Wondering how to go about caring for indoor palm plants? We offer our free guide, with lots of tips for caring for these tropical specimens. Learning how to care for indoor palms isn't just about keeping them in existence; it's about helping them thrive. Even if they'll be slow growing plants.
This guide helps you start on your journey, for having the best results for beautiful palms inside your home.
Or maybe you already have indoor plants, but you're a newbie to this lush world of indoor palms. Either way, the tips we have can help you assist your indoor palm to live its longest life.
First tip is to remember, every palm – and plant parent (you!) – is a little bit different. You'll find there's plenty of chances to create an environment that is warm, comforting, and inviting to your indoor trees. For that bit of tropical flair.
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Continue scrolling on down for all your needs in caring for indoor palm plants. Or you can jump right to any of these topics we cover, by clicking them...
Attack by Bugs & Pests! Yuck!!
Your Potting "Soil" Guide>
When is the Proper Timing for Repotting?
Fertilizing Requirements for Indoor Palms>
Your Overall Ongoing General Maintenance>
Indoor Palm's Important Lighting Needs>
Precautions When Giving Palms Water>
Handling Humidity Needs>
Should I Care About Pruning Fronds?
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Let's look at sunlight you'll provide. Important when caring for indoor palm plants. Indoor palms need some amount of light to create food for themselves. That's their best way, with photosynthesis.
Out in nature, most types of palms love direct sunlight. But think about your indoor palm's native habitat. They're used to growing underneath taller outdoor palms & tropical plants. Where they're getting indirect light. Where bright light won't reach them. So for indoors, some palms will naturally grow in lower light.
Indoor palm plants need bright, filtered sunlight. Some a bit more than others. But never bright light. One important lighting tip: it's best To Buy Palms which have been grown for a year in low-light conditions of a nursery shade-house.
For instance, The Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans), Lady Palms (Rhapis excelsa), Kentia Palm (Howea forsteriana), the Dypsis lutescens Areca Palm (same as Butterfly Palm) & Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii) all do best with the lower light level in the home.
Those palms handle anywhere from 25-50 Foot-Candle Lighting Levels. Like these low light real-world examples:
Near (not directly in front of) a south or west-facing window will likely give them enough light. With shear drapes to help filter the light.
Some in-home palms want a bit more natural light. At least 300 foot candles, or a little more, is the right amount for them. For instance, these popular houseplants: Majesty Palm (Ravenea rivularis), Chinese Fan Palm (Livistona chinensis) & the Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii) do best with that.
A European Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis) will love a south-facing window. Outdoors it loves full sun. So indoors, in a good sunny window is best. Just note, this isn't the best palm species for growing as houseplant palms. But it's fabulous for outdoors!
If any palms aren't getting enough sunlight in your chosen spot, A Grow Light can help.
Soil type is another essential when caring for indoor palm plants. Container palms need well-draining, aerated planting medium (substrate).
INDOOR PALM POTTING TIPS
One Other Palm Potting Tip is to spray the empty pot & planting medium with an application of Palm Fungicide. To help prevent root-rot problems.
Fertilizers can be tempting. Especially when your palm has fresh, bright, green fronds you'd like to keep healthy.
Potted indoor palms grow very slowly. Adding no new fronds, or only a few. So they need very little nutrient help.
Moderation is key. Like mixing a small amount of Slow Release Fertilizer into the substrate preparation. One with the Best Ratio for Potted Palms. This will last your palm's needs for at least a full year.
To Use Fertilizer, Generally Here are Your Top Tips...
Beware of over-fertilizing, which can lead to chemical palm plant burns & damage.
Now think about watering. One of the simplest, yet most important ways for no worries about your Indoor Palm Tree Dying.
Were you wondering if lots of water is good when caring for indoor palm plants? Ahhh, you should resist overwatering. That's one of the most common problems that indoor palms experience.
Too much water can lead to root rot, diseases, nutritional problems & more. Take it from me (killing some of my early plants!), none are fun to deal with. Prevent giving excess water, causing waterlogging.
For How to Water Your Indoor Palm, Follow These Steps:
Does your tap water have excessive mineral content? Ours here in Tucson definitely does - having to regularly Remove Whitish Deposits from sink areas. If yours is similar, you can switch to watering with distilled water.
