Palms, Not Just in the Tropics

Palms in their native habitat grow to enormous sizes, with leaves that can reach up to 17 m in length and 2 m in width. While you won't achieve such growth at home, since most species are undemanding, you can cultivate their smaller versions indoors.

Based on their leaves, these plants are divided into palms with pinnate leaves and palms with fan-shaped leaves.

Growing Palms

When growing from seeds, soak the seeds in water for 24 hours before planting, changing the water several times. To avoid fungal diseases, remove any pulp or fibers. Place the seeds in 550 ml of vermiculite moistened with approximately 30 ml of water, then place the seeds in an airtight container. Put the container in a warm place at approximately 32°C.

With some species, germination can occur within two weeks, while others may take up to 2 months. Once the root appears, place the seeds in a compost and gravel mixture in a 50:50 ratio. Keep the prepared seeds in a warm room, and once they sprout, remember to place them in a sunny location.

If you're growing the palm in a cooler room, adjust watering accordingly; if the substrate remains constantly moist, the palm will rot.

When overwintering palms at temperatures around 5 to 7°C, reduce watering to a minimum or replace it with misting.

Repotting

Diseases and Pests

Mites and Spider Mites

These tiny, invisible-to-the-eye pests multiply rapidly, especially in warm and dry environments. Their presence manifests as browning and subsequent leaf drop, as they suck the leaves dry.

Fungus Gnats

These are small 2 to 4 mm flies that lay their eggs near plant roots. The hatched fungus gnats can then cause root infection, which stops growth and the plant subsequently dies. Another sign of fungus gnat presence is the paling of palm leaves.

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are small pests similar to aphids, which have a white colour. Prevention is important because once mealybugs are found, it may already be too late. They appear as white spots on leaves and roots.

As protection, it is advisable to spray the plants or use the chemical product Nurelle D.

Whiteflies

Another annoying insect that can damage our palms are whiteflies, especially their larvae.

We recommend using Nurelle D or Mospilan 20 SP against them.

Mealybugs and Scale Insects

Since they have a waxy coating that protects them even from sprays, this is the worst pest that can attack our palms. We recognize them by their creamy, ochre or brown colour and grey spots on twigs or stems.

To remove these persistent pests, we recommend using Biool, Mospilan 20 SP or Calypso 480 SC. As a home remedy, you can use ordinary table oil, which we apply to the leaves using cotton wool.

Spider Mites

These mites thrive wonderfully in heat and dryness, manifesting as dried leaves, spider webs and cocoons on the leaves.

Cut off leaves affected in this way; for chemical protection, you can use Talstar 10 EC.

Some Palm Species

Howea forsteriana (Kentia Palm) - this palm is named after Lord Howe's islands, it needs plenty of light (not direct, strong midday sun), the plant should also not be in dry air.

Caryota - originates from Asia, grows up to 10 metres tall. The plant must have a minimum temperature of 15 °C

Cocos nucifera - this plant is widespread throughout all tropical regions and is rich in proteins.

Areca lutescens - is the most common houseplant, originates from Madagascar, requires constant watering and temperatures higher than 15 °C

Phoenix canariensis (Date Palm) - is an easy-to-grow plant from the Canary Islands with leaves ending in sharp points (not suitable for growing around children), it must be protected from frost.

Licuala - nearly 100 species grow in Asia, reaching a height of approximately 2 metres, requires temperatures above 15°C, needs frequent misting.

Washingtonia filifera - a charming plant native to the southwestern USA, these palms protect themselves against cold with dead leaves that remain on the plant for some time before falling off.