How to Care for Areca Palm Plants

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Areca palms are one of the most popular indoor plants because they provide beauty, texture, and scent all year long. These palms thrive in sunlight or a bright window, so it’s ideal to have them as part of your home decor. But they can be challenging to take care of plant because they need regular watering and high humidity levels. Areca palm is also susceptible to pests, diseases, and fungal infections. If you have one or several areca palms in your home and want them to thrive for many years, follow the tips below for successful indoor maintenance.

Increase humidity

Areca palms are native to warm climates, so they love humidity levels above 80%. If you live in a dry climate or are unable to keep the humidity high enough, you can install a small, decorative humidifier near the plant. If you have a larger area where you can grow your palms, you can use a large plastic tent that allows water to bead up and drip down onto the plant. More than just a pretty look, high humidity levels encourage areca palms to flourish. They require a lot of water to stay healthy, and too low a humidity level can lead to yellowing leaves, poor growth, and potential dieback.

Proper watering is essential

Many people think that areca palms don’t need much water, but that’s not true. These plants like a lot of water to thrive, and they are susceptible to both overwatering and underwatering. When you first set up your areca palm, determine how often you’ll need to water it. Areca palms usually grow best in low-light areas such as a window or west facing inside wall, so they don’t get a lot of direct sunlight. Watering is best done almost exactly twice a week, but you can give the plant more water on the hot days of summer. Watering too much on a regular basis can lead to root rot and dieback, so make sure to check the plant often.

Select the right pot for your Areca Palm

If you have several areca palms in your home, it’s nice to have a pot for each plant. But areca palms are tall plants, so you need to select the right pot. Although the roots aren’t very long, the canes can reach up to 6 feet or more, so you don’t want a pot that’s too small. On the other hand, you don’t want a pot that’s too large. Typical pot dimensions for areca palms are 9 inches or less in diameter and 24 inches or less in height. Choose a pot that’s ceramic, plastic, or a mix of ceramic and plastic. Avoid a clay pot, which isn’t suitable for your areca palms.

Avoid overwatering

Areca palms like a lot of water, but they are susceptible to drowning in excess. Check the pot often and repot your palm if it seems to be sitting in too much water. A pot that’s too small will cause your plant to sit in water, but a pot that’s too big will cause your palm to drown. Also, areca palms are tall plants that require high humidity levels. The best way to create those levels is with water that has been allowed to evaporate. Too much water in the pot will drown your palm because it will be too heavy for the air to hold the water. If you need to water your areca palms more often, consider installing a small decorative water feature near them. A waterfall created with a small pump and water container will give your areca palms a lot of water and create high humidity levels in the air around them.

Control diseases and pests

Both diseases and pests can affect your areca palm. Some common diseases include black rot, root rot, anthracnose, and white spot, while pests include spider mites, scale, thrips, aphids, and mealy bugs. Control diseases and pests by inspecting your palm and repotting if necessary. Also, clean your palms often with a solution of 1 cup of bleach and 8 cups of water. This will keep the plant clean and prevent diseases from developing. Pests like aphids, mealy bugs, and spider mites are attracted to the sugary sap that areca palms produce. The best way to control these pests is to move to a smaller pot or stop growing your palms in a pot. If you keep your palms in a low-light area, they are prone to diseases and pests. You can reduce the risk of these problems by providing more light and cleaning your palms frequently. If your palms are in a high-light area, you can use a pot with a fine screen on the bottom to reduce the risk of pests.

Conclusion

Areca palms are beautiful, easy to care for plants that thrive in a warm environment. They’re also very forgiving if you forget to water them or if you overwater them. If you follow the steps above, they’ll thrive in your indoor environment for many years.