Nothing screams “tropical indoor plant” quite like palm plants. There are lots of different types of palm houseplants, but don’t worry. Keeping these elegant plants thriving is easy with this detailed indoor palm plant care guide.
Here’s what you’ll find in this indoor palm plant care guide…
- Benefits Of Growing Tropical Indoor Palms
- Different Types Of Palm Houseplants
- Watering Palm Plants
- Best Lighting For Indoor Palms
- Best Potting Soil For Palms
- How To Fertilize Palm Trees Indoors
- Battling Houseplant Pests On Indoor Palm Trees
- Pruning Palm Plants
- Troubleshooting Common Problems
Benefits Of Growing Tropical Indoor Palms
If you want to create an indoor jungle, then you’ll definitely need to add a few of these beauties to your collection. Palms make excellent houseplants because they are very tolerant of neglect, but they will grow their best when given the proper indoor palm plant care.
These easy care indoor plants are perfect for most homeowners because they don’t like a lot of light, and will easily adapt to growing indoors. Plus, palm plants help to clean the air in our homes, which is another wonderful benefit of growing tropical indoor palms.
Palm plants can live for many years when they’re cared for properly, and some palm varieties can grow into huge palm trees in containers indoors.
You can even move your palm plant outside (in a shady spot) during the summer to give it a boost if you want.
Ponytail palm plant
Different Types Of Palm Houseplants
Like I mentioned above, there are tons of different palm plants that make excellent houseplants.
They don’t all look exactly the same, and some palm plant varieties don’t even look like what you would imagine. So, keep that in mind while you’re out shopping for new indoor tropical plants.
Here are a few of the most common types of palms for indoors that you might find for sale online or at your local garden center.
- Areca palm tree
- Ponytail plant
- Parlor palm
- Majesty palm tree
- Fan palm
- Cateracterum palm
- Sentry palm
- Yucca palm
- Butterfly palm
Different palm plants for sale
Indoor Palm Plant Care Guide
Even though there are tons of different varieties of indoor palm plants, they all require the same basic conditions to grow their best.
That’s great news, and makes indoor palm plant care so much easier!! Here are some basic tips for caring for a palm plant indoors.
Watering Palm Plants
Palm plants are tolerant of being under watered, but they will grow their best when watered on a regular basis.
Ideally, palm plants prefer it when their soil is kept evenly moist, especially during the summer months (their active growing season).
Allow the soil to dry out only slightly between waterings in the summer. During the winter, you can let the soil dry out a bit more between waterings.
Be very careful not to overwater though, this is the number one killer of palm plants. I recommend growing indoor palm plants in pots that have drainage holes in the bottom, which will help to prevent overwatering.
If you struggle with giving your plants the right amount of water, I recommend getting an inexpensive soil moisture gauge to help you get it just right. You could also use indoor plant watering devices to help with watering palm trees in pots.
Dwarf parlor palm houseplants
Best Lighting For Palm Trees Indoors
One of the reasons palm plants are such common houseplants is that they can easily adapt to low light conditions indoors.
In fact most indoor palms prefer the shade, and will suffer if they get any direct sunlight. This is perfect, since most of us don’t have a ton of direct sunlight in our homes anyway!
Low light palm houseplants prefer bright indirect light, but will tolerate less light, especially during the winter. The won’t survive in complete darkness though, so if there’s no natural light in the room, you’ll definitely need to add a grow light.
If you put your palm plant outside during the summer, make sure to keep it in the shade so it won’t get sunburn.
Best Potting Soil For Palm Trees
When it comes to what soil to use for palm trees and plants, most indoor palms aren’t super picky. The best soil for palm trees growing in pots is a loose, porous soil mix, such as a combo of peat moss, leaf mold, and shredded bark.
You can also buy cactus and palm soil mix specifically made for growing palm plants, otherwise they will grow just fine in a general purpose potting soil.
If you’re one of those people who tends to forget to water your plants (ehem, not that I would know anything about that), then you can mix some peat moss and/or vermiculite into the general purpose potting soil to help retain moisture.
Keep in mind that palm plants don’t like to be repotted, and can be grown in the same pot for several years. So, it’s best to wait to repot your palm plant until it’s pot-bound.
