Last update: 18-08-2021 Home & Garden

Palm Plants - 3 Popular Indoor Palm Trees You'll Love

In recent years, palm trees have been appearing quite often in home interiors. The size of those plants is a huge advantage. Keep in mind, though, that it's not easy to grow and might cause problems - especially for those whose experience with plants is limited. Discover the secrets of this plant family before you take one home.

An indoor plant tree - is it a good plant for home interiors?

Palms are quite special plants. They grow best in their natural environment. It doesn’t mean, though, that you cannot grow an indoor plant tree. Although creating proper conditions for it might be challenging and sometimes results in a failure - don’t give up. Nonetheless, don’t expect to see your palm tree blooming - it’s a very rare event and even experienced palm tree growers don’t get to see it.

Gathering the right information before you take a palm tree home is the best approach. This way, you can avoid many inconveniences and will be equipped with knowledge that might save your plant.

First of all, you should know the appropriate conditions for indoor palm trees in a particular season. It concerns the temperature and watering frequency.

Can you keep an indoor palm tree in any interior at home?

The spot for a potted palm should be picked individually, as it depends on the type of the plant you pick. Why is it so important? Mostly because some plants love direct sunlight, whereas others prefer shade.

We have listed sunlight-loving indoor palm trees below:

• Date palm (Phoenix canariensis)
• Coconut tree (Coco nucifera)
• Windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)
• European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis)
• Ruffled fan palm (Licuala grandis)

All the mentioned palm plants require consistent sunlight, at least a few hours a day. They should be placed by windows or even better - balcony doors. Make sure to put them in interiors where the sun dwells for the longest time.

As it turns out, not every palm tree likes sunlight which means some species grow better in shaded - but not completely dark interiors. You can pick the following plants:

• Lady palm (Rhapis excelsa)
• Parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
• Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana)

Phoenix palm - a tall potted palm

The indoor palm tree referred to as Phoenix palm is called many other names, so perhaps you have seen one of them somewhere. It’s the same potted plant as:

• Canary Island date palm,
• pineapple palm,
• Phoenix canariensis.

This potted palm plant is classified as a tall palm. Are you wondering why? In nature it reaches over 20 meters. But don’t worry - domestic conditions hinder the growth rate, so the plant won’t grow too tall even after 10 years - it will surely fit in your house or apartment.

You can enrich the soil in which you planted the palm with some sand. This way, it has better growing conditions. Pay a special attention to watering of the plant - don’t do it too often. You can spray the leaves with water on a daily basis, though. Water the soil only when it’s noticeably dry.

Coconut palm - can it be grown at home?

Coconut tree is considered a tall indoor palm plant. But keep in mind that domesticated species of this group, especially those grown in Europe are not that big. They can reach up to three meters - after many years.

Coconut trees have characteristic fronds. They are very long and feather-like.

Coconut palm plants like the sun, but not a direct exposure. It’s better to pick a spot with diffused light and away from windows.

Just like the mentioned date tree, this type of potted palm doesn’t like too much watering and humid soil. Be careful about dry air, as coconut trees don’t like such conditions. Overwatering or overdrying are two most common reasons why a potted palm dies.

Parlour palm and other short indoor palm trees

In contrast to the two palm tree species, the parlour palm is a short plant - although it grows large on sides. The maximal height, in this case, is 1.5 meters. It’s a perfect option for those who want to be sure that the potted palm fits in their house or apartment - even after a few years.

Some claim that parlour palm has characteristic leaves. There’s some truth in it, as the fronds grow close to each other and they resemble feathers. But the true distinct feature of those palm plants is the fact that they can bloom indoors.

What conditions does this plant need? Most importantly:

• diffused light,
• temperature around 20°C (68 F),
• slightly damp ground,
• humid air,
• permeable soil.

How often should you water indoor palm trees?

The frequency and method of watering depend mostly on the species of the potted palm. Note that popular indoor palm trees typically have similar requirements in this matter. It means that they should be watered quite infrequently - but they should receive a high amount of water per watering.

Although indoor palm trees don’t like damp soil and dried soil is good for them, they won’t grow well if the air is dry. For this reason, many species need their leaves sprayed on a daily basis.

Remember that each potted palm type might need different watering method. Before you do anything that might harm the plant - read about the particular species.

Potted palm trees - what to know before buying?

Do you think an indoor palm tree is a perfect plant for you? As you pick one, you should pay attention to a few important matters. If it’s possible, don’t buy the plants online. If you do so, you can never know what the seller will send you. Such a plant might be infected or infested with pests, which is a danger for the vulnerable house plants, e.g. orchids or anthurium.

Before you decide on a particular species, make sure to learn some information about it. This way, you will know if the palms you like are shade-loving plants or whether they need a direct sunlight. It’s very important, as it might turn out that, despite your readiness, you cannot provide the potted palm with proper conditions.

Make sure to pick larger and more developed plants. They are more expensive, but they look interesting right away - without waiting until they grow more.