Here is a quick overview on what Parlor Palm plants require, along with some advice on how to maintain their health.
Can tolerate low indirect light and thrive in medium to bright indirect light. Unsuitable for direct, hot sunlight. Find out more about these lighting needs.
Water once every two to three weeks, letting the soil dry up in between applications. In brighter light, water more frequently, and in less-bright light, less frequently. Here are some further advice on watering plants.
65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer at home, up to 85 degrees. The Parlor Palm is comfy if you’re comfortable.
What is the growth rate of parlor palms?
A popular indoor plant for a long time was the parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans). When transported back to the United States from Central America, this gorgeous plant with deep green leaf quickly gained popularity as an interior palm. It develops in beautiful clumps that conceal the narrow trunks beneath light-textured leaves.
Although it is occasionally possible to locate single-stalk specimens, the palms are typically planted in tiny clumps to mimic palm-like shrubs in attractive pots. Because the fronds can live for up to 40 days after being plucked from the plant, they are frequently used in floral arrangements, Palm Sunday decorations, and wreaths. Slow-growing parlor palms might take years to reach their maximum height (2 to 6 feet indoors and 6 to 16 feet outdoors).
How do you increase the size of a parlor palm?
The parlor palm is a fantastic plant for novice or inexperienced gardeners because it is reasonably simple to grow. The plant can withstand extreme conditions, such as low light and cold temperatures, and thrives in indoor settings. The parlor palm is also reasonably resilient to neglect because it doesn’t require frequent watering.
You can either start a plant from seed or purchase a plant at a nursery if you wish to grow a young parlor palm. A parlor palm can be multiplied by being split at the root, however this can be stressful for the plant. The plant should be grown from seed, but for novice gardeners, this can be a challenging and time-consuming operation. Purchasing a young, healthy palm produced from seed from a gardening center or nursery is the most convenient option for the majority of homeowners. Parlor palms are frequently inexpensive and, given their extended lifespan, their initial cost is frequently insignificant.
You can replant your parlor palm as necessary in progressively larger containers in the spring. Only repot when absolutely necessary. Because of its delicate root system and dislike of excessive handling, you should try to handle this plant as little as possible. Plants should only be moved once the present container is entirely filled with roots.
Use a container with adequate holes punched into the bottom during repotting. Additionally, make sure the potting mix you select provides plants proper drainage. The parlor palm isn’t choosy, but for the plant to thrive, its roots need to have good drainage. Hannah Blanc explains how to plant a parlor palm correctly.
You must provide your plant with the ideal habitat to encourage healthy growth once it has been established and at ease in its new location. Although the parlor palm is a fairly adaptable plant, there are some conditions you may establish to promote and boost the growth of your plant.
- For optimum growth, maintain the palm at a temperature of about 65°F in a typical room.
- Don’t keep your plant below 50°F for an extended period of time.
- The parlor palm prefers moderate indirect light, yet it can also thrive in less lit spaces.
- To make sure that the soil has enough nutrients during the plant’s growing season in the spring, summer, and fall, feed your plant once every two weeks with a diluted liquid plant fertilizer.
- The parlor palm prefers a small amount of humidity in the air, so regularly spraying your plant with water might help it stay healthier overall.
- When the soil starts to dry out, water your plant, being cautious not to overwater.
- Your plant will need more water in brighter light, whilst it will need less in dim light.
- When your plant’s growth slows in the winter, use the least amount of water possible.
The pros at rifgarden can teach you more about growing parlor palms indoors.
Does the parlor palm grow slowly?
The tiny indoor palm known as the parlour palm (Chamaedorea elegans) has lovely light green fronds. Neanthe bella, parlor palm (spelled differently in the United States), good luck palm, chamaedorea palm, and dwarf mountain palm are some of its other names. It is a native of Mexico and Guatemala. Since Victorian times, when it was displayed in the parlour, the best room in the house, it has been a well-liked house plant. A clump of numerous young plants is frequently sold with it.
The parlour palm requires little maintenance and may survive in dry, low-light environments. It can filter and purify stale air and is a good air purifier as well. It grows very slowly and can occasionally erupt in tiny yellow flower sprays that are followed by mature black fruits. Dogs and cats are not poisoned by parlour palm.
Grow your parlour palm in house plant compost in a bright area that is shielded from direct sunlight for the best results. During the growing season, water frequently, and feed every month. Keep the compost dry over the winter. Repot plants in pots in the spring.
How frequently should a parlor palm be watered?
In order to keep the soil properly moist and prevent it from becoming waterlogged in between cycles, parlor palms need one to two top-down waterings each week in the summer and once every one to two weeks in the winter. Prior to watering, smaller parlor palms need dry topsoil. Wait two inches of dirt to dry out before watering larger, more mature plants.
Do I need to prune my parlor palm?
