Caring for a Parlor Palm Indoor Plant: A Comprehensive Guide on Nurturing Your Parlor Palm Houseplant
The Chamaedorea elegans, commonly known as the Parlor Palm, is a popular houseplant that thrives in low light and low humidity indoor environments. Here's a guide to caring for this resilient plant in such conditions.
The Parlor Palm, native to Central and South America, boasts the botanical name Chamaedorea elegans. It is non-toxic to cats and dogs, making it a great choice for pet-friendly homes.
Light
Parlor palms tolerate and thrive in low light conditions, preferring indirect light and avoiding direct sunlight, which can burn the leaves. Placing the plant slightly away from windows or in shaded interior areas works well.
Water
Water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot; the soil should be allowed to dry moderately between watering, as parlor palms prefer to dry out somewhat rather than stay soggy.
Humidity
Although the parlor palm prefers higher humidity and benefits from regular misting especially in dry winter months, it can survive in normal indoor humidity. To compensate for low humidity, mist the leaves frequently or place a humidifier nearby. Alternatively, placing the plant near a steamy bathroom can help increase local humidity, which also reduces pests like spider mites.
Temperature
Keep the palm in temperatures between 60-85°F (16-29°C), avoiding drafty areas or sudden temperature changes.
Additional Care Tips
Ensure good pot drainage to prevent waterlogging. Avoid placing near drafty windows or doors to prevent stress.
Repotting is usually necessary every other year to prevent root rot. The plant prefers a potting mix that is acidic to slightly alkaline, with a pH between 6.0-7.8.
Parlor palms can reach heights of 2-6 feet (61 cm-2 m) and have a spread of 2-3 feet (61-91 cm). They prefer room temperatures between 65-80 F (18-27 C) and are hardy in USDA hardiness zones 10-12.
When to plant is in the spring for outdoor palms. Division of a parlor palm may cause some foliage die-back.
Other common varieties of parlor palms include C. erumpens, C. cataractarum, C. radicalis, C. seifrizii, and C. hooperiana. These plants require bright, indirect light and can tolerate a low of 50 F (10 C).
Parlor palms are not easily propagated by novice growers, but can be divided on a healthy, mature plant. They