Dypsis lutescens
Living in a northerly climate with long cold winters , I am always look for striking indoor plant to liven up my home .
With its elegant , arching frond , the areca thenar impart a tropical flair to the support room all year long .
comparatively low maintenance , these popular houseplants are non-poisonous to bounder and cats , and with the right caution will grace your home for many geezerhood .
We link to trafficker to aid you find relevant products . If you buy from one of our links , we may earn a commission .
Are you quick to receive an areca laurel wreath into your home ? Here ’s what I ’ll cover :
What You’ll Learn
What Is Areca Palm?
These clopping palms feature multiple stem grow from the base and soft , narrow , feathery frond each with around 40 to 60 distich of leaflets .
They grow about six to ten inches per year and mature plants range from five to eight human foot tall when mature indoors .
InUSDA Hardiness Zones10 and above , they can be planted outdoors and can pass on up to 30 feet improbable at maturity .
Areca palms have several common name , including lucky cane , butterfly stroke , yellow , and bamboo palm .
These phallus of the Arecaceae or Palm syndicate aretrue palmsand are endemic to Madagascar , where they can be found in a very specific habitat of slightly acid , sandy , rocky soil near the sea .
Dypsis lutescenswas antecedently classified in the now defunctChrysalidocarpusgenus , but this changed in 1995 , after an extensive study into Madagascan palms led to the combination of several genera into theDypsisgenus .
These plants have naturalized in a compass of subtropical and tropic areas worldwide , and are one of the most coarse cosmetic ribbon originate in tropical landscapes .
A recipient role of the Award of Garden Merit from the RHS in 1993 , the areca palm is an unbelievably popular houseplant for the rest home or office , as they are easy to turn indoors and are clean inexpensive .
Areca Palm Propagation
Widely available as nursery neckcloth , you could also propagate areca palm yourself from seed or by part an be flora .
From Seed
This process does take a bit of time . you could expect come to germinate after about six weeks and for it to take several class for plants to make three or four foot in height .
If you happen to have invigorated seminal fluid , you could plant them right away . Otherwise , a few additional steps are necessary to ameliorate germination rates .
Before planting , the seeds require scarification . This can be done by rubbing seeds against a mesh screen or sandpaper , then rinsing them with water . Next , place the seeds in a jar with white vinegar for a few time of day , then drain and rinse in fresh water .
When seeds are ready to plant , occupy three - inch pots with a potting mix suitable for medallion , such as Miracle - Gro Cactus , Palm , and Citrus Soil , available at Home Depot .
Miracle - Gro Cactus , Palm , and Citrus Soil
water supply until the medium is damp , but not waterlogged . point one seed in each potful with the tip just hardly sticking out of the ground .
Give a final spritz of water and keep the pots in a location that ’s dependably between 80 - 85 ° F , or on a heat mat , misting occasionally to keep the pot medium moist , but not soggy .
Once a few leaves have emerged and the seedlings are three to four inches tall , you’re able to replant into gravid pots .
commercial-grade agriculturalist will typically put three to four seedling in one 12 - in pot to make a more shaggy-haired , “ full ” coming into court .
By Division
An easier and quick way to pass around is by division . If you happen to have a friend with a mature plant in their house , ask if they are willing to share .
The best clip to divide is in the spring when young growth is starting to appear , though it is possible anytime of class .
Watering well the day before you project to divide the plant will help loose the soil , and make the roots easy to split .
Find a bunch of three to five stems to divide from the parent , and using a sharp tongue , comprehend carefully in the soil around the stems to gently loosen and cut the stems apart , being measured to keep all radical entire .
If you favour , you could hit the intact plant from its container . Shake off the land and cut away a discussion section of stems and their attached root .
establish the segmentation in a new container in a palm potting mix , refer above , or a combining ofstandard pot soiland coarse sand at a two to one ratio , for additional drainage .
After repot the partition , water it thoroughly , and return the parent plant to its original pot , or repot if desired .
piss thoroughly and wait at least three month before inseminate .
Transplanting Nursery Plants
Transplant baby’s room line in fresh , well - draining potting mix , preferably a palm - specific potting land or ecumenical potting intermixture amended with Baroness Dudevant .
you could also apply a mixing of three parts peat to one part sand , or peat , pine barque , and sand at a 6:1:3 ratio .
Choose a container with drainage holes at the bottom that ’s two to four inches wider and deeper than the nursery great deal . bring some of your choose potting medium to the bottom of the container , get rid of the plant from the nursery pot , and set it carefully on top .
replete the pot up with pot medium tamping down as you go , to remove line pockets . Give it a deep watering , permit the liquidness to enfeeble out of the bottom of the pot , then set it in your chosen emplacement .
How to Grow Areca Palm Plants
Areca palms are fairly humbled upkeep as long as they are devote the appropriate grow condition .
The main consideration when choosing a location in your home is light . Areca palms needbright , collateral sunshine , so take a blot near a west- , or in the south - facing window .
But beware , as too much direct sun may scorch the foliage and do it to turn yellow .
Temperature
The idealistic temperature for produce your areca decoration is in a locating with daytime temperature of 75 - 85 ° F , dropping to no less than 65 ° F at dark .
These tropical plant life do not apprize large fluctuation in temperature , so be sure to deflect placing it too closelipped to high temperature sources , draughty windows , or doors .
Humidity
In their native range , these plants thrive in gamy humidity . This can be a challenge for houseplant parents , especially during the winter months when passion source dry out the air indoors .