Or about once every six months, you can give twice your normal watering amount with distilled water. Be sure to check the saucer, discarding the excess water. This process removes salt build-up.
Another Concern: Winter water temperatures. Water traveling through your pipes can dip below 50oF (10oC). Potted palm roots can become distressed with water temps under 65oF (18oC).
Handle This, However it Works for You:
Overall, mostly caring for indoor palm plants is an easy job. This Book for Caring for Palms is the best! We use it all the time.
All the following are these palm maintenance needs.
Indoor palms don't require much pruning. Only trim palm leaves that are diseased beyond repair. Or those totally dried out, dead brown fronds.
Over-pruning can stunt your palm's health, by eliminating food production in a low-light environment. It could give it a sad, bare look. Not quite the lush, inside the home tropical feel that we aim for!
Instead, consider another possibility: growing more by thinning. Some indoor palm plants, the clustering type, can be grown by division. By carefully separating stems, along with their root ball. Planting each it in its own pot.
As For Repotting, indoor palms don't mind being a little bit crowded. Keep that in mind when decided on dividing your plant. When is repotting needed?
Be gentle when moving your plant. To not harm the meristem (growing point), also known as the palm heart. Which is life-maintenance for the palm, by supplying new growth palm fronds. It's prone to damage if jostled.
Essential to not plant the stem deeper than it had been planted before. Which will cover the Root Initiation Zone, preventing new root growth & likely damaging current roots. Any previously above-ground visible roots, though, can be covered.
INDOOR PALM TEMPERATURE NEEDS
Most homes have normal room temperatures set from 68-75oF (20-24oC). Keep in mind. That if you set overnight temps somewhere below 64oF (18oC) it can distress your palm. They much prefer warm temperatures.
That's why we bring our household temp only to 64oF from 11pm to 6am, to save on fuel costs. But 50oF (10oC) is the real danger point. They don't like cold drafts either!
HUMIDITY FOR INDOOR PALMS
Most indoor palms love a humid environment. Your home's average humidity level is often under 50%. Most palms do better with high humidity levels, much above that.
In cold weather, with a heater running, dry air can get as low as 10-20%. In desert climates, sometimes even lower in the winter (ours gets into single digit humidity!).
Humidity Helping Tips for Palms...
Low humidity in winter months promotes options for these bothersome palm attacking bugs.
The most common pests affecting indoor palms are spider mites. A full infestation is a more difficult Palm Problem. Fumigating with A Natural Miticide may help, when appropriate for indoors. Plus, view chemical insecticides as a last resort.
Preventing spider mite infestations is pretty simple. Give your indoor palm a periodical shower. Literally!
Much less often, scale insects or mealy bugs may attack. Both are sap-feeders. Damaged fronds show the signs.
Treat by using biopesticides: Neem Oil, Insecticidal Soap, or Azadarachtin. Follow label instructions.
With proper care, disease & nutrition problems are rare for indoor palms. But if you see brown tips it usually means some nutrient is lacking.
Pink root rot might arise with summer's air conditioning, combined with overwatering. This fungal problem mostly affects Cat Palms, the Bamboo Palm, a Parlour Palm & Metallica Palms.
Which issues are most likely for indoor palm plants?
Micronutrient problems arise when roots are distressed. From waterlogging, nonaerated potting substrate and/or planting too deeply.
Yet by following our guide's advice, you can put worries about nutrition away. Regular proper care & attention prevents problems.
Caring for indoor palm plants may sound complex. But once you’re regularly hands-on, you'll find satisfaction. Remember, the best part about gardening is learning and growing with your plants!
One More Tip: be patient. Indoor palms are slow growers, specifically during the winter. In their natural habitat, these palms have an entire tropical ecosystem at hand. Recreating it indoors is no small feat.
You might want to also check out easy palmy look-alikes, like the Sago Palm & the Ponytail Palm.
Isn’t it wonderful knowing you now have needed tools & knowledge for caring for indoor palm plants? You can breathe easy knowing your home can be filled with an enticing little escape to a tropical paradise!