How to Care for Parlor Palm Plants the Right Way

Gardening Basics

How to Care for Parlor Palm Plants the Right Way

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Also known as Chamaedorea elegans and Neanthe Bella Palm, Parlor Palm is the most versatile plant that requires almost no maintenance. Its dark green foliage fits in perfectly indoors and outdoors and also purifies the air flawlessly.

The best part about growing parlor palm does not need specific or optimum conditions to grow. So, if you're looking to bring home the beauty of the world's tropics, this plant is perfect for your space!

Bring Home Your Own Parlor Palm Plant!

 

What is the Parlor Palm Plant?

Parlor Palm Plant Indoors


Parlor Palm thrives well in apartment spaces with low light. Even if it is placed near a bright window, the plant creates a shadow of its own and manages the rest of the day, brightening up the dullest and darkest corner of the house.

The Parlor Palm is a rather slow grower and might take years to grow up to a meter.  
It is believed to have originated from Mexico and the dense forests of Guatemala as the plants hardly receive any sunlight here, and humidity is pretty high. Though the plant can sustain in all types of lights, it does extremely well under fluorescent light conditions.


The plant’s single stem features slender leaves in a frond and it gives a super tropical feel, whether planted indoors or outdoors. 

How to Care for Parlor Palm Plants 

Sure, Parlor palm plants aren't very demanding or tricky to care for. However, they do need the right kind of care to thrive in your space. 

So, here are some basic care tips to ensure proper Parlor Palm plant growth:


1. Light

Indoor palm tree light requirements


These low-light plants need bright, filtered sunlight to do their best. They are often planted in a northern exposure. 

 

2. Size of the Container


Pots from 4” to 14” diameter are ideal for this plant. It needs to have enough space to grow healthy roots and the perfect space. 

The Parlor Palm plant loves its space. So, remember to never suffocate it!

Shop Stunning Pots and Planters

 

3. Temperature


The ideal temperature for the parlor palm is between 55 to 58°F.

4. Humidity

Humidity for Parlor Palm Plants: Misting Your Plant


Parlor palm plants can sustain well in normal-above average humid conditions. They need enough humidity to sustain without shriveling or drying up. So, mist your Parlor Palm plants every day to ensure that they are constantly in a moist environment. 

If you cannot mist it, place it near a humidity tray or an automatic humidifier that will ensure proper moisture in the air around it.

 

5. Watering the Plant

Parlor Palm Plant Water Requirements


Like other members of the Palm family, these too are sensitive to overwatering and cannot tolerate excessive watering. Slight moisture but with a dash of dryness is ideal.

Water your Parlor Palm plant once a week or when the top inch of its soil dries out. 

 

6. Soil


Use high-quality potting mix only. Just be careful that does not break down and turn into a sponge. For this, you can use Ugaoo's Pot-O-Mix, which is a perfect blend of 11 essential ingredients such as perlite, coco peat, charcoal, and more. 

Remember, any Parlor palm potting mix you use must be well-drained and aerated, ensuring enough breathability for your plant overall. 

 

7. Fertilizer

Ugaoo Plant Food Fertilizer Sticks


Feed your Parlor Palms with a diluted liquid fertilizer once or twice during the growing season. Since these Palms are light feeders, you do not need to fertilize them during the winter.

You can also use Ugaoo's Plant Food Fertilizer Sticks, which will give your plant a consistent and organic feed. One stick last 2 months and will release nutrients into your soil every time you water the plant!

 

8. Propagating Parlor Palm


Professional gardeners propagate Parlor Palm plants from seeds as they cannot be propagated by stem or leaf cutting. It might be possible to divide a clump into two smaller clumps, but this is not recommended.

 

9. Pruning


Pruning Parlor palm plants is different from other household plants. Just remove the wilting leaves, and leave the stem as it is. The new leaves will grow on the main stem.

 

10. Repotting

Repotting a Parlor Palm Plant


Parlor Palm stems are weak and grow pretty slowly. This means that repotting should be done with extreme care. The palms stay at a manageable size and hence do not need repotting more than once a year. If only the potting media breaks down and becomes sponge-like, then you must repot to prevent root rot.

11. Varieties


The main Parlor Palm variety is C. elegans, and it is native to Mexico and Central America. The related varieties are bamboo palm, C. erumpens, which come with fan-like leaves, and are a bit larger than other varieties. A few other variations include C. hooperiana, which resembles a kentia palm.

 

12. Toxicity

Parlor Palm Plant in a Bedroom


This indoor palm plant is non-toxic and safe for planting indoors as well as outdoors. It causes no harm to pets or humans upon ingestion, making it safe for placing in bedrooms, as well. 

 

13. Pest Control

Ugaoo Mealybug Magic Spray


Look out for bugs like spider mites and mealybugs which feed on the leaves of parlor palm plants. Initially try spraying the leaves with warm and mild soapy water. 

For severe cases, you can also make use of Ugaoo's Mealybug Magic Spray; which effortlessly rids your plant of infestations. 

 

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