Palms are popular indoor plants. Many require very little light and can grow in a range of different types of soil. With this article, you will learn how to care for indoor palm plants to make them thrive and grow in your home. This article goes over the best indoor palm plants as well, detailing their requirements and benefits. So, let’s get started!
The History of Indoor Palm Trees
Palms are one of the world’s oldest indoor plants and have been popular for centuries. There is evidence that indoor palm trees were being grown in China as far back as 500 BC.
Indoor palm plants have been popular indoor plants in Europe for centuries as well. In the Victorian era, they used indoor palms to line walkways and symbolized welcomeness. William Shakespeare even mentions them in his play, “The Tempest.”
Today, many often associate palm trees with a desert oasis due to their sturdy nature and ability to grow in soil that is not always rich or fertile. These qualities make it easy for them to thrive indoors without much extra care.
Growing Indoor Palm Plants
These incredible indoor plants don’t always come with an instruction manual on caring for them, making it challenging to know what to do. With this article, you will learn the secrets of indoor palm plants and how to care for them in your home!
The basic requirements to grow indoor palms include a well-lit room with plenty of airflows, warmth (most palms require temperatures between 65°F and 80°F), ample humidity (mist them regularly), and good drainage. Palms also need occasional pruning to maintain their shape; this can be done anytime during the year but should only take about fifteen minutes per plant when they’re actively growing.
A well-maintained indoor palm plant can live for decades with minimal care on your part!
Containers for Indoor Palm Plants
Give your indoor palm plant a pot with enough drainage holes and room for the roots to grow. There is no single pot that indoor palm plants prefer, but you’ll want to use a container with drainage holes to prevent root rot.
Some people will reuse pots for indoor palms, and others might opt for new ones. Either way, make sure the indoor palm has enough room to grow without becoming crowded by its container!
Growing Indoor Palm Plants – Water Requirements
It’s also crucial to water indoor palms regularly, but not too much, as this can lead to root rot and other fungal issues. They should only need watering about once per week unless they live near a window with lots of direct sunlight. If that is the case, you may want to water them every five days or so instead. The best way to tell if the indoor palm needs water is by looking at the bottom of the leaves; if they’re drooping, the indoor palm needs water.
The best way to get moisture to your indoor palm is by watering from the top. And again, make sure your indoor palm plant doesn’t sit in stagnant water for too long!
The Best Lighting for Indoor Palm Plants
It’s important to monitor indoor palms regularly and provide them with suitable lighting as they grow. Indoor palm plants can thrive if they receive good indoor lighting, but it’s unnecessary to provide them with outdoor natural light. In addition, to grow lights, you can use a desk lamp or floor lamp for indoor palms that need more light. Place these lamps near the indoor palm plant, so the bulb fully illuminates its leaves. Also, make sure no items in your home cast shadows on your indoor palm. You also don’t want to place any lamps too close, as this could burn your plant; keep lights about three feet away from the foliage at all times.
Keep Your Indoor Palm Plant Fertilized
Indoor palm plants are also a little different in that they need fertilizer every few months, as indoor palms can’t get enough nutrients from just the soil. You only need about one teaspoon of fertilizer for indoor palm trees, and it’s best to apply it directly to the roots. Opt for organic fertilizers, and make sure to water your plants thoroughly after using any fertilizer.
8 of The Best Palm Plants to Grow Indoors
Palm plant varieties can, in part, be identified by their leaves. Pointed leaf varieties need more light than many indoor homes can offer. In contrast, splayed leaf types do better at pulling moisture from humidifiers than other indoor palms because they retain water longer on their leaves.
Kentia Palm (Howea forsteriana)
These plants are known for their hardiness and can be grown in a wide range of different conditions from medium to low light levels and various types of soil composition. In general, they only need to be watered once every two weeks.
Their leaves provide an elegant background decoration and look especially beautiful when paired with other indoor palms. And at maturity, these indoor palms grow quickly – up to 50 feet tall if you let them!
This indoor palm makes cleaning up after them easy because they have no debris; just cut off any dead leaf tips that might accumulate.
Chinese Fan Palm (Livistona chinensis)
Chinese fan palms are indoor palm plants with the most beautiful and striking leaves. These indoor trees have a vase-shaped appearance, which means they can grow in little soil – just enough to anchor them! They do well when planted near windows or under grow lights.
The best thing about Chinese Fan Palms is that these indoor palms don’t need water very often; they’ll only need watering once every two weeks at the bare minimum. And what’s even better? These indoor palms rarely get sick from insects like other types of indoor palm plants might!
Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
These indoor palm plants are a popular option for indoor plant lovers because they can be grown near windows. Parlor palms need medium-to-high levels of light and love humid air, so you’ll want to make sure their soil is moist at all times. Parlor Palms do well in pots with plenty of drainage holes that allow them to drain properly, which will help prevent root rot from occurring.