Super healthy palm plant leaf
How To Fertilize Palm Trees Indoors
Indoor palm plants don’t really need to be fertilized, but of course the plants will benefit from being fed as a part of your regular indoor palm plant care routine.
However, they are very sensitive to chemical houseplant fertilizer, and using synthetic fertilizers can do more harm than good.
It’s best to stick with using an organic plant fertilizer to feed your indoor palm plants.
The good news is that there are lots of options for organic palm tree fertilizer on the market that are specifically made for indoor house palms, which makes feeding them super easy! My favorite brands of indoor palm fertilizer are Jobe’s, Espoma, and Dr. Earth.
Whatever type of fertilizer you decide to use, it’s important to know when to fertilize palm trees. Be sure to only fertilize your palm plants during their active growing period (spring and summer). Don’t fertilize indoor palm plants during the fall and winter, or the plants may suffer.
Indoor palm trees in containers
Battling Houseplant Pests On Indoor Palm Trees
Spider mites are the most common pest that can attack indoor palm plants. Keeping the humidity level high in the air around the plant will help to fend off spider mites, and will also benefit the plant. Houseplant scale and mealy bugs can also be a problem, but are much less common.
If you find that your palm plant has bugs, begin treatment immediately. Don’t use chemical pesticides on houseplant pests though, they aren’t very effective (plus they’re harmful to us and our pets!).
I recommend using organic neem oil, which is a natural pesticide. I also like to use a mixture of 1 tsp Dr. Bronner’s Baby-mild Liquid Soap per 1 liter of water to help control houseplant pests. Insecticidal soap or horticultural oil also work great. Learn more about how to get rid of houseplant bugs here.
Pruning Palm Plants
Indoor palm plants can be pruned to keep them looking nice, and to maintain their shape. Pruning off any old yellow, brown or spotted leaves on a regular basis is a good habit to get into, and will keep you palm plant looking its best.
It’s common for the lower leaves of palms to turn yellow or brown with age. If your plant is really full, you can prune off the old, small leaves around the bottom by simply cutting the fronds back to the stem of the plant.
You don’t need to remove the whole frond if it just has brown tips, but otherwise looks healthy. Brown tips of palm leaves can be pruned off any time to keep the plant looking nice. Since palm leaves are so thin, use a sharp pair of pruners like bonsai pruning shears or micro-tip pruners for trimming palm plants.
If there are any super long stems, and you don’t like how they look, you can remove those too, but it’s not necessary. Be careful not to remove too many healthy fronds though, or it could harm the plant.
Common Indoor Palm Plant Care Problems
One of the most common problems that indoor palm plants have is brown leaves and tips. Why do the tips of palm leaves turn brown? Here are a few common causes…
- Lack of water
- Overuse of chemical fertilizers
- Spider mites
Keep in mind that if you just brought the plant home from the garden center, it will take some time for the chemical fertilizers to wash out of the soil (but it doesn’t hurt to check to make sure you’re watering it enough, and that it’s not infested with spider mites).
If you’ve had the plant for a while and don’t use chemical fertilizer, then take a close look to see if the plant has spider mites. If the plant is clean, then check the soil and make sure it’s not too dry.
To keep your indoor palm plants looking nice, simply trim off the brown tips.
Brown tips on indoor palm plant
If you don’t have a houseplant palm yet, or you’re looking to add more to your collection, you can buy indoor palm trees and plants online, or find them at your local garden center.
Indoor palm trees and plants are very low maintenance, easy to grow houseplants that will thrive for years when you give them the proper care. Indoor palm plants are also beneficial to us because they are one of the best houseplants that help to purify the air in our homes! If you ask me, they might just be the perfect houseplant.
Products I Recommend
More Indoor Plant Care Guides
- Tropical Houseplant Care Guide: How To Grow Tropical Plants Indoors
- How To Care For A Peace Lily Plant
- How To Care For Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane)
- How To Take Care Of A Money Tree Plant (Pachira aquatica)
- How To Care For A Phalaenopsis Orchid Plant
Do you grow palm plants in your home? Share your indoor palm plant care tips and advice in the comments below.
