How to Plant an Areca Palm

Areca palms, also known as butterfly or golden cane palms, are tropical plants native to Madagascar that have clusters of large fronds. An areca palm usually grows around 3 feet (0.91 m) tall if you keep it indoors, but it could reach up to 25 feet (7.6 m) if you leave it alone outside. You can easily germinate areca palm seeds, or you may plant established saplings if you want the plant to grow more quickly. No matter what planting method you use, as long as you properly care for the palm, it will continue to thrive!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Germinating Areca Palm Seeds

1
Soak the palm seeds in water for up to 1 week. Put the areca palm seeds in a dish and fill it with cold, clean water. Leave the seeds alone while they soak up the water and become more viable. Empty the dish the following day and fill it with fresh water. You can start planting the seeds after 1 day or allow them to soak for up to 7 days, which may increase the chances that they’ll germinate.^{[1]XTrustworthy SourceEDISElectronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articlesGo to source}
- You can buy dried areca palm seeds from some gardening stores or online.
- You don’t need to soak the seeds before planting them, but they may not germinate as effectively.
2
Fill a pot that has drainage holes with 3 parts peat moss and 1 part sand. Mix the peat moss and sand by hand until it’s thoroughly combined. Opt for a pot that’s about 3 inches (7.6 cm) deep and pour in your growing medium. Leave about ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) of space between the surface of the growing medium and the top edge of the pot.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Avoid using seed trays or shallow pots since the roots may not have room to establish.
- Areca palm seeds will not germinate well if you try planting them directly in the ground.
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3
Push the seeds into the growing medium so the tops stick out from the surface. Press the wider bottom of the seed into the growing medium so the narrow point at the top pokes out. Plant additional seeds in the pot so they’re about ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) apart so you grow a large cluster of palms. Put as few or many seeds in the pot as you want depending on how thick you want your palms.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Seeds will not germinate as well if they are completely buried in the growing medium.
4
Water the seeds until the soil feels wet 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) down. Fill a watering can with clean water and slowly pour it over the seeds. Let the water soak into the soil completely before adding more. Feel the soil 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) below the surface with your finger, and stop watering if it’s wet.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Keep a dish underneath the pot to catch water that comes out from the drainage holes. The dish can also help keep the soil moist so it doesn’t dry out as quickly.
Tip: If possible, try to use purified or distilled water when watering your seeds since normal tap water tends to have chemicals that may affect germination.^{[5]XResearch source}
5
Cover the pot with a plastic bag to retain humidity. Choose a plastic bag that’s large enough to fit over the top of the pot. Put the bag upside down on top of the pot and secure it in place with a rubber band. Keep the bag on top of the pot throughout the germination process so it stays humid and promotes better growth.^{[6]XResearch source}
- You can also cover the top of the pot with plastic cling wrap if you don’t have a bag that’s large enough.
6
Store the pot in an area that stays around 80–85 °F (27–29 °C). If you want to keep the seeds inside, opt to put them in an attic, cabinet, or sunroom so they have consistent heat. You may also put the pot outdoors if it’s warm enough. Check the temperature frequently to make sure it stays above 80 °F (27 °C), or else the seeds may not germinate properly.^{[7]XResearch source}
- If you can’t find an area that has consistent temperatures, place a heating mat meant for seedlings underneath the pot to keep the soil warm.
7
Check for leaves or sprouts in 6 weeks. Take the back off of the pot and look for single green leaves coming out from each seed. If you don’t notice any sprouts after the first 6 weeks, put the bag back on the pot and leave the seeds alone. Go back and check the pot weekly until you notice leaves coming out of the soil.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Your seeds may take longer to germinate if they don’t have consistent temperatures.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Transplanting an Areca Palm Sapling

