Learn about the successful ways to propagate Areca plam indoors to enhance the air quality and aesthetics of your home and office!
Also known as the butterfly palm, you may have often seen offices and houses adorned with this feather-leaved beauty. The areca palm (Botanical Name: Dypsis lutescens) is an effective air purifier and a plant that grows well in the soil and water. That means you get multiple options for successfully propagating the areca palm!
Successful Ways To Propagate Areca Plam Indoors
1) Propagation By Division
This is the simplest method by which you can propagate the Areca palm because it readily produces offshoots. Separate the offshoots from the mother plant and plant them in a separate pot with the appropriate soil mix. You must ensure that the offshoots have their roots attached and are at least 30 cm long.
The best time to propagate the Areca palm by division is during spring when the plant is in its active growth phase. The next requirement is to keep the offshoot in a location that receives bright, indirect sunlight. To maintain the correct humidity levels, you could initially put a plastic bag over the top of the offshoot with some air holes punched.
When new leaves are formed, you can consider the plant an adult and transplant it again. A word of caution before transplanting- ensure that your baby palm has enough time to acclimatize to its new environment and microclimate; otherwise, it could go into transplant shock. Feed the newly transplanted plant only after the first four months. That would give the offshoot to develop a robust root system.
2) Propagation By Seed
Take a handful of Areca plam seeds that you can easily purchase at a nursery or a garden center and scrub the seeds against a mesh screen. This process is called “cleaning” the seeds, where you remove the outer screen and place both the seeds and the mesh screen beneath tap water until each seed’s outer, fibrous layer washes away. Let the seeds soak like this for about two days.
After the seeds have been “cleaned” and have had a chance to soak, pot them in a well-draining, all-purpose potting soil. Lightly cover them with a layer of compost, ensuring that the seeds are still slightly visible. You could also DIY a potting soil mix with a peat and sand ratio of 3:1 or a mix of peat, sand, and pine bark in a ratio of 6:1:3.
When growing Areca palm seeds in partial shade, you don’t need to bury the seeds all the way into the potting soil. You should also maintain adequate humidity levels by covering the pot with a plastic bag or cling film that is punched in air holes.
Though this method is slower, considering that the seeds will start germinating after about 40 days, it is one of the easiest and most surefire ways to propagate Areca palm indoors successfully.
Care Tips When Growing Areca Palm Indoors
While Areca palms are undemanding, they do need regular attention. Here are some specific tips to remember when propagating and growing Areca palm indoors:
- The first thing to remember is that excess water should always drain out of the Areca palm pot, as this plant does not tolerate stagnation. However, the soil does need to remain moist, so water often in smaller amounts. Moreover, you should also choose a pot size big enough for the plant’s taproot to grow and spread downwards.
- Always ensure warm temperatures between 65°F and 80°F, which is between 18°C and 27°C. Even during winter, you should not let the temperature get below 60°F or 15°C. Since this plant loves humid conditions, misting regularly is also a good idea. Do not place the plant near drafts to avoid leaf discoloration.
- While this plant does not require pruning, you should maintain its appearance by removing dead, dried, or yellow leaves. You should also fertilize the plant with non-mineral, plant-based fertilizer every two weeks during the active growing season of spring to avoid chloride and fluoride toxicity.
- Too much sunlight can scorch the Areca palm’s leaves. They grow best in partial shade, so place the plant pot near an east-, south-, or west-facing window in your home. These will give your plant a proper, balanced amount of sunlight and shade and ensure that the soil does not dry out. While you can reduce watering in winter, do not let the soil dry out completely.
- Always monitor your Areca palm’s environment to mimic the plant’s natural habitat. A hygrometer or moisture meter can be really useful in taking precise readings.