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)
Sago palms are best suited for low light levels and enjoy humid environments. These palms are also an option as a tall indoor tree, so be prepared to give these indoor palms plenty of space – they can grow up to 20 feet high!
These indoor palms need watering once every week or two because their leaves tend to retain water on the surface. And if you’re looking for something different, sago palm leaves look great with polished wood furniture and more rustic-looking pieces.
Majestic Palm (Ravenea rivularis)
Indoor majestic palm trees are an excellent option if you’re looking for something shorter. These indoor palms only grow up to six feet tall and have large, dark green leaves that look beautiful when contrasted against light-colored furniture or walls.
The best thing about these indoor palm plants is they don’t need as much water because their roots get most of the moisture from humidity in the air – so just watering them every two weeks should be enough!
Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
These indoor palms are a great option if you’re looking for something easy to grow because they are nearly impossible to kill. They like low light levels and can be grown in most soil types, but it’s best not to plant them outdoors as their leaves will struggle with the sun exposure.
Ponytail Palm trees only need watering every month or two as long as they are in an area with plenty of humidity – which is ideal! And these indoor palm plants look amazing when paired with other indoor palms or placed on their own near a window.
Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
The indoor palm tree with the most distinctive leaves is the indoor areca palm. These indoor palms do well in low light levels and will need water every two weeks. And what’s great about these indoor trees is that they don’t require pruning indoors, which makes them a good option for those who might not have as much experience caring for plants.
The best thing about indoor areca palms? Like ponytail palms, they’re nearly impossible to kill – we’ve seen people accidentally leave one outside over winter without any water, and it still came back green when spring finally rolled around!
Cascade Palm (Chamaedorea cataractarum)
Cascade indoor palm trees are a great option if you’re looking for something with long leaves. These indoor palms love high light levels and need to water every two weeks because the soil won’t stay moist on its own.
What’s unique about cascade indoor palm plants is that they can grow up to six feet tall, making it possible to use them in larger spaces than smaller indoor palms. And these indoor palm trees look beautiful when grown next to taller furniture or windows, so their leaves hang down towards the floor – perfect for those who want some natural greenery near their feet while sitting at home relaxing.
Secrets to Growing Indoor Palm Plants – The Wrap-up
There are many types of indoor palm plants, so be sure to choose the right one for you. And don’t forget – each of these indoor palms has its own light and water needs.
Indoor palm plants offer a great way to bring the outdoors in! They’re easy to grow, most don’t require much care, and they give off an air of tranquility. Many even claim they will keep your indoor air clean. So, jump in with both feet and fill your indoor garden with indoor palm plants. It’s a beautiful way to bring life to your home.
FAQs for Growing Indoor Palm Plants
This depends on the species of indoor palm. Some like more sunlight than others and what constitutes sufficient humidity for one indoor species might not satisfy another. Take a look at the specific instructions for indoor palms above. If you have a species not listed here, check with your local greenhouse or nursery about what kind of indoor climate you should provide for your palm plants when you bring them home.
First, be sure to inspect your new plant for any insects or signs of fungus or disease. It’s best to quarantine new plants from your other plants for about a week to make sure all is well before exposing your other plants to the newcomer. Usually, the palm should be watered right away or within 24 hours after purchase. However, be sure to check to see if the soil is moist to the touch. You’ll want to avoid over-watered the plant.
Lastly, indoor palms are normally purchased potted with inexpensive, general-use potting soil. Determine the type of soil that was used to pot your plant, and if it seems to be of low quality, consider repotting your plant in some good-quality palm soil.
Palms prefer light, well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. You can choose from a wide variety of indoor palm plant soils to find the one that works best for your plants. If you want indoor palm plant soil that stays lightweight, consider using bonsai soil with special ingredients to hold onto moisture.
You can also create a “soil sandwich” by using a bonsai mix between two layers of indoor palm soil. This helps to ensure roots don’t become waterlogged or compacted in a pot with heavy soil.
The answer here is similar to that of the previous question. If you want faster-growing indoor palms, your best bet is to report the indoor palm into a larger pot as quickly as possible after purchasing it. Place your indoor palm plant outdoors in direct sunlight for six hours or more per day to encourage faster growth (most indoor home environments are not bright enough for fast indoor palm plant growth).
Many people purchase an indoor palm plant in a relatively small pot size when they first bring it home from the nursery or garden center only to have it stop growing just a few weeks later. This is a normal occurrence. Once it has become accustomed to its new surroundings, you can expect the indoor palm to begin growing taller again soon (two or three weeks is a reasonable amount of time to wait before expecting growth to resume).
However, if you want your palm to grow taller over time, it’s important to plant it in a larger pot. The height of your palm is affected by pot size as well as your pruning routine.