Cindy Keller says
Amy, thanks for the wealth of information on the palm plant. We had one that we kept indoors but the leaves began to brown and dry over time. Did it happen because we watered too much? – my son had a habit of leaving too much water on the soil.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Sorry to hear your palm plant died. If your son was overwatering it then yes, I would guess that’s why it ended up dying. Who knows though, maybe it was spider mites, or the air was just too dry. You’ll know for next time. 😉
sandra crow says
I love the parlor palm,i have three of them my son bought them for me about three years ago.They are doing great. They spend the winter indoors i don’t have to water them very often in the winter only about every two weeks.They are pretty and green,no brown tips.When the weather warms i take them out to my sunny deck,These are lovely plants and easy to care for.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Wonderful, thanks for sharing your experience!! Sounds like you’re doing everything right, that’s awesome!
sandra crow says
I put sunny deck,i ment to say shady deck!I’m deck is shaded.
Don Cavanaugh says
I have a Indoor palm that is 25 yrs old,it’s beaufiful.I bought 3 small plants in 1993 and now it huge!!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Wow, wonderful!
Kathy says
I have a a indoor Palm given to me by my mother in 1986 or 87 it has reached the ceiling now .
sierra says
hi amy! i have an indoor palm and it is doing quite well but i think it could be doingbetter! i was just wondering on average how much would you think i should water it? at the moment i probably water it like once a week? should i just check to see if the soil is moist and if not water it a bit? thank you 🙂
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, the best thing to do is check the soil every time you water your palm plant. Stick your finger at least an inch into the soil. If it feels wet, then don’t water the plant. A soil moisture gauge comes in handy to make sure you’re watering properly.
Asubonteng Godwin says
Please am from Ghana,and my question is can I bring out my palm plant out for while, because they always have brown tips and also grow lean as u know African weather is hot.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, I move many of my palm houseplants outside during the summer months and they love it. Just be sure to keep it in a shady location or the sun could burn the leaves.
Sandra Polachek says
I am looking for information on an uot palm. I have one that is shooting very long, strange looking spires but I cannot find any information on this specific palm. Can you help or tell me where to look? Than you.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I’ve never heard of a “uot palm” before, sorry! Was that the name on the plant tag? Is “uot” an acronym of some sort?
As for the growth you describe, it sounds like your palm plant is flowering, how fun!
Barry Howes says
What fertilizer do you use for indoor palm tree
Amy Andrychowicz says
Scroll up to the section that says “Fertilizer” for more details. My favorite brands of organic palm fertilizers are Jobe’s, Espoma, and Dr. Earth.
Jan Stock says
I just bought a majesty plan. Should I report it into a larger pot right away?
Amy Andrychowicz says
No, it’s best to wait to repot brand new plants until they have time to adjust to their new environment. Most palm plants can live a long time in the pots they come in. I would wait to repot your majesty palm until late winter/early spring. Here’s a post I wrote about this very topic… Don’t Be So Quick To Repot That Houseplant 🙂
Amit Choudhary says
Hi I want to know Rexona palm is indoor or outdoor. When I bought Rexona Palm it was green but after few days start getting yellow. What it need sunlight or not.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I’m not familiar with a Rexona Palm, and I can’t find information about it online. Does the tag on the plant have another name, like a common name for your palm plant?
marilyn pawlowycz says
i have just brought a palm plant,a lady was selling hes in really good nick,so thaks for the info,on how 2 keep my new house plant.love it.
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome! Enjoy your new palm plant! 🙂
Stephanie says
I have just brought in 3 species of palm (elephant ear, European fan idk the 3rd). Anyway, I have set up grow lights (T5) in my warehouse for the winter, I have a few questions.
What temperature should I keep warehouse at?
How far should lights be from the plants?
How long should the lights be on?
Should I place a humidifier near them?