When the humidness is too low , the plant will turn a loss moisture through its foliage , and this can result in chocolate-brown patches on the leaves .
Ideally , you should keep the humidity over 45 percent . There are various ways to attain this : you’re able to mist the leaves frequently , rank the plant on a humidity tray , or use a humidifier in the way where your plant is located .
Water
These tropical evergreen like plenty of piss but you have to take care not to overwater . You need to allow the soil to dry to a deepness of two inches between waterings .
When you irrigate your industrial plant , allow the liquidness to debilitate out of the bottom of the pot , but do n’t leave the plant life sitting in a disk of piss .
After watering , the soil should sense just a bite moist , not miry .
These plants are especially sensitive to chemical substance and mineral salinity , so endeavor to void using municipal water that incorporate fluoride . Distilled water or collected rainwater are skillful option .
Fertilizer
They are sensitive to fertilizer Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and buildup can stimulate discoloration or smear to come along on the leaves .
you could apply a liquid houseplant fertiliser such as 12 - 4 - 12 ( NPK ) two or three clock time during the growing season , diluting to about half the urge denseness .
It is better to under - fertilize your laurel wreath rather than use too much to avoid accent from buildup of plant food salts . Do not run your plant at all during the wintertime .
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
It is best to repot your areca palm every match of age in fresh potting sensitive to get rid of any buildup of fertilizer salt deposits and freshen soil nutrients .
Arecas do well in a tight space , so select a container just a few in magnanimous than the current one .
Prune occasionally and guardedly , only to remove browned frond or dead and diseased cane . brown tips on the leaves are a natural part of the life cycle and should not be trimmed as this could stunt the plant ’s growth .
Do not remove healthy canes that come out gilded in color . To check whether a cane is all in , carefully remove a pocket-size while of the outer barque .
If the internal Ellen Price Wood is green that indicates it is awake and should n’t be removed . If it is dour chocolate-brown in color , the cane is most probably utter and can be safely dress . rationalise off dead cane at the root word with a sharp brace of garden shears .
Leaves that are turning brown can be a sign of over - fertilization or lack of piss . yellowed office may indicate that the acidity in the soil is too high or that potassium levels are too abject .
Where to Buy Areca Palm Plants
You likely wo n’t have any worry sourcing this plant life from your local glasshouse – or perhaps a friend has one in their living room that want dividing .
If you are n’t able-bodied to locate one nearby , they can also be found online .
Areca Palm in a 10 - Inch Pot
you may regularise a 24- to 34 - inch start in a 10 - inch potfrom Home Depot .
Areca Palm in a 4 - Inch Pot
If you require to start a little humble , you could find plants measuring 12 - 18 inches tall uncommitted in six - inch tidy sum fromCalifornia Tropicals via Amazon .
Managing Pests and Disease
The good newsworthiness is that areca medal grown indoors do n’t tend to have pregnant issues with pests and disease , but there are a couple of things to watch out for .
Insects
Tiny insect may invade your areca laurel wreath , so keep an heart on your flora and pay extra attention if you take off to notice discolouration or spots on leaves .
touch on to spiders , these tiny arachnoid can sometimes be found feeding on the bottom of leaves , particularly in ironic conditions .
While they can be hard to see , yellowing parting may be a signaling of their presence , and when plague become orotund you may remark webbing between the frond .
take more about controlling spider mite .
Also minuscule , these white blurred pests seem as tiny whitened dots underneath the leaves . star sign of infestation let in grey leaf tips and in the case of a very large infestation , the foliation may die .
Both wanderer mites and mealy germ can be off by spraying the leaves with saponaceous piss . merely commingle three tablespoons of dishwashing liquid with a gal of body of water , and spray leaves every couple of day until you no longer see signs of plague .
or else , you could habituate neem oil color or insecticidal easy lay per the maker ’s directions .
whitefly are typically found on the underside of the leafage , and these pest suck sap from the leaf , damaging the plant and leaving behind a sticky balance which may attract ants .
you’re able to treat your plants with insecticidal scoop or neem oil , accord to package teaching .
chance tips on controlling whiteflies here .
Disease
When originate indoors , you are unlikely to see any disease issues on your areca palm .
When plants go to flourish , it ’s unremarkably as a result of environmental condition : issues related to pee , lighting , temperature , or nutritious cognitive content .
One likely infection to be cognizant of is pinkish rot , aka Gliocladium blight , caused byGliocladium vermoeseni . This fungal disease produces pink covered spores which cake the base of the stems in pink junk and if left uncurbed , can cause rotting on any part of the works .
It typically infect already weakened or injure palms . Overwatering , deficient food , or wrong inflammation can all make stressful conditions that can make the plant susceptible to this disease .
Too much water is most often the perpetrator , so be certain to let the soil dry out sufficiently between watering and always make indisputable containers have passable drainage .
If you notice pink moulder on your areca palm , you will require to prune off any unnatural parts of the industrial plant , repot it into a clean , desexualise container with fresh pot culture medium . In the case of severe infection , you may need to dispose of the flora and start again .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
A Little Slice of Paradise
Bring a touch of tropical paradise into your live on blank with areca palm . you could look up to the elegant fronds while you stargaze of Madagascan beaches , sun , and patrician sky .
Even in the astuteness of winter .
If you enjoyed this article , hold out the follow guides for morehouseplantsto sum to your ingathering :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more item . in the first place published on January 12th , 2021 . Last updated April 15th , 2023 . intersection photos via California Tropicals and Home Depot . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock . With additional composition and editing by Clare Groom .
About
Heather Buckner
