Add a tropical touch to any room with this improbable , beginner - friendly houseplant .
Bring the colour , texture , and energy of plant lifespan to any grim - light elbow room by adding an easy - to - grow parlor medal . This rainforest native is a single - trunk palm with a summary habit and freehanded arching dark-green pinnate leaves comprised of narrow leaflet . It may even bear clusters of yellow bloom in the spring if it gets enough luminosity .
The parlor palm is arguably the best - known palm ofChamaedorea , a genus of over 100 palm that are aboriginal to the subtropical and tropical regions of Central and South America . The genus — which include thebamboo decoration , qat palm , and pacaya medal — is made up of small palms with lissome , cane - like stems that can be maturate indoors in cooler climate .
Credit: Mike Jensen
This palm typically grows to about 3 or 4 pes magniloquent indoors but can grow taller in ideal conditions . In hardiness zones 10 - 12 — where living-room palms can be produce outdoors — well - cared - for trees have been known to stretch as marvelous as 8 feet . Desktop specimens , on the other hand , tend to stand up about 1 foot grandiloquent , make them desirable for lowly quad like nightstands and kitchen countertop .
Where to Grow Parlor Palm
In their lifelike habitat , the parlor palms thrive under dappled sunlight , so they will fare better when lay in an country with shiny , indirect visible light — like an east face window . you could also send your palm away from the window in a sunny way or behind a sheer pall . If you do n’t have a bright spot , do n’t desperation . Parlor palms have been known to adapt to low - light conditions and may raise well in shaded or north - present windows .
If you are establish your living room palm outside , look for a spot with high-pitched humidness , mottled sunshine , and well - drained soil that has been amended with constituent matter . Choose a positioning that is protected from stiff , damaging winding that also offers tax shelter from the harsh afternoon sun ( like a spot with northern or easterly photo ) .
How and When to Plant Parlor Palm
If you are planting your parlor palm indoors , you could do it any fourth dimension of the year . Choose a container with excellent drainage that is just an column inch or two bigger than the plant ’s root system and fill it with a high - quality , well - draining potting mix that is acidulent to slightly alkaline ( with a pH between 6.0 to 7.8 ) . Avoid using very deep or very large container . Parlor palms have shallow radical systems and wish to be cozy in their pot .
Outdoor - grow parlour palms should be planted in the natural spring . To plant your parlor palm out of doors , dig a cakehole twice the size of the tooth root egg and check that it is clear of Rock and debris . Place the plant in the gob and hold in it steady as you backfill with soil halfway . piddle the surrounding soil well and retain satiate the muddle . When you cease , the top of the root word clump should sit at the same level as the surrounding ground . Tamp down the soil , add a 2 - to-3 - inch stratum of mulch ( to assist the territory maintain its wet ) , and water deeply again .
Parlor Palm Care Tips
Parlor palms are very forgiving , which makes them splendid houseplant for beginner .
Light
Indoors as a houseplant , front room palm grows well in undimmed filtered light , like what you ’d get at a south- or west - facing window with a sheer curtain . But this adaptable industrial plant also tolerates low light and can fly high in spaces with east- or north - facing windows .
out-of-door parlor palms also bang lots of light but will welcome some shade from the high afternoon sun ( which can sear the fronds ) .
Soil and Water
Indoors , parlor palms thrive when pot in well - run out potting mix with an acidic to slightly alkaline pH ( 6.0 to 7.8 ) . Outdoors , parlor palms are hardy in Zones 10 to 12 ; they grow easily in plentiful , moist , well - drained dirt and partial shade . If your outdoor soil lack nutrients , enrich it with well - decomposed compost prior to planting .
front room palms like moist ( but not wet ) grunge and are drouth - tolerant once install . When the filth of your potted works feels dry down to your second knuckle , water your palm soundly until the surfeit escapes through grass ’s drainage hole . These ribbon do n’t like sitting in wet grunge , so be sure to dump any urine - filled saucer . Outdoor living-room palms should be water on a regular basis when planted in well - drain soil but be careful of overwatering . They will not tolerate sit in waterlogged dirt .
Temperature and Humidity
Most palm need temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit to thrive and sitting room palms are no exclusion . They are happiest when temperatures are between 65 and 80 degrees , but can tolerate short cold or hot binge . If the weather is fair and quick , indoor parlor palm can be moved outside in the summertime . Just be certain to protect them from direct sun , which will blacken their leaves . Choose a shaded outdoor location and water daily in red-hot , ironical atmospheric condition . Move your plant back indoors when night temperature accrue below 55 degree Fahrenheit . freeze conditions are likely to cause irreparable harm or death .
Whether uprise indoors or out of doors , parlor palms enjoy a warm , humid environment that mimic the mood of a tropical forest . If your humidity storey indoors are below 40 % , consider misting the plant 3 to 4 times per week or setting the pot on a tray of lactating pebble to increase the environmental humidness .
Fertilizer
you may advance lush growth by feeding your palm tree with an all - function liquid fertilizer or Pisces the Fishes emulsion every two weeks , according to product label book of instructions , but only in spring and summer .
Pruning
Parlor thenar are slowly - growing plants and are n’t likely to ask pruning at all . In fact , too much pruning may kill the plant . Trim aside bushed or diseased fronds but quash cutting the flora from the top .
Potting and Repotting
decoration trees are prostrate to emphasize from repotting , so it ’s best to only repot your palm when it grow rootbound or needs a land refresh ( most likely every 2 to 3 years ) . If it becomes rootbound , you ’ll see root make out out of the bottom of the pot . To go over , lift the flora from its locoweed to peek at the root every few months .
When needed , repot your palm into a container that is just 2 or 3 inches bombastic in diam than the old container . A much big container could induce transplant shock . organise your Modern container by adding a bed of grime , absent the palm from its old container , and tantalize apart the roots . Lower the medal into the new pot and fill up in the residual of the soil while holding the palm stiff . Fill in the air pockets by tamping down the ground as you sour . If necessary , you could stake your palm to keep it steady . Water immediately and profoundly and invest the flora back in a bright , warm locating .
Pests and Problems
Parlor palms are prone to attack from spider mites , which cause damage by feeding on the plant ’s sap .
Parlor palm can also have issues with aphids , weighing machine , whitefly , and mealy hemipteran — especially when get outdoors . Both indoor and outdoor parlor palms may rise root rot and fungous leaf spots when overwatered or kept in poorly - drained grunge .
How to Propagate Parlor Palm
Parlor palms are not easy to propagate , but it can be done via division or semen . If you choose to spread via division , know that both the parent plant and raw naval division will belike suffer a period of shock . When you repot your palm , detect a stem or bunch that has a system of roots impound and work it away from the master theme or cut it away with a sharp sword . Place the newly separated plant in a small container , water it well , and keep it in a warm , bright sphere until it adjust to the raw environment . If need be , you may sum up some stabilize stakes .
If you have palm living room come or your palm produced seeds , you could collect them . Parlor ribbon seed viability decreases quickly after the fruits are harvested , so plan to garner and institute more than you think you will need . Start by imbue the seed for 2 to 7 days in a container of affectionate body of water that is keep back warm by place the container on a heating matte or other source of uninterrupted passion . interchange the water supply daily and follow for the seed pelage to crack .
Next , nick the outer eggshell of the germ with a knife and plant them just below the surface in a small container filled with well - drain potting mix . Wrap the container in a plastic bagful and place it in a bright , sunstruck orbit ( but out of direct light ) . Keep the soil warm ( between 85- and 95 - degrees Fahrenheit ) and evenly moist as the seeds burgeon forth — which may take several months .
Credit: Mike Jensen
Types of Parlor Palm
Bella Parlor Palm
There are just two known of course occurring subspecies ofChamaedorea elegans , but a handful of cultivars , include this choice , the Bella parlour palm . The Bella is a summary parlor thenar that remain under 4 foot tall for a long time .
Bamboo Palm
A relative of the parlor palm , thebamboo palm(Chamaedorea seifrizii ) earned its common name thanks to its resemblance to bamboo . Bamboo palm is a little , slow - growing multi - trunk palm with an unsloped contour that cause a good houseplant . It can also be grown outdoors in zones 9–11 .
Cat Palm
Chamaedorea cataractarum , dearly bid cat decoration , is a pretty palm with sour unripe , arching frond . alfresco , it is sturdy in zones 9–11 . In ideal atmospheric condition ( indoor or out ) a true cat palm can produce as magniloquent as 6 ft ( but that may take 10 year or more ) . Cat palms are soft , low - maintenance plant that offer a quite a little of flourish for such little care . In fact , they are a popular choice among first - metre houseplant growers who appreciate its forgiving , adaptable nature .
Frequently Asked Questions
Indoors ( and with right attention ) parlor palms can live for several decades . Outdoor - grown parlor palm may live even longer if the works is well - defend and growing condition are prosperous .
Parlor thenar ( like many of theChamaedoreapalms ) are slow agriculturist — particularly when mature in containers as houseplants . It may take several old age ( perhaps a decade or more ) for your palm tree to reach its full mature height .
It can be frustrating when your pretty decoration starts to show pile of wear , but chocolate-brown tips are no causa for warning signal , and you’re able to trim them off if you find them unsightly . The chocolate-brown tips are likely just a signaling that the breeze is too dry or that your plant is n’t getting enough water , but they can also occur when front room medal are overwatered . appraise your tearing agenda and set accordingly . If the atmosphere in your domicile is very teetotal , take misting your palm regularly ( 2 to 3 times weekly ) in conjunction with routine lacrimation .
Credit: Paul Craft
There are several reason why parlor laurel wreath growth may be stunt , including inadequate nutrition , overwatering , deficiency of short , parky temperatures , and overly dry air . To encourage lush growth , make certain your palm is getting flock of picture to undimmed , indirect lighter and allow the soil to dry out between lacrimation . Apply a water - soluble all - purpose melted fertilizer on a regular basis throughout the grow time of year ( outpouring and summer ) and remove idle or yellow farewell . finally , seek to mimic a tropic environment by haze over the flora regularly and asseverate an air temperature between 65- and 80 degrees Fahrenheit .
Credit: Paul Craft