Thank you in advance
Amy Andrychowicz says
Congrats on your new palm plants, how fun! Since palms are tropical plants, they like a hot and humid environment. But, most types can grow just fine in normal indoor conditions. So, I would keep the temperature in the 70s (at minimum) if it’s possible (but they will do fine even if it gets down into the 60s, especially at night and during the winter). Ideally, the lights should be 6-8 inches above the plants, and leave them on 12-16 hours a day. Yes, a humidifier would be great, they would love that. Also, I’ve never heard of an elephant ear palm, I wonder if you have an alocasia species? Though, there are TONS of different varieties of plant trees and plants, so who knows. 😉
Marjorie says
I have been told that my parlor palm can’t be touching walls because the tips will turn brown. True or False.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I have never heard that before, but I can’t say for sure if it’s true or false. Sorry.
Dawn Manor says
I need help with an indoor Saratoga palm. When I purchased it about two months ago it had a lot of new growth in the top I have noticed the new growth is starting to brown and die can you please help I love this plantI’d be happy to send you some photos.
Amy Andrychowicz says
There are a few things that can cause palm leaves to turn brown and die. Since it’s new growth, I worry that you may be either over or under watering the plant. Stick your finger one inch into the soil to make sure it’s not soggy or bone dry. If it’s wet, be sure to allow the soil to dry out more between waterings. If that’s not the problem, then I would take a close look at the leaves to check for spider mites or some other type of plant bug. If it’s neither of those, then have you been fertilizing it? Brown leaves could be caused by fertilizer burn.
Kathy Deer says
Hi,
I have a palm plant that has been doing great for probably 2 years. This morning, I noticed that the biggest stem was leaning over. As the day progresses, it is leaning farther and farther. I have had no problems with brown leaves, and it has been growing like crazy. It is in front of a somewhat leaky window. Could the cold weather we’ve been experiencing cause this? Seems unlikely to me as it has been colder and has never bothered it before. Any other thoughts?
Amy Andrychowicz says
If it’s just one branch on your palm plant, it might be that it was broken somehow. Maybe someone ran into it, or if you have a pet or kids, one of them accidentally broke it. That would be my guess. As long as the rest of the plant looks healthy. If that one branch is dying back, then I would just prune it off.
Mj Aus says
We’re experiencing the same issue. No kids or broken branch. Is this overwatering?
Amy Andrychowicz says
If it’s just one branch, and the rest of your palm plant looks healthy, then I would just prune it off. If the plant was overwatered, then it certainly could be the cause.
Vera says
Hello, I have 2 Pony tail palms. I’ve had both 25-30 yrs. The LG one was completely out growing it’s pot. I repotted it. However, I began having a problem with gnats. I’ve never had that before. With any of my house plants. I purchased the soil at Lowe’s. I’m not sure if they were already in the soil. But like I said. There were not any prior to repotting. I threw out that soil. Rinsed the ball of the palm, well. I let it stay in a pot without soil for a few weeks. It looked fine. I bought soil this time from a reputable nursery. Combined it with cactus soil. Once again, gnats! Only this time, the gnats were out of control. Every morning, we’d find a layer dead on our floor. Threw out that soil. I was told that the larve may still be in the roots of the ball. I have not bought any soil. It’s freezing in NY right now. I don’t trust the soil, so my poor plant is sitting in a pot without soil. But it looks great! I’m at a complete loss. Help!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Fungus gnats are a very common problem with indoor plants, and once you have them, it can be difficult to get rid of them. They thrive in moist soil, so try to keep your palm plants on the dry side (which is best for ponytail palms anyway). Since it’s freezing outside, you can leave the next bag of soil you buy outside until it’s frozen solid, that should kill any gnats that may be in there (just be sure to allow it to warm to room temperature before using it to pot up your palm plant!). But, like I said, if you already have gnats in your plants soil, then you have to take other measures to get rid of them in all of your plants. One great products that I recommend is GnatNix, which is a soil cover specifically made to kill the gnats. Here’s my detailed guide for how to get rid of fungus gnats.
Amy says
I dont knw what kind of palm i have. Its small & i keep it inside. The thing is these strange things are growing off it with tiny balls on them. Can they flower without the opposite sex palm? Im not even sure its flowering. Idk what its doing. Could you give me your thoughts please?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, palm plants can flower, and that’s what it sounds like is happening to me. Cool!
