How to Care for an Areca Palm

Co-authored by Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA

Last Updated: September 16, 2022 References

If you're searching for the perfect indoor plant, you can't go wrong with an areca palm (Dypsis lutescens), which also goes by the names butterfly palm, yellow palm, or golden cane palm. Areca palms are a beautiful tropical plant that can grow up to 6 to 8 ft (1.8 to 2.4 m) tall indoors or up to 25 ft (7.6 m) tall outdoors. Since the plant is nonpoisonous, it’s a great option for homes with children and pets.^{[1]
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Research source} As an added bonus, areca palms help clean the air in your home!^{[2]
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Research source} With proper care, your areca palm can thrive for up to 10 years.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Creating Ideal Growing Conditions

1
Use a well-draining, acidic soil that doesn’t clump up. Get a potting mix or outdoor soil from your local gardening store or online. Check that the soil is labeled as well-draining and acidic so your palm can thrive. Break up the soil before you plant your areca palm so you know it’ll be loose around the roots.^{[3]
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- If you’re planting the areca palm outside, you may prefer to use your existing soil. Make sure it breaks up easily and check for standing water. If the soil is clumpy or you see puddles, it may be best to replace the soil with a commercial mix.
Tip: Mix builder’s sand, peat moss, or bark into your soil if it’s clumping or clay-like. Make a 50-50 mix of soil and sand, peat moss, or bark to create a well-draining mix.
2
Plant the palm in a well-draining pot that’s twice the size of the root ball. Choose a pot that has drainage holes in the bottom so that the plant doesn’t become water-logged. Fill the pot 2/3 of the way with potting soil. Place your root ball in the center of the pot, then cover it with more potting soil. Pat the surface of the soil gently to settle the plant but don’t pack it down around the root ball.^{[4]
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- Some pots come with a built-in tray to catch excess water that flows out of the soil. If yours doesn’t, buy a tray to set your planter on so that the water doesn’t damage the surface beneath your plant.
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3
Put your areca palm in the ground only if you live in USDA zones 10 or 11. Areca palms are commonly grown as a houseplant, but you may want to grow yours outside if your area is hot and humid. Check that your region is in a USDA zone 10 or 11. If so, plant it directly in the ground if you prefer.^{[5]
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- You can check your USDA zone here: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/
- Your palm will likely die outside if you live in an area that’s hotter or cooler than its desired conditions. It will not tolerate extreme cold or heat.
4
Put your areca palm in a spot where it gets bright, indirect light. Areca palms need good lighting to thrive, but direct light can hurt your plant’s fronds. Pick a spot near a window or glass door where the light filters into the room. Place your plant where it’s in an indirect beam or near direct sunlight.^{[6]
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Warning: Too much direct sunlight will cause the leaves of your plant to turn yellow. If you see yellow fronds all over your plant, move it to a spot where it gets less sun.
5
Provide your plant with good air circulation to keep it healthy. Air circulation helps the soil dry out so your plant doesn’t develop a fungus. Pick a spot that’s near an air vent or window that you can open for a few hours a day. Otherwise, put a fan near your areca palm to increase the air circulation.^{[7]
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6
Maintain a temperature that’s between 55 to 75 °F (13 to 24 °C). Areca palms thrive best when the daytime temperature is 65 to 75 °F (18 to 24 °C) and the nighttime temperature is around 55 °F (13 °C). For indoor areca palms, adjust your thermostat so the room temperature stays ideal. If your plant is outdoors, bring it inside on days that are very hot or very cold.^{[8]
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- You may not be able to move your plant if it’s in the ground. Keep in mind that your plant may wilt or die if your region has extreme temperatures.
7
Repot your plant once every 2-3 years so it continues to thrive. Areca palms grow well when they’re root-bound in a pot, which means the pot is not much bigger than the root system. Because of this, they don’t need to be repotted often. Repot your plant in a planter that’s 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm) larger than its old pot every 2-3 years. This will give it room to grow larger.^{[9]
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- You don’t need to worry about this if you planted your areca palm directly into the ground.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Tending to Your Plant

