Palmera Areca: care

These are the main characteristics of the Areca palm , with the scientific name Dypsis lutescens , which is a tropical plant:

• It has its origin on the island of Madagascar.
• It is a medium-sized palm tree, which usually maintains its height between 1.5 and 3 meters, although it can reach up to double the latter value in very optimal conditions in its natural habitat.
• Its leaves are quite long, up to more than 2 meters, and are divided into a large number of leaflets.
• It receives its name from the bamboo palm tree because of its ringed trunks, reminiscent of those of bamboo.
• When it blooms, it gives rise to small flowers of white tones with an intense and very pleasant aroma.
• Its fruits, on the other hand, are yellow in color, but they turn dark as they ripen.

As a summary, this is a basic guide to caring for the Areca palm tree :

• Light: the Areca can bear being placed in direct light, but it is more appreciative of semi-shade.
• Climate: tropical or subtropical climate.
• Substrate or soil: the most important thing is that it has good drainage.
• Watering: every 2 or 3 days in the warm months, and every 10-15 days in the cold months.

As indicated above, Dypsis lutescens can withstand locations where it receives direct sunlight, but it will do better in bright environments where the intense sun does not hit it directly. Due to this, it is widely used as an indoor plant , since it will develop more than adequately in any room with good lighting. If you expose it directly to very intense solar influences, it is possible that its leaves will burn and spoil.

Regarding the temperature, this palm is a plant from tropical environments, so the ideal is to keep it in a temperature range above 15 ºC. In fact, its optimum temperature is between 18ºC and 25ºC .

It also requires a slightly high humidity , since it transpires a large amount of water through its leaves. If you notice that the tips of its leaves turn brown, it is that the Areca needs more humidity, so you should spray some water on its leaves a couple of times a day in the warm months.

As a tropical plant, the Areca needs regular and abundant waterings . Above we indicate that adequate watering is approximately every 2 or 3 days in the spring and summer months but, as always, this is only a guideline value.

The important thing in this case is to check that the substrate is always kept slightly damp , but never flooded. The plant requires regular availability of water, but overwatering can end up drowning it. In the same way, in winter it is important to markedly reduce the risks.

Due to its air-purifying ability , this plant needs compost more than others, especially if you want it to stay green and vital. In the warm months of spring and summer, we recommend fertilizing the Areca once a month with fertilizer for tropical plants .

You can also rely on organic organic fertilizers of the many that you can make at home. In this other article we explain how to make homemade organic compost for plants .

If the tips of the Areca leaves turn brown it can be mainly due to two problems: either the environment is very dry or you have watered it excessively. The first case is remedied by spraying water on its leaves on a regular basis, while, in the second case, it will be necessary to pay attention that the substrate does not puddle.

If the leaves start to turn yellow , it is probably a plague, probably installed on the underside of the leaves. Identify what type of pest it is and fight it appropriately. In these other articles we talk about How to make natural insecticides for plants and about Homemade fungicides .

Below you can see a video guide on the care of the Areca palm tree. Also, if you want to discover more plants of this type, you can consult this guide on 25 tall indoor plants .

If you want to read more articles similar to Areca Palm: care , we recommend that you enter our category of Growing and caring for plants .