Melinda Sedgley says
I have two very large spiky palms that people say are small canary palms. Now 3 of the fronds on one of them are getting so large and heavy that they are bending over, almost to the ground. Should I tie up these fronds somehow or net them? Cut them off?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Humm.. it’s hard to know for sure without seeing the plant. It almost sounds to me like that is the natural growth pattern of that type of palm plant. But, if the fronds are bending in an unnatural way, or breaking off, then maybe there’s something else going on. If they seem leggy or are reaching for the window, then that’s a sign that they need more light. If the fronds are collapsing, then it could be a sign of over or under watering so check the soil. Otherwise, if you think the plant looks normal and healthy, then I would just leave it alone. You certainly could tie it up if it’s taking up too much space, just make sure to tie it loosely to allow for growth.
Tracey says
I have an indoor plant, not sure what type but the stalk developed a hole in the side. Part of it is dying. Is it getting to much water? And how do I save the rest! The upper half looks great.
Amy Andrychowicz says
If the hole is towards the bottom of the stem near the soil, then it definitely could be cause by overwatering. Allow the soil on your palm plant to dry out more between waterings, and always check the soil before watering again. You can check the soil by sticking your finger an inch deep, and if it feels moist, then don’t water. Or you could get a soil moisture gauge to make it even easier.
MPTickler says
Some people use olive oil or a cooking spray on the fronds to make them shiny. It is my belief that this is not a good practice on any plant. Do you have more information about oiling the leaves of palms or rubber tree (Ficus) etc. Thanks.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I definitely would not recommend using any type of cooking oil as leaf shine on your palm plants. Instead, you can use neem oil, which is a natural, organic leaf shine and also works to deter plant bugs.
Sree says
We bought couple of indoor palm trees from the local garden center. They were doing great until recently we got our indoor rooms painted. Within few days they got dried and despite watering and adding light they died.
I am not sure if the new paint caused this but just wanted your suggestion so that it doesn’t happen again.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I don’t think that painting would cause your palm plants to die. I’ve painted almost every room in my house and none of my plants have suffered. My guess is that they were moved to a new location during the painting, and that’s what caused them to die. It’s not normal for palm plants to die that quickly, so it could be that they were already suffering (maybe by over or under watering), and moving them pushed them over the edge. Or maybe their temporary location was too hot/cold or dark for them.
tanya boyce says
hi i just bought my second majesty palm from a big box store and it has small white
spots on it but it doesnt look like scale it looks like what water spots on glass ware taken out of the dishwasher- is this naturally occuring i found some similar pics online that said it was otherwise the plant has about three new shoots coming out and i am keeping the soil moderately moist. My other palm is beautiful with no problems and i dont want it to “catch” something from the new palm.
Amy Andrychowicz says
You describe the spots on your majesty palm as water spots like when the dishes come out of the dishwasher. This is super common on new plants, and likely is just that – water spots. Plants at the store come from large greenhouses, where they use overhead sprinkler systems to water and fertilize them. You can simply use a damp rag and wipe the spots off. Otherwise, they should go away with time.
Tabatha says
My majestic palms leaves are green but they are starting to bend downward. The leaves them selves not the fonds. Please help.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Funny, someone else asked almost this exact question in an earlier comment. I have a feeling this might just be the normal growth pattern for a majestic palm. Check the soil to make sure you’re not over or under watering. Otherwise, if the plant is otherwise healthy, then I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.
Laura Lee Gassie says
I have a plam plant and not sure what kind (I received it as a gift during a funeral). It has grown from the base until it is falling over, the inside stems are still nice, but as the outer ones have died it has created and ugly bottom. Can the plam be “split” or rooted to start over? How can I repot?
Amy Andrychowicz says
It sounds like your palm plant is either being over or under watered, and that’s what is causing the leaves to die. Stick your finger one inch into the soil to check to see if it’s wet or dry. If it’s dry, then you should try to water it a bit more often. If it’s wet, allow the soil to dry out more between waterings. An inexpensive soil moisture gauge is a great tool to help make sure you’re watering your palm plant properly. As for repotting it, I would not recommend repotting it until you are able to figure out what’s causing the leaves to die. Repotting an already stressed plant could be fatal to the plant. See if you can figure out what’s ailing your palm plant, and wait to repot it until after it recovers.
