Areca
palm is a popular and commonly seen houseplant which gives tropical feeling to
home. It is identified by long, shiny,
feather shaped leaves arched outward and down. It is on the top of NASA list on
best air purifying plants. Areca palm
grows 6 to 7 feet average while growing indoors. It is also called as Golden
cane palm, Butterfly palm, Yellow cane palm.
Container
Due to the height of
the areca palm, choose a fairly large container for it to grow into. Since
garden centers tend to cultivate these plants in bright light, gradually
acclimate your areca to the lower light conditions in your home. Place your new
plant in its container outdoors in a part-shade location, then move it to a
bright indoor location after a few weeks. If the roots fill the pot within a
few years, you can re-pot the palm tree or plant it outdoors. New growth
springs from a central growing point at the top of a palm tree's trunk, which
means that palms can't be pruned to reduce their height; pruning can damage or
kill the plant. The only recourse if a tree grows too tall is to relocate it to
an area with a higher ceiling or outdoors.
Soil
A peat-based mix is
perfect, with lots of material for drainage. Palms appreciate good drainage to
prevent water-logged roots.
Watering
The Areca Palm requires
heavy watering; however do not allow the plant to sit in water because this
could lead then to root rot. The Areca Palm will wilt drastically if you allow
the soil to dry out completely. On a good note, once you water it, the plant will
stand back up.
Sun / Temperature
Requires bright
indirect light so keep it within 5 to 8 feet from a sunny window. If put in too
much direct light, the fronds may get burnt from the sunlight. When a frond
becomes yellow or dead like in appearance be sure to remove the entire frond.
Fertilizer
Feed with a weak liquid
fertilizer once or twice during the growing season and not at all during the
winter.
Caring
Indoor areca palm
plants suffer from few pest or diseases. The main problem is root rot from
over watering or allowing the pots to remain in standing water. Flecks with a
soot appearance on the stem sheaths are normal, but leaves that turn yellow may
mean a soil that has an overly high pH or a deficiency of potassium. If a soil
test kit reveals a lack of potassium, use sulfur-coated potassium sulfate,
applied to the soil at the rate on the package label. Brown leaves are usually
a sign of over-fertilizing, dry air or a lack of water. Spider mites are
attracted to dusty leaves, especially in winter when humidity is low, but
cleaning palm fronds with a mild, soapy water can prevent the problem.
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