Palm Trees

Caring for Palm Plants

An indoor palm tree is a really easy house plant to care for. Palms enjoy a fairly light, shady spot, but out of the direct rays of the full sun. The palm will remain beautiful and healthy with a fertiliser applied once a month. Water regularly, enough for the water to reach the roots, but remember: lots of water in one go is preferable to frequent, little drops of water, so that all the roots are saturated. It’s good to spray the foliage if the atmosphere is very dry. They prefer water without limescale. The healthier the plant the more resistant it will be to temperature changes in the home, such as draughts and central heating. In spring, when the temperature increases, stand your palm outdoors to enjoy a nice shower of rain to freshen it up. If necessary, carefully wipe all the individual foliage with a soft damp cloth (no cleaning fluid!) to remove dust. It will really brighten your palm tree up.
Palm plants make great house plants and, given how long they can last, are more than worth the investment!
For particular characteristics and tips for caring for particular palm plants, see our selection of palms online.

The origins of the Palm Tree

Palms originated naturally from the warm regions of Asia, Africa, America and Australia. Livistonia rotundifolia palms originated in Malesia. ‘Rotundifolia’ actually refers to the round ‘hand’ shape of the palm leaves.
The Rhapis palm originated in China and South East Asia with the Caryota palm, recognisable by its ‘torn’ foliage – this unusual palm tree comes from parts of India and the Philipines. Finally, you have the Cycas palm. This isn’t truly a palm but is classified as of the oldest plants around, the Cycadaceae. Cycas are also called tree ferns.
 
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