1
Pull the palm sapling out of the old container to expose the roots. Tilt the container over to remove excess soil around the palm roots. Pinch the base of the palm’s stem as close to the growing medium as you’re able. Gently pull the stem up to remove the root ball from the soil. Break off any soil that’s built up around the roots by hand.^{[9]XResearch source}
- It may be difficult for you to remove saplings from the ground successfully since their root systems are more spread out and established.
- Avoid cutting or trimming the roots since you could stunt the palm’s growth or cause it to die.
2
Choose a pot with drainage holes that’s twice the size as the palm’s root ball. Measure the diameter of the palm’s root ball with a measuring tape so you know what size pot you need. Opt for a pot that’s twice as wide and twice as deep as the root ball so it has room to grow. Make sure the pot has drainage holes on the bottom so the growing medium doesn’t get too waterlogged.^{[10]XResearch source}
- Avoid using pots that don’t have holes since the soil can get too waterlogged and cause the palm’s roots to rot.
Variation: If you live in an area that doesn’t get any colder than 40 °F (4 °C), you can also plant the sapling in a sunny location outside instead of a pot.^{[11]XTrustworthy SourceEDISElectronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articlesGo to source}
3
Fill the pot halfway with 3 parts peat moss and 1 part sand. Buy bags of peat moss and gardening sand from your local gardening center. Combine the peat moss and gardening sand and stir them together thoroughly. Scoop the growing medium into the pot until it’s about half full so you have room to set the palm sapling inside the pot.^{[12]XResearch source}
- You can also use perlite in place of sand if you want. You can buy perlite from your local gardening store.
4
Set the palm in the pot and cover the roots with ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) of soil. Set the root ball in the middle of the pot and press the roots into the growing medium. Fill in around the roots with the rest of your growing medium. Only add enough soil so there’s a ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) layer over the root ball, or else the palm may not grow as well.^{[13]XTrustworthy SourceEDISElectronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articlesGo to source}
- Look at the base of the palm’s stem to see where it’s discolored from the soil in the old container. Don’t add soil any higher than the discoloration since it could stunt the palm’s growth.
- Leave at least ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) between the top of the growing medium and the top edge of the pot so nothing spills out when you water the plant.
5
Water the palm as you finish transplanting it. Fill a watering can and pour the water directly on the soil. Allow the water to soak completely into the soil before adding any more. Touch the soil 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) below the surface to see if it feels wet. If it does, then stop watering the palm.^{[14]XResearch source}
- Be careful not to overwater the sapling since it could easily develop root rot.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Caring for Your Palm

1
Keep the palm near a south-facing window so it gets sunlight. For proper care, find a spot in your home that gets consistent sunlight throughout the day so your palm gets the nutrients it needs. If you don’t have a south-facing window, you can also keep the palm in an east- or west-facing window instead.^{[15]XResearch source}
- Areca palms are shade-tolerant, so they don’t require full sun.
- Opt to use grow lights if you don’t have any windows that get consistent light.
- You can also keep the palm outdoors during the day as long as temperatures stay over 40 °F (4 °C). If it gets any colder, your palm may wither and die.
2
Water the soil if the top 2 in (5.1 cm) feel dry. Push your finger into the soil so it’s 2 inches (5.1 cm) below the surface of the soil. If it feels dry, water the soil thoroughly until you notice it coming out from the pot’s drainage holes. If it still feels wet, avoid adding any more water since you could make the soil waterlogged.^{[16]XResearch source}
- If you notice the palm wilting, water it immediately so it doesn’t die.
3
Mist the palm fronds with water to raise the humidity. Check the leaves to see if they feel dry or crinkly, which may mean it’s not humid enough. Fill a spray bottle with clean, warm water and apply it directly to the leaves. Spray the leaves whenever you notice them drying out.^{[17]XResearch source}
- You may also run a humidifier in the room with your palm if you don’t want to mist it.
4
Spread a timed-release fertilizer in the soil in the spring and fall. Look for a 10-10-10 fertilizer at your local gardening center so you can give your palm the proper nutrients. Spread half the amount of fertilizer listed on the package in the soil during the spring and the other half in the fall. Make sure the fertilizer doesn’t touch the palm’s stems, or else you could damage them. Water the soil immediately so the fertilizer soaks in and feeds your plant throughout the season.^{[18]XResearch source}
- You can use granular or liquid fertilizer for your areca palm.
- Avoid applying all of the fertilizer at the same time since it could negatively affect the soil’s chemistry and cause your palm to die.
5
Spray insecticidal soap on the plant to remove pests. Check the palm fronds weekly to see if you notice any spider mites or mealybugs on foliage. If you do, use half the amount of insecticidal soap that’s recommended on the package to avoid damaging the fronts. Mix the soap with water in a spray bottle and apply it directly to the fronds.^{[19]XResearch source}
- Insecticidal soap has chemicals that kill pests but are safe for your plants, and you can buy a bottle from your local gardening center.
- Pests usually hide on the backs of the fronds near the stems.
Variation: You can also mix a few drops of dish soap with water as an alternative to insecticidal soap.^{[20]XResearch source}
6
Prune yellow or brown fronds from the palm with hand pruners. Cut the fronds as close to the stem as possible to remove any damaged or diseased growths. If the entire stem looks brown, trim it right above the growing medium to remove it from the palm. Continue thinning out the palm whenever you notice fronds dying.^{[21]XResearch source}
- You can also cut back healthy fronds if you want to thin out the plant. Only remove up to ⅓ of the palm’s growth, or else you may kill it.
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Tips

To encourage your areca palm to grow fast, you have to plant it in nutrient-rich soil and provide the proper growing environment.
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Warnings

Areca palms are prone to overwatering, which can cause their roots to rot.^{[22]XResearch source}
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Avoid cutting more than ⅓ of the palm’s growth since you could kill the plant.^{[23]XResearch source}
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