How to Grow Palms Indoors

Indoor palms are back in fashion, and with good reason. They’re easy to grow, they look good, and they suit just about every style of decor. But you can’t just grow any old palm inside and expect it to thrive. Some palms are better adapted than others to growing in low light and dry atmosphere.

The following palms can be grown indoors:

Kentia Palm (Howea forsteriana) – an attractive, slender palm with fine, dark green fronds. Popular but slow growing.

Lady Palm (Rhaphis spp.) – multi-stemmed clumping palms with beautiful fan-shaped leaves. Slow growing, but worth the wait.

Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) – a delicate small palm with fine, dark green fronds. Tolerates low light, low humidity and dry soil better than most other palms.

Golden Cane Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens) – clumping palm with shortish arching fronds. Outdoors the stems are golden but indoors they are more likely to be light green. 

Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii) – a small palm with very narrow, arching fronds.

Growing conditions for indoor palms:

  • Bright indirect light
  • Some humidity – mist the foliage regularly and don’t put them next to heaters/air conditioners
  • Don’t over water, especially in cool weather
  • Fertilise during warm weather – use slow release fertiliser or liquid feeds (seaweed fertiliser is good)
  • Watch out for scale insects and mealy bugs
  • Remove dead or scruffy leaves
  • Take them outside in mild weather, if possible

 

 
 

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