Dypsis lutescens 50cm
- Description
- Care
- Specifications
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It is hard to believe that the areca palm (Dypsis lutescens) is considered an endangered species in its native Madagascar. If you drive down almost any warm-climate street in the United States, you'll probably see dozens of these tall, attractive, clumping palms that look a lot like bamboo. These palms have smooth, sometimes golden trunks reminiscent of bamboo nuggets. Their leaves are narrow and full, almost like bamboo leaves. When grown outdoors, they are often used as a privacy screen. These palms are also grown indoors as houseplants. They are best planted in spring and have a slow to moderate growth rate.
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Areca Palm Care
For outdoor cultivation it is important to choose a planting site that has good drainage. Soggy soil can easily cause root rot in a palm. When grown indoors as a houseplant, a well-draining container is essential.
As for regular care, plan to water your areca palm whenever the soil begins to dry out. To keep outdoor palms healthy, it is especially important to keep them hydrated in hot and dry weather.
Indoor palms often don't get enough light unless they are placed near a very bright window. So taking them outside in warm weather to expose them to diffused sunlight can benefit your palm.
Feed indoor and outdoor palms throughout the growing season. These palms don't need much in the way of pruning or trimming. Wait to remove dying leaves until they are mostly brown, as they can still play a role in photosynthesis.
Light
Outdoors, these plants like bright, filtered sunlight , but they can also tolerate full sun. Indoors, areca palms do best with bright light from a south- or west-facing window.
Soil
For indoor potted plants, a well-draining peat-based potting soil is perfect. Outdoor specimens do best with rich, slightly acidic soil that has very good drainage. Mixing with sand and peat moss may be necessary to improve porosity and lower soil pH.
Water
Like many palms, areca palms like moist soil, but they are sensitive to overwatering and will not tolerate waterlogging or being in a water-saturated potting mix. So let the soil or potting mix dry out slightly between waterings. Areca palms are also sensitive to fluoridated water, so use distilled water or collected rainwater.3
Temperature and Humidity
Indoors or outdoors, this plant does best in average temperatures of 19 to 25 degrees. She does well in the garden planted in regions where the outside temperature does not drop below about 12 degrees.
If you grow the plant as a houseplant, keep it away from cold windows, air conditioners, and heat sources. And if you're putting potted plants outside in the summer, be sure to bring them inside before the temperature dips below 12 degrees Fahrenheit. Sudden cold spells can cause dark spots on the leaves.
High humidity is essential for an Areca palm to look 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.
Fertilizer
The areca palm is a heavy nurse and should be fertilized from spring to early fall with a liquid fertilizer, following label directions. Do not feed in late autumn and winter when the plant is dormant. -
Botanical name Dypsis lutescens Altitude 90cm Pot size 19cm Place Parashadow Water requirement Keep moist + Rinse Toxic Very poisonous! Repot Every 3 years Packaging Special plants mail box Maintenance Beginner