1
Water your areca palm when the soil feels dry to the touch. Areca palms thrive in soil that is moist but not soggy, so allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Check the soil daily to see if your plant needs to be watered. Press your fingertip into the top layer of the soil to see if it feels dry and flaky. If so, use a watering can or cup to spread water around the surface of the soil.^{[10]
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- If you notice spots on your plant’s leaves, switch to distilled or filtered water, as chemicals in water can cause spots on an areca palm. Alternatively, allow the water to sit out overnight so the chemicals can evaporate.
Did You Know? The soil at the bottom of the pot is wetter than the topsoil, so it may become soggy if you don’t give the topsoil time to dry out.
2
Decrease waterings if your areca palm wilts and turns yellow or brown. While areca palms prefer moist conditions, they can develop a fungal infection called Pink Rot or a disease called Ganoderma if the soil is too moist. Pink Rot causes the fronds at the top of the plant to wilt and turn brown, while Ganoderma turns the lower fronds yellow and wilted. You can’t treat these diseases, but you can prevent them by letting the soil dry out between waterings. Reduce waterings if you notice the signs of disease.^{[11]
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- For instance, you might wait an extra day between waterings to allow the soil to dry out more.
3
Spray your areca palm with water daily if the air is dry. Since areca palms are a tropical plant, they grow best in a humid environment. Increase the humidity around your plant by spritzing the leaves and air around your plant with water once a day. Give each of the leaves 1 spritz, then spray a fine mist into the air.^{[12]
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- The air may be dry in your home if you live in an arid region or your air conditioner dries it out. If you’re not sure if the air is dry, watch for brown tips on your fronds, which can be a sign of dry air.
- You may not need to spritz your plant if you live in a very humid area.
Variation: Set up a humidifier near your palm so you don't have to mist it every day. The humidifier will keep the air around your plant moist.
4
Apply 1/2 a serving of liquid fertilizer monthly in spring and summer. Choose a fertilizer that’s made for palms or indoor plants. Measure out 1/2 the recommended serving on the label, then add it to your plant’s water. Spread the water over the surface of the soil to feed your plant.^{[13]
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- Too much fertilizer can cause spots to develop on your plant’s leaves, as salts can build up in the plant.
5
Prune away yellow or brown fronds with wet scissors. Areca palms don’t need pruning, but you might prefer to trim discolored fronds. Place your scissors under a stream of running water to wet the blades. Then, carefully cut away yellow or brown tips on the palm’s fronds. Be careful that you don’t damage the healthy fronds or stems, as this can damage the plant.^{[14]
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- Only cut away the part of the frond that’s discolored.
- Wetting your scissors helps moisten the fronds as you trim them.
6
Avoid shaping your plant because it may stop growing. Areca palms only produce new growth from the tips of their fronds. If you cut the fronds, you will likely remove the part of the plant that is still growing. As a result, your plant will not be able to produce any new growth. Don’t prune your plant aside from removing yellow or brown fronds.^{[15]
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- You don’t need to cut back an areca palm during fall or winter like with other plants. Leave it alone so it continues to thrive.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Dealing with Pests

1
Check the backs of the leaves weekly for pests. You likely won’t need to worry about pests if you grow your areca palm indoors. However, the plant may attract spider mites and mealybugs, which will crawl along the backside of the fronds. Examine the fronds about once a week to make sure the plant doesn’t have pests.^{[16]
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- If you see pests, don’t worry because you can easily get rid of them.
2
Use a steady stream of water to remove pests easily. A steady stream of water from your shower or a garden hose should wash away the pests without you having to use an insecticide. Place an indoor palm in your shower and direct a stream of water over the plant. If your plant is outdoors, spray the palm with your garden hose. Check the plant every 30-60 seconds to see if the pests are gone.^{[17]
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- The pressure from the water should be enough to dislodge the bugs and wash them away.
3
Spray the plant with warm soapy water for an easy pest treatment. Fill 3/4 of a spray bottle with warm water, then add about 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of mild soap. Shake the bottle to mix the soap into the water. Then, spritz your palm with the soapy water to wash away the pests.^{[18]
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- Continue to spritz your plant weekly until you don’t see any signs of pests.
4
Apply diluted insecticidal soap to the plant to quickly kill pests. You may prefer to use an insecticidal soap that can kill the spider mites or mealybugs faster. Fill a spray bottle 3/4 of the way with warm water. Then, measure out about half the amount of insecticidal soap recommended on the label. Shake the container to create a diluted insecticidal soap solution. Spray the solution onto your palm to kill the pests.^{[19]
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- Insecticidal soap contains potassium salts of fatty acids, which kills soft-bodied insects like mealybugs and spider mites. It won't harm other bugs like ladybugs or your plants.^{[20]
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- Read the label on your insecticidal soap to see it’s recommended usage.
- You may be able to get rid of the pests with one treatment. However, spray your plant again if any pests remain.
5
Skip alcohol-based pesticides because they can damage the fronds. While you might be tempted to use a stronger insecticide, they can damage or kill your areca palm. The alcohol may discolor the fronds or cause the plant to wilt. Stick to soapy water or insecticidal soap for pest control.^{[21]
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