Jillian says
Hey!
I have just recently gotten into caring for indoor plants and I want to do everything I can to prevent them from becoming diseased or infested with pests! I am doing a lot of reading, but I wanted to know what you suggest for keeping the pests away. That is definitely my biggest concern. I have a small palm (not sure exactly what variation), a rubber plant (the burgundy variation), a snake plant, and three small succulents. The plants are all doing very well so far, but I just want to learn what I can so I can stay on top of their overall health. Loved this article! Thanks!!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, bugs on houseplants are no fun! The first step in preventing them is to understand where they come from in the first place, so you can avoid any accidental infestations. Here’s information all about that… Where Do Houseplant Pests Come From? Then, if you ever do find bugs on your houseplants, it’s important to know what type of bug it is so you can fight it properly. Here’s information about the different types of houseplant pests, and general info about how to control them… How To Control Houseplant Pests. That should give you a good start, and there are tons of links in those two posts that will take you to detailed information about each type of pest, just in case you want to learn more. 🙂
Michael Potter says
I received a dish garden 10 years ago and it has a small palm style tree in it. It has the main trunk and the top third has long, sword like leaves coming off of the trunk. It has grown wonderfully in my office, but the top portion is against the ceiling tiles. What can i do to trim that down to get out of the ceiling tiles.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Wow, that’s so funny that your tiny palm tree that came in a dish garden is now large enough to touch the ceiling!! Fantastic job, you obviously have the right touch. As for being able to prune the top… it depends on what type of palm plant it is. I would do some searching and look at images online to see if you can ID your palm. Then you’ll know whether it’s safe to top it or not. Good luck!
Shannon says
I have a 20+yr old Palm tree that suddenly started to die. I’m guessing it’s due to the new kitten enjoying the large pot and nice soil to poop and pee in. She’s so much fun!! LoL. I’m thinking of repotting the Palm but don’t want to stress it out anymore then it already is. Do you have any ideas? This Palm is special to me and I would be devastated to let it go without a good fight! Thank you
Amy Andrychowicz says
I feel your pain about the kitten, I’ve had a few of those myself. 🙂 I put tin foil over the top of the pots to keep my kittens out, and train them not to use it as a litter box. A shot from the spray bottle now and then helps too. LOL. Here’s a post I wrote about my latest little plant destroyer, and that has a photo of the tin foil trick… Kittens & Houseplants Don’t Mix. As for your palm tree… rather than repotting it, I would remove the top layer of the soil where the kitten peed. Then you can try flushing the soil with water if the soil isn’t already too wet, and the pot has drainage holes. To flush the soil, either bring it outside or take it into the bathtub and run water over the top of soil until the water starts running out of the drainage holes. That should help to flush out the pee that’s in the soil. Then replace the soil you removed with a fresh layer of potting soil, and cover it with tin foil. Good luck!
Bill Hopkins says
Hello Amy,
I have had three parlor palm plants over the years. The first two died after about ten years, the most recent plant died after a few months. Mortality was the same for each plant, whole branches of the plant progressively dried out until the plant eventually died. In each case I don’t believe I over/under watered, over fertilized, provided too much/little light, etc. Also mites were not in evidence. Each plant was put in the same soil. Last but not least, the plant that died after a few months was small when I purchased it. I was told put it in a small pot as the root structure prefers some confinement. Thoughts?
Amy Andrychowicz says
It’s hard to know for sure, but were the older palm plants moved at any point prior to them starting to die? If so, it could have been something with the new environment (like too cold or too hot) that they didn’t like. As for the new palm plant, it’s never a good idea to repot a new plant right after bringing it home. Plants go into shock when they’re moved, and you never know what a plant goes through from the time it leaves the greenhouse to the time you buy it. It’s always best to find a spot for your new plant, and just leave it alone for a few months to let it adjust to it’s new environment. My guess is that it was either poorly cared for before you bought it, and/or it died because the shock of being moved and then transplanted was too much for it. Sorry for your losses.
Joanie says
I have what I believe is a majesty palm and a large stalk of it got broken off…wondering if I put it in water or replant it if it will regrow? Or if I should just throw it out?
