Areca Palm - An Exotic Houseplant

Areca Palm - An Exotic Houseplant

A popular houseplant and tropical landscape accent, the areca palm or Dypsis lutescens plant can add an exotic touch to your home's decor.areca palm plant The areca palm is easy to grow indoors or outdoors and thrives in a wide range of climates. In fact, this versatile plant is often used to create privacy screens and accents in South Florida homes.

In addition to its lush green beauty, the areca palm is a good choice for allergy sufferers, as it tends to have lower pollen counts that can help ease allergy symptoms.areca palm plant This tropical houseplant is also known for its ability to purify air, removing dust and toxins while pumping out fresh oxygen.

The areca palm plant grows to a height of up to ten meters in its natural habitat in tropical forests.areca palm plant As a houseplant, however, the areca palm can thrive indoors under fluorescent lights and in a cozy corner, and will tolerate some light shade. The areca palm's large leaf surface is particularly effective at absorbing and removing volatile organic compounds that can cause respiratory irritation.

Ideally, areca palms should be placed in bright indirect sunlight. The plant is more tolerant of bright, but filtered sunlight than full sun exposure. Too much direct sunlight may scorch the leaves. Areca palms also need to be well watered, but should be allowed to dry out between watering. The areca palm is an easy-to-grow plant, and can be propagated by dividing the offsets or "pups" that develop at the base of mature plants. Alternatively, the areca palm can be grown from seeds.

While areca palms are considered self-cleaning, occasional pruning is necessary to maintain their health and appearance. Trim off browned or yellow leaves. It is important to only cut healthy foliage. Avoid cutting into the sheaths of older leaves, as this will lead to rot and disease.

Occasional feeding is a great way to promote growth and health in the areca palm. During the growing season, feed the areca palm with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength every 4-6 weeks. Avoid fertilizing in the winter when the areca palm's rate of growth slows.

Keeping an areca palm healthy requires regular inspection for pests. Spider mites and scale insects are common pests to watch for, and can be treated with a neem oil spray or insecticidal soap.

The areca palm plant is also a moderately salt-tolerant plant. Regularly inspect your areca palm for signs of fungal infection, including soft and mushy foliage, brown fronds and roots that appear wilted or rotten. Treat any fungal infections as soon as possible to prevent them from spreading throughout the plant.

Repot your areca palms every 2-3 years, or whenever the roots begin to fill the pot. When repotting, use a larger container with fresh soil. Make sure the container has drainage holes in the bottom. Fill the new pot with two-thirds fresh, all-purpose potting soil and one-third sand or lava granules to improve drainage.

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