Indoor Palm Tree Care: [Soil, Moisture, Pruning and Problems]

What are the characteristics of indoor palm trees?

Indoor palm trees are those that cannot live outside during the winter months.

So we will have them in a safe place to decorate the most intimate places of our houses with their charm.

They are of different types, but as decorative elements they have in common the tropical atmosphere that they imprint on the spaces of the home.

There are palm trees that in intense winter cold places must be indoors because they cannot bear frost.

But in other regions with milder winds we can have them in the gardens, such as the kentia, Howea forsteriana.

Precisely, the kentias are some of the most outstanding palm trees in the interior along with the arecas and the chamaedoreas, as they stand out for the beauty and elegance of their palms.

Indoor palm trees are resistant and we can have them by our side for a long life if we give them the care they deserve, care that, in one way or another, is common to all of them.

Well cared for, they serve as ornaments in the living rooms of the house, the living room, corners, terraces or balconies or at the entrances of buildings and offices, where their mere presence gives a note of peace and relaxation to the environment. .

In the different pots or vases where we put them, they will attract the attention of the most demanding visitors, and as for us, we will feel proud for having made the right choice of ornament.

Palm trees do not require much care, but we must always be aware of them before the possibility of attack by pests and diseases or poor location that puts them in danger from the intense sun.

The palm trees best known for their adaptation to the interior are the following: Chamaedorea, which is considered the indoor palm tree par excellence. As they do not exceed three meters they are ideal for pots. They are shade palms, but they like sunny places.

Howea forsteriana. Kentia is a plant with a single trunk (unicaule) and sown in the ground, it can reach up to 15 meters, but in a pot it is easier to grow and we can have it for a long time because it is very resistant. Its trunk thickens 15 cm.

Archontophoenix is ​​a spectacular type of palm tree, of great height, because outdoors it reaches 30 meters in height, but in a pot, where its trunk reaches 30 cm thick, it can last a lifetime.

What land needs do indoor palms have?

It is better to provide it with a substrate based on coconut fiber or peat. And every two weeks a specific fertilizer for palm trees is convenient , between the months of March and October.

Palm trees require abundant watering, but avoiding waterlogging that tends to drown it and that can generate the appearance of fungi that destroy it. It is important to let the substrate dry before watering again.

We will apply the irrigation two or three times a week in the months of plant activity and twice a month in the moments of rest.

How to make indoor palm trees grow strong and vigorous?

We can put them in the shade, because they can live in dimly lit places, but then we would have the danger of the attack of pests that rely precisely on the lack of light.

The solution to these inconveniences will be to place the pot in bright places where the sun’s rays do not directly affect; It can be on a window, or a balcony well covered from the sun.

In spring we can afford to take it outdoors, but always taking care of the sun and strong winds. The temperature must be warm, not less than 10ºC.

What humidity do indoor palms need?

Palm trees, whatever their origin, are from tropical regions and because of that they need humidity. For example, areca is from Madagascar, kentia from Australia, and Chamaedorea from Central America.

That is why they need a more humid environment than the one we have in our homes on the peninsula, especially in the cold months when we must put the heating on, because the lack of humidity causes the dryness of the plant .

Consequently, it is appropriate to humidify daily with water sprays, since only irrigation does not compensate for the lack of environmental humidity.

Is it necessary to prune indoor palm trees?

 How often should we prune indoor palm trees?

How can we avoid pests and diseases of indoor palm trees?

Care must be taken to avoid the attack of pests and diseases to tropical species such as palm trees. Its main enemies are:

1. The cottony mealybug (when not!), Which attacks the underside of the leaves, causing discoloration and an ugly appearance, but we can control it by spraying with soap and water or with insecticide.
2. The spider mite is another staunch enemy of plants; in this case it weaves on the underside of the leaves, destroying them when there is dryness, in which case we must moisten the palms on both sides or fumigate with an acaricide.
3. Thrips , small insects, like lice, attack the leaves to feed on them; they arise in times of environmental dryness, so we must humidify the palms on both sides.