Thank you
Amy Andrychowicz says
Unfortunately the broken palm branch won’t regrow in water.
Barb says
Hi Amy, Thanks so much for this article and sharing your expertise. I have a palm which has been growing well indoors for a few years (maybe longer???) I’ve never transplanted it and I think it really could use it – one frond grew very small and the next is shooting up very tall but hasn’t opened yet. It’s now getting cold here – I’m in MI. Is it ok to transplant it now (and fertilize) or should I wait until spring? Thank you.
Amy Andrychowicz says
The best time to repot houseplants is in the spring. Repotting triggers new growth, and you don’t want to do that in the fall. Definitely don’t fertilize your palm plant in the fall or winter. Houseplants go into a state of dormancy during the winter, and fertilizing them in the fall can cause weak new growth, or put stress on the plant. If I were you, I would wait until March to repot your palm. Good luck!
Barb says
Thanks so much, Amy!
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome!
Donna says
Hi,
My palm did so well on the patio over the summer. I have had nothing but problems with it since I brought it inside and it was so beautiful! I waited to bring it in until the temperature was about 58 degrees in the evenings. There was still warm sunshine during the day, so I did not worry.
I know palms can go into shock after moving them but this is ridiculous. I do not see any spider mites or other signs of insects.
The beautiful, healthy fronds started turning yellow and then quickly turned brown. I tried watering more, watering less, to no avail. I have removed entire brown stems, hoping to stop it from dying. Yet every day, there are more brownish, yellowish leaves. Even new growth suddenly turned brown on the ends. The plant is less than half the lush thickness it was when I brought it in. It was about two feet when I bought it. It grew to more than four feet just in the three months I had it before it suddenly started dying. I never fertilized it because I wanted it to adjust well after I brought it home, so fertilizer burn is not the issue. Now, I did not fertilize it because it is dying rapidly. I just cannot seem to stop whatever is wrong.
There is not much light in my apartment and sitting it by the patio door is too cold for Ohio winters (I even get chilled sitting close to the patio now that it is cold). So I have it next to two other tropical plants, where it gets ample light from a large ceiling light. The other two tropical plants (different variety) are doing quite well.
I do let the soil dry out between waterings. Nothing works. Any ideas what in the world happened?
Thank you!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Oh no, so sorry to hear that your palm plant is not doing very well! It sounds to me like it could be a watering problem. Most houseplants go into a state of dormancy during the winter. The cooler fall temperatures followed by being moved indoors were triggers to your palm to start slowing down it’s growth. They don’t go completely dormant, and can still put on new growth during the winter, but it’s much, much slower. So, because of that, plants don’t need as much water in the fall and winter months as they do in the spring and summer. My guess is that it may have gotten too much water at some point this fall. Stick your finger one inch into the soil and check how wet it is. Wait until it’s dry before you water your plant again. Not completely bone dry, but not wet (if that make sense). Allow the soil to dry out more between watering in the winter than you do in the summer. An inexpensive soil moisture gauge is a good tool to help with consistent watering.
I would also leave it in the spot where you have it, and don’t move it again until you’re ready to put it back outside in the spring. Some plants are very sensitive to being moved, and that could be a big part of the issue too. Good luck, I hope it will recover for you!
Rose says
I brought a tiny palm from Florida to northern Minnesota. Have had it for 13 years. What should I do when it flowers. I’ve been cutting them off. Don’t know if that’s the best thing to do.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Wow, that’s wonderful! Sounds like whatever you’re doing has been great for your palm plant! I’m not sure what type of palm you have, or if you should cut the flowers off or not. Though, if it was going to die after flowering, cutting the flowers off wouldn’t save it. So my gut is telling me that it should be ok to let it flower. But, it would be better to know what type of palm plant you have to be sure. Did someone tell you that you needed to cut the flowers off, or are you just worried the flowers will harm the plant?
