Areca palm
Wants warmth, humidity and bright indirect light — more demanding than a kentia.
Care
Bright indirect light; strong direct sun yellows the fronds.
Medium — keep evenly moist in summer, a little drier in winter; hates both drought and a waterlogged pot.
Peat-free houseplant compost with extra grit.
Remove fully brown fronds at the base; don't cut green fronds or trim the tips short.
A palm or balanced houseplant feed monthly in spring and summer; yellowing new fronds often mean it needs magnesium or iron.
Divide a multi-stemmed clump when repotting in spring; seed needs high heat.
Month by month
Months change with the climate: in southern Italy tomatoes go out two months earlier than in England.
- AprilRepot every two or three years; palms like a snug pot. how ›
- JulyCheck under fronds for red spider mite in warm, dry weather.
- NovemberWater a little less in winter and keep away from radiators. how ›
Months based on climate: UK. Your choice stays on this device.
- AprilRepot every two or three years; palms like a snug pot. how ›
- JulyCheck under fronds for red spider mite in warm, dry weather.
- NovemberWater a little less in winter and keep away from radiators. how ›
Months based on climate: Northern Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
Common problems
How to spot it. Tips of leaflets dry and brown.
What to do. Dry air, fluoride in tap water or irregular watering.
How to spot it. Speckled, dull leaves with fine webbing.
What to do. Raise humidity and shower the plant.
How to spot it. Whole fronds yellow.
What to do. Old fronds naturally; new ones point to overwatering or deficiency.
Questions
Areca palm: is it hardy?
H1a: True houseplant, needs above 15°C. It survives heated glasshouse.
Can it grow in a pot?
Yes — a houseplant.
Areca palm: when do you prune it?
Remove fully brown fronds at the base; don't cut green fronds or trim the tips short.
When do you feed it?
A palm or balanced houseplant feed monthly in spring and summer; yellowing new fronds often mean it needs magnesium or iron. Feeding months, UK: April–September.