Areca palm care guide

The areca palm grows in a clump of slim, golden stems topped with arching, feathery fronds. It brings a tropical look to a bright room, and it is safe for cats and dogs.

Light

Give it bright, indirect light, near a large east, south, or west window. It needs more light than a parlor palm.

Hot afternoon sun through glass yellows and scorches the fronds. Low light makes it thin and leggy.

Water

Water when the top 2 to 3 cm (1 in) of soil is dry. Water until it drains, then empty the saucer.

Areca palms react to fluoride and salts in tap water. Brown tips are the sign. Rainwater or filtered water helps, and so does flushing the pot with plain water every few months. Read how to tell if a houseplant is overwatered or underwatered.

Soil and potting

Use a well-draining houseplant mix.

Areca palms like a snug pot, and their roots are fragile. Repot every two to three years in spring, one size up. Keep the stems at the same depth. See how to repot a houseplant step by step.

Humidity and temperature

Areca palms like humid air. Dry winter air browns the tips. A humidifier or a group of plants helps.

Keep it between 18 and 27°C (65 and 80°F). Keep it away from heat vents and cold drafts.

Feeding

Feed monthly in spring and summer with a palm fertilizer or a balanced liquid fertilizer. Skip fall and winter.

Pruning

Cut fully brown fronds off at the base. Trim brown tips with clean scissors. Do not cut the top of a stem. Palms grow from the tip, and a cut stem does not grow back.

Propagation

An areca palm grows as a clump of stems. In spring, ease it out of the pot and cut the root ball into two or three pieces, each with stems and good roots. Pot each one up and keep it out of hot sun while it settles.

Problems

What you see	Most likely cause
Brown frond tips	Dry air, dry soil, or salts and fluoride in tap water
Yellow fronds	Too much sun, too much water, or hungry
Speckled fronds with fine webbing	Spider mites
Thin, leggy plant	Not enough light
Lowest fronds turn brown	Normal aging

Pests

Spider mites love areca palms in dry winter air. Rinse the fronds in the shower every few weeks and check for webbing. Mealybugs and scale can also show up.

Pet safety

The ASPCA lists areca palm as non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Varieties

Areca palm is sold under one main name. The stems turn golden yellow in bright light, which is where the name golden cane palm comes from.