The Areca Palm, sometimes known as Dypsis lutescens, is a truly elegant indoor palm. Multiple stems emerge from its base, with numerous long, gracefully arching fronds growing close together along the stems. Leaves are pinnate, i.e. feather shaped. It is one of the top air purifying plants and a natural humidifier that will improve the air quality of your home or office as well as adding a relaxing tropical feel.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, also known by its synonym Dypsis lutescens and as golden cane palm, areca palm, yellow palm, butterfly palm, or bamboo palm, is a species of flowering plant in the family Arecaceae, native to Madagascar and naturalized in the Andaman Islands, Thailand, Vietnam, Réunion, El Salvador, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Canary Islands, southern Florida, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, the Leeward Islands and the Leeward Antilles. Its native names are rehazo and lafahazo (from Malagasy hazo ‘tree’ with reha ‘pride’ and lafa ‘fibre’ respectively).
Chrysalidocarpus lutescens is a perennial tropical plant that grows to 6–12 m (20–39 ft) in height and spreads from 3-5 m (8-15ft). Multiple cane-like stems emerge from the base, creating a vase-like shape. The leaves are upward-arching, 2–3 m (6 ft 7 in – 9 ft 10 in) long, pinnate, with a yellow mid-rib. The petiole is yellow-green in colour and waxy in texture, with a maculate base. The leaves have 40-60 pairs of leaflets.
Leaflet arrangement is opposite and their shape is linear to lanceolate. It bears 2-ft-long panicles of yellow flowers in summer. Offsets can be cut off when mature enough, as a propagation method. It bears oblong fruit that is 0.5 in long and ripens from yellow/gold to dark purple/black.
It is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens in tropical and subtropical regions, and elsewhere indoors as a houseplant, one of the most important commercially. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
One of several common names, “butterfly palm”, refers to the leaves, which curve upwards in multiple stems to create a butterfly look.
In its introduced range, this plant acts as a supplier of fruit to some bird species that feed on it opportunistically, such as Pitangus sulphuratus, Coereba flaveola, and Thraupis sayaca species in Brazil.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Outdoors, these plants like bright, filtered sunlight but they also tolerate full sun. Indoors, areca palms do best with bright light exposure from a south- or west-facing window.
Temperature and Humidity
Indoors or outdoors, this plant does best in average temperatures of 70 to 80 degrees F. It will survive if the temperature briefly drops to 32 degrees F but for best growth, it should only be planted in regions where outdoor temperatures don’t dip below 50 degrees F.1
When grown as an indoor plant, keep the plant away from cold windows, air conditioners, and heat sources. If you move potted plants outdoors during the summer, be sure to bring them in before temperatures dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Sudden cold bursts often cause dark spots to form on the leaves.
High humidity is essential to keeping an areca palm looking its best. The plant will acclimate to normal indoor humidity. But if the air is too dry, it is common for the leaf tips to turn brown.
Watering
Areca palms tolerate low soil moisture but prosper in moist soil, however, they are sensitive to overwatering and do not tolerate being waterlogged or sitting in a water-saturated potting mix. Let the soil or potting mix dry out slightly between waterings.
Soil
Outdoor specimens do best in rich, slightly acidic soil with a pH of around 6.0 and very good drainage. Amending the soil with sand and peat moss might be necessary to improve porousness and lower soil pH. For potted indoor plants, choose a well-draining, peat-based potting mix, ideally a potting mix specially formulated for palms.
Fertilizing
Experts suggest that this lovely little palm requires regular application of fertilizer to keep it looking its best. Fertilize areca palm plants with a time-release fertilizer in spring. Fertilizing in spring gives the plant most of the nutrients it needs for the entire season. The fronds benefit from a micronutrient spray in summer. You can use a liquid houseplant fertilizer that contains micronutrients for this purpose. Make sure the product is labeled as safe for foliar feedings, and dilute it according to the label instructions. Do not feed areca palm plants in fall and winter.
Pruning
These palms don’t need much pruning or trimming. The areca palm is self-cleaning, which means it typically will shed its brown fronds on its own. Wait to remove any dying fronds until they are mostly brown, as they still play a role in photosynthesis.
Propagation
For home gardeners, propagating areca palm by root division is the most feasible method. Starting areca palms from seed is the way the palms are propagated in the nursery industry but it is a lengthy process and involves steps not recommended for home gardeners, such as soaking viable seeds in a solution of hot sulfuric acid to improve germination.
Root division can be done at any time during the year, but the plant will be its strongest in the spring. Here’s how to divide a potted areca palm by root division:
- Choose a mature plant with multiple stems.
- Water well the day before dividing to loosen up the roots from the soil.
- Remove the palm from its pot by patting the sides of the container to loosen the root ball.
- Shake soil from the roots. Rinse soil from roots to see the roots that belong to each stem.
- Choose four to five stems and, with a sharp knife, cut them away from the parent.
- Gently place divided stems together in a pot with a two-to-one mixture of regular potting soil and coarse sand.
- Place the pot in bright and indirect light (not direct sun) and keep the soil moist but not soggy.
Repotting
The areca palm tree growing indoors should be repotted every two to three years. Plant the palm in a slightly larger container as the plant likes a tight environment, and crowded roots help limit the size of the plant. The main reasons for repotting are to replace the aged potting soil and remove fertilizer salt deposits that build up in the soil and on the sides of the pot. Use a palm tree potting soil or a general-purpose mix amended with a handful of clean builder’s sand.
Take care to plant the palm in the new pot at the same depth as in the old pot. Planting it too deeply can cause serious injury. The roots are brittle, so don’t attempt to spread them out. After filling in around the roots with soil, press down with your hands to make sure the soil is tightly packed. Eliminate air pockets by flooding the pot with water and pressing down again. Add additional soil if necessary.
Pests and Diseases
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Areca palms don’t have serious issues with pests or diseases. Occasionally a palm may be infected with lethal yellowing, an insect-transmitted bacterial disease that causes fronds and ultimately the whole palm to die. Outdoor palms are more likely to become afflicted with this, and because treatment usually isn’t effective, it’s typically best to remove the palm before the disease spreads.
Indoor areca palms are vulnerable to common houseplant pests, including mites, aphids, mealybugs, scale, and whiteflies, which cause foliage damage and discoloration. Treat any infestation as soon as possible.
Common Problems
Although the plant is easy to care for, it is prone to leaf tip burn, which occurs on both indoor and outdoor areca palms: Tips and leaves turning yellow or brown can be caused by chilly air, overwatering, underwatering, poor soil conditions, or compacted roots.
III. Uses and Benefits
In its native climate, the plant may be massed and used as a landscape specimen, privacy screen, or informal hedge. It can be grown as a tree or shrub. In areas of eastern Madagascar, this plant also has environmental and medicinal uses. It is once used as a source of fibre to make fishing nets.
In temperate climates, it is a very popular houseplant. It is known to reduce indoor air pollutants and help in air purification. It may also be used in outdoor ornamental displays in the summer months.
Find Where to Buy the Best Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)
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