Al DeJong says
My palm is about 20 years old now and just over 6 feet tall. The problem is that the only foliage is on the top 2.5 feet at the top so basically I have a long skinny “trunk” with new, leaves on the top. As it’s grown, the lower fronds dry up, turn brown and die. It’s looking like the end is near but before I give up and start with a whole new plant, can the top 3rd be removed and rerooted? I realize now having read your wisdom I’ve probably overwatered. By the way, I’ve also experienced the tips turning brown if they touch the walls…just an observation. Thanks for listening!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Oh no, sorry to hear that your palm plant is struggling! The answer to your question depends on the type of palm plant you have (sorry I can’t give you a straight answer!). The way you describe it as having a tall skinny trunk, I wonder if you have a dieffenbachia, or maybe a dracaena of some kind, rather than a palm. If that’s the case, then yes, you could top your plant and root the cutting. However, that won’t work with true palm plants. So you may want to see if you can figure out what type of plant you have first. Otherwise, you could sure try experimenting with it. 🙂
Karen says
I have a plan that is secreting a sticky substance. What is it and how do I get rid of it?
Amy Andrychowicz says
When a plant is sticky like that, it may be a sign of a pest infestation. The likely culprits are either mealybugs or houseplant scale. Take a close look at the plant, and look for either white cotton (mealybugs) or brown bumps (scale) on the leaf joints and veins.
Elise says
hi, i have a Bangalow Palm, indoors. its in a part shade/part sun and isnt over watered. its outer leaves are starting to turn dry, crunchy and brown. could my heating cause this? the temperature is at about 21 degrees celcius.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, heating a home sucks the humidity out of the air, and makes it very dry. One of the most common causes of brown tips on palm plants is lack of humidity. So I would recommend putting a humidifier in the room near your palm plant, or misting the plant on a regular basis.
Sue says
I repotted my majesty palm about a month after purchasing it at a retail store -not a nursery. It seemed very healthy and full. It looked as if it was outgrowing the original pot so I repotted it about 2 months ago. Since then and at different times one “stalk” starts to turn brown on its leaves and then continues to brown until all of the leaves are brown. I have cut the “stalks” off each time. Now another one is starting to turn brown on its leaves. I think I am watering it correctly, according to your directions, and it has the proper light, again, according to your directions. It does not have any pests evident. What could be wrong? Thanks, in advance, for your answer.
Amy Andrychowicz says
It could be that your majesty palm suffered some shock after being repotted, and is slow to recover. But, the most common cause of majesty palm fronds (stalks) turning brown like you describe is improper watering. Some palm plants are more finicky than others when it comes to watering, and it can take some time to figure out the perfect balance. If you repotted it into a much larger pot than the original, it’s very easy to accidentally over or underwater a plant.
Stick your finger at least one inch into the soil to check the moisture level (or get a soil moisture gauge to make it easier). If the soil feels dry, then it’s not getting enough water. If the soil feels pretty wet, then let it dry a bit more between waterings. Never allow the soil to dry out completely for a majesty palm though. If you’re certain your watering routine is spot on, then I would give it a little more time to recover from being repotted. I would also hold off on fertilizing it until it has recovered. Good luck!
Robert Keller says
The more I read that I need to use stuff labeled “organic” the more skeptical I become. Is there independent scientific evidence for this, or are we buying something because it has a catch phrase attached to it. Makes you feel like you really love your plants or are we just getting ripped off, again! Are plants like cats that will turn up their nose at anything less that “organic” People had houseplants growing happily away before “organic” became a marketing tool. Should I use fish fertilizer on my houseplants, it’s organic?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Whether you choose to use organic products or not is certainly your choice.
Samantha says
Hi! I’m not sure if this question has already been asked but I recently purchased a Bungalow palm and I do believe I’ve overwatered it..
Do you have any advice as to what I should do?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Oh no! Definitely allow the soil to dry out before watering your palm plant again. Stick your finger one inch into the soil, and don’t water it until it no longer feels damp. If the soil is super soggy, then you could try sliding the plant out of the pot in order for it to dry out faster.
Lisa says
Hello, my indoor 10 inch palm has stalks with seeds pods on them. Should I cut the off at the base of the stalk? They’ve been on there for months and my plant is starting to yellow so I’m afraid they are taking nutrients away from the plant. Help please! Thanks so much! Lisa
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, you can prune off the stalks on your palm plant all the way down to the base.