Palm Houseplant Problem

//Palm Houseplant Problem

This palm appears to be getting too much light. Indoor palms or “Parlor Palms” can suffer from too much or too little light. Symptoms of too much direct sunlight include gray or brown-colored scorched leaves and leaves that shrivel and die. Most indoor palms require natural bright light all year, so if you place the palm near an east-facing or south-facing window with filtered light, it should get enough natural light.

Indoor palms require warm temperatures. The ideal temperature is between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and about 60 F at night. The exception to this is when plants are not actively growing, in winter. In winter, the plants can withstand cooler temperature of 55 to 60 F. Palms that are kept too cool show signs of cold injury, which includes brownish-red areas on the leaves. To prevent chilling injury, keep plants in a room with a temperature above 45 F and away from drafty areas, such as near air-conditioning units, windows and doors.

Additionally, Proper watering is important to the health of an indoor palm. If a plant doesn’t get enough water, it can suffer from dried leaves and brown leaf tips and margins. Palms need to be kept moist, but you should never allow them to dry out or sit in water. You can allow the soil of the palm to dry out slightly below the surface between waterings during active growth and allow the soil to become dry out a little deeper between waterings in winter. When you do water, pour water until it comes out the drainage tray and empty the tray immediately. Be sure to avoid too much fertilizer. Too much fertilizer can harm indoor palms and, like improper watering, can cause brown leaf tips and margins. When fertilizer builds up and the soil is allowed to dry out, it can cause leaf burn. Palms require a slow-release or diluted liquid fertilizer, but only when plant is actively growing. The active growth period for palms is from late winter through early fall. If you are unsure about how much fertilizer to use, it is best to under-feed than over-feed the plant.

By | 2015-12-11T01:57:03-08:00 December 11th, 2015|House Plants|1 Comment

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  1. Baljinder August 26, 2022 at 8:45 pm - Reply

    Hello sir/mam,
    I kept indoor n outdoor palm trees. But indoor is having rotting n yellow spots on leaves .
    I don’t want them to die. Kindly suggest something how can I revive n protect them

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