Areca Palm - Plant
Description for Areca Palm
The areca palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens or Dypsis lutescens), also called the yellow butterfly palm and golden cane palm is one of the easiest palm trees to grow indoors.
The foliage is evergreen, of Fine texture and yellow-green in color. Pinnate, 6 to 8 pale green leaves per stem, 80 to 100 leaflets, to 8 feet long (2.4 m). Yellow if grown with enough light, 2 feet long. Yellow male and female flowers on the same inflorescence.
Flower stalk coming from below the leaves. Fruit is yellow to purple, 2 cm, oval in shape. It is relatively disease-free and topped a NASA study of the 10 best air purifying plants.
This palm tree, with its long, graceful feather-shaped fronds, will add a tropical feel to your home and is especially well suited for screened patios and atriums.
| Common name | Flower colours | Bloom time | Height | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Cane Palm, Areca Palm, Butterfly Palm, Madagascar Palm | Yellow | During late spring or early summer | 6 to 7 feet | Easy |
Planting and care
A full-grown areca palm house plant is quite expensive, so they are usually purchased as small, tabletop plants. They add 6 to 10 inches of growth per year until they reach a mature height of 6 or 7 feet.
Areca palm is one of the few palms that can tolerate trimming without serious harm, making it possible to keep mature plants indoors for their full lifespan of up to 10 years.
| Sunlight | Soil | Water | Temperature | Fertilizer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm s prefer partial shade (or partial with some sunlight), as they are more than happy in low-light conditions. | Chalky, Loamy, Sandy soil: moist but well-drained | Water the plant until the soil is evenly moist. Do not over water the palm plant or leave it sitting in water. Check often to be sure that the plant is draining properly. | They can handle a winter rest in cooler conditions, not less than 50 degrees F (10 degrees C). They do tolerate central heating. | Feed your palm regularly during the growing season. If possible, use a palm fertilizer, which will contain all the micro nutrients and extra potassium and manganese. Potassium deficiency is especially common in palms, it shows up in yellowing or brownish fronds. |
Caring for Areca Palm
- Palms grow best when you let their roots fill the pot.
- They need soil-based potting compost and should not be repotted unnecessarily.
- They are sensitive to chemicals and will be damaged if you expose them to aerosol sprays.
- If you need to treat them with insecticides, be sure what you use is suitable for a palm.
Typical uses of Areca Palm
Special features: Palms tend to lend themselves to creating shadows and reflections. You can stand a palm in an alcove that is lined with a mirror and create stunning effects. If you put one on each side of a fireplace, it is even doubly stunning. The shadows cast by the fronds of palm can pattern a plain wall. Spotlights can create good strong light for bold shadows.
These are quite dramatic. Do not position spotlights too closely because this generates too much heat for the palm to withstand. Finally, lighting the plant from below can cast shadows onto opposite walls and even the ceiling.
Culinary use: NA
Ornamental use: This is one of the most useful Palms of the tropics the world around.
Medicinal use: NA
References
- http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/palms/growing-palms-indoors.htm
- http://houseplants.about.com/od/pickingahouseplan1/a/PalmBasics.htm
- http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Golden%20Cane%20Palm.html
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What garden lovers say ... ?
Can i keep it in my ac room?
Delivery was good. The plant looks beautiful.
This is one of my favorite plants.
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