Popular and simple to maintain indoor plants include parlor palms, commonly referred to as Neanthebella palms. Only a few members of the vast palm family are suitable as indoor plants. One of the select plants that does a superb job of adjusting to typical indoor settings is the parlor palm.
The Parlor palm features graceful, green leaflets on arching fronds that give this palm a canopy shape like feathers. A mature plant may produce sprays of tiny, yellow flowers on tall stalks above the foliage if given enough light. Just take the flowers off when they start to turn brown because the seeds that come after the flowers are rarely viable and aren’t worth saving.
Although this palm can handle dry indoor air, more humidity will be better for its health. Once a week, give the plant’s leaves a thorough spray with room-temperature water to assist maintain the humidity level.
Because Parlor palms originate from a terminal bud, do not prune this palm. This single point of growth will stop growing if it is pruned. However, it’s acceptable to remove old, brown fronds.
One of the few palms that thrive in low light is this one. It is the perfect houseplant or office plant due to its tolerance for low humidity and lack of light.
Low to moderately bright but not direct sunshine, light. The leaves may be receiving too much sun if they become yellowish-green.
Average room humidity with intermittent misting with water that is room temperature.
Average room temperatures range from 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (18-27 degrees C). Keep the leaves away from heaters, air conditioners, and windows that are cold.
My parlor palm can I place outside?
When roots start wrapping around the outside of the root ball, prepare to repot the parlor palm. Every few months, remove the plant from its container to inspect the roots. Repot plants when necessary in a pot with a 2–3-inch–larger diameter than the previous one. Add an all-purpose fertilizer on occasion, but only in the spring and summer.
In the summer, parlor palms can be relocated outside. They should be shielded from the sun, as it will burn the foliage. In hot, dry weather, pick a sheltered outdoor spot and water frequently. When nighttime temperatures drop below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, bring your plant back inside.
Do parlor palms spread out?
Only commercial growers routinely propagate parlor palms from seed. The seeds have a very low rate of germination and require highly particular circumstances. High soil temperatures and loads of humidity are required for successful sprouting. The best outcomes might be obtained by merely purchasing a second parlor palm. Even though it’s not perfect, division is a simpler way to divide a parlor palm into two if you really want to try it at home.
Remember that your neighborhood nursery can be a convenient, good source of advice on plant parenthood as well as a place to acquire plants if you’re uncertain about reproducing your parlor palm.
By splitting one of the clusters of stems in your existing plant, you can propagate your palm. However, both the young plant and the mother plant may have some foliage die-back, which can be removed by cutting only the healthy leaves. This is how:
Step 1: Begin with a parlor palm that is growing in a container and has multiple healthy stems. Select a pot with good drainage that is the right size to accommodate a single stem from the mother plant. Equivalent parts peat moss and either perlite or vermiculite should be used to create a soilless mixture.
Step 2: Carefully take the mother plant out of the pot. To reveal the naked roots of the root ball, loosen the soil surrounding it.
Step 3: Seek out a stem that is established and robust and has its own root system. Use a clean, sharp blade to carefully cut away any roots that are attaching it to the main plant.
Step 4: Insert the new stem into the soil-free mixture in the pot, making sure the roots and stem are covered. Replant the mother plant in its original container and re-fill it with dirt. So that the soil is moist, water both. After allowing both the mother plant and the young plant to heal in a warm, shaded area, take care of them as usual.
Container Size
Choose a container that is no more than one to two sizes larger than the original one for repotting indoor plants. By doing this, the extra soil is prevented from retaining too much moisture and damaging the roots. A smaller pot can facilitate development because some plants thrive in confined spaces.
However, Parlor Palms are used to reaching heights of many feet, they develop quickly, and they have deep root systems, so you can be a little more generous with your next potting container.
They tolerate having a little root restriction, much like other houseplants. They will require a lot of room in the pot to grow, though, if you want them to grow to the towering heights they frequently do indoors.
Your plant’s current size and rate of growth will determine the size of your new pot. If you repot your plants every two years, pick a new pot that can handle this growth pace. Don’t create it too big, but make sure there is enough room for the roots to spread out.
Materials
The best environment for Parlor Palms is one with good drainage, like terra cotta, stone, or granite.
To avoid root rot, make sure your container has ample drainage holes. Although larger Parlor Palms might be difficult to remove for watering and become an unnecessary burden, you can utilize containers without drainage holes as pot coverings.
What distinguishes the areca palm from the parlor palm?
A low-maintenance approach to brighten up any nook of your house or garden is to have a parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans) or an areca palm (Dypsis lutescens). If the correct conditions are met, each of these palms is a beautiful plant that you will have for a very long period.
The form of the leaves is the primary distinction between areca and parlor palms. The delicate, lanceolate leaves of a parlor palm can reach a length of 8 inches. The leaves of an areca palm can reach a height of several feet and are bigger and oval. In contrast to the areca palm, the parlor palm tends to grow erect. The parlor palm’s stems develop in clusters and are more robust than the areca’s, which produce multiple stems from a single base.
This article might be useful if you’re trying to tell these two palms apart. Find out how the parlor palm and areca palm compare here.
LIGHT
This plant is tolerant of low light, which is one of the reasons it makes such an excellent indoor plant. In fact, I’ve previously cultivated this plant in a room without windows.
It is unquestionably one of the plants that can withstand this kind of care! But remember, I did have the overhead illumination on. Nothing can develop when it’s dark out!
Even though they can withstand very little light, giving your parlor palm greater light will help it grow the fastest. I’ve been growing a specimen parlor palm for a number of years, and it has developed into a quite lovely plant.
My eldest Chamaedorea elegans is growing in a window with an eastern exposure. It receives some morning sun, and the rest of the day is illuminated by bright indirect light.
This palm won’t thrive if it is exposed to sunlight all day, but 2-4 hours of direct sunlight indoors is OK, especially if it is the kinder early sun.
Other parlor palms that I have grown in a big bathroom, a few feet from a window with an Eastern exposure, and they thrive there as well.
This plant can grow in a variety of interior environments, making it very adaptable. Just be cautious not to expose them to too much sunlight.
These plants thrive in windows with a northern exposure as well as eastern windows. With windows facing the west or south, I would exercise caution. If necessary, deflect any extra direct sunlight coming through the latter two exposure windows.
REPOTTING
You should be aware that parlor palms, like many other palms, have relatively shallow roots. When you do repot, try to stay away from using extra-deep pots.
For parlor palms, I like to use a really well-draining potting mix, and you can easily find everything on Amazon.
I often use a potting mixture designed for citrus and palms. This potting mix has produced excellent results for me.
Alternatively, you can use a high-quality all-purpose houseplant potting mix and supplement it with some gritty sand, larger-sized perlite, or—even better—pumice. You will have great drainage, which is what parlor palms need.
Any packaged potting mix I purchase, I usually add either some perlite or pumice. Your plants will appreciate it.
Making your own unique mixes is always enjoyable, but ultimately, you should do what feels right for YOU.
WATERING
Never let your parlor palm rest in water, please. As I would advise for ANY indoor plant,
Depending on the size of the pot, I prefer to let the top inch or two of my parlor palm soil dry out before I water it again. Then go ahead and completely wet the potting media, letting the extra water drain away.
Any extra water that gathers in any trays you may have under the pot should be discarded.
The soil around palms should never be fully dry, especially not for long periods of time. If you do this, your lower fronds may turn yellow and finally turn entirely brown. You might also have dry, brown tips on the fronds.
FERTILIZING
Every time I water, I like to fertilize my parlor palm with a weaker solution. I love to use this method for all of my indoor plants. I won’t have to think about when I last fertilized because of this!
During the primary growing season, I will fertilize using a decent, balanced all-purpose fertilizer. From roughly February or March through October.
During the gloomier seasons of the year, when growth virtually stops and the days are short, I withhold fertilizer.
Check out my blog post about fertilizing to learn about all my favorite fertilizers and how I feed my houseplants.
FLOWERS
Yes, parlor palms do routinely bloom indoors. Nevertheless, this has both blessings and drawbacks!
You can be rewarded with a spray of yellow blooms after your plant reaches the appropriate stage of development. Throughout the year, my specimen parlor palm frequently blooms for me numerous times.
The small yellow “balls” in the flower sprays frequently fall to the ground and make a mess, despite how gorgeous they are!
In order to prevent a mess on my floors, I will let them bloom for a while, but once I see some of the flowers beginning to drop, I will simply chop off the inflorescence spray.
But keep in mind that a plant will only flower if it receives enough light. Before flowering, the plant must also be mature enough.
PALM PESTS
Spider mites occasionally damage these plants. Keep your plant healthy and pest-free by regularly cleaning it, whether by misting it or rinsing it out in the sink or shower.
I discuss three risk-free methods you can employ to get rid of spider mites. These plants are generally pest-free, although during the winter when the air is particularly dry, they may be vulnerable to spider mites.
HUMIDITY
I genuinely think that this plant is the most tolerant of interior settings, which is one of the reasons I favor it over all the other indoor palm plants.
For this palm, more humidity is undoubtedly ideal, although most interior environments are quite suitable!
Please click on that link to learn more about how I feel about how to improve humidity for indoor plants.
Everyone, that’s it! You now have all the information need to cultivate Parlor Palm. It is a lovely indoor palm that, given the right care, can survive a very long time!
Searching for a Parlor Palm to buy? Etsy is one of my favorite and most useful one-stop sites for purchasing almost any plant. Today, take a look at the Parlor Palm assortment (link to Etsy).