliage tips are turning yellow. As this plant prefers a slightly humid environment, daily misting can further enhance its look. Spider mites are common pests that affect the majesty plant. To control spider mite infestation, you can try misting with soapy water. But commercial pest control products may be required if the infestation is of severe nature.

Phoenix Palm Plant Care
The scientific name of phoenix palm plant is the pygmy date palm. This plant requires a lot of moisture to grow properly. Over watering can cause the tips of the leaves to turn black or yellow. On the other hand, the plant can begin to droop if you are not providing enough water. The phoenix palm plant prefers bright, but indirect sunlight. If placed in an area overexposed to direct sunlight, you may observe yellow or black spots on the foliage. Like the majesty palm plant, it also prefers a high level of humidity and so misting can be done frequently.

Areca Palm Plant Care
Areca palm is a slow grower and it can look quite beautiful if grown indoors. It is a hardy plant that prefers bright indirect sunlight. Exposure to direct sunlight for a considerable period of time can literally burn the foliage. Areca palm plant needs a lot of water, so water it frequently. But make sure that the roots do not sit in water. Considerable drooping may be observed when the plant is not getting enough water. The dead and damaged brown fronds of the plant should be immediately removed. Occasional misting can enhance the beauty of this great houseplant. Misting with soapy water can help a lot if spider mites are infecting the plant. However, for severe infestation, you would require a commercial pest remover.

Palm plants can look really beautiful if properly taken care of. Almost all types of palm plants grown indoors require moderate level of indirect sunlight. So place them a few feet away from the windows. Misting a couple of times in a week can enhance the beauty and grandeur of palm plants, that fit so well in every type of home décor. But do not forget to follow a regular palm tree trimming regime to maintain their look. These simple tips for indoor palm plant care will ensure that your house palms remain healthy, thereby improving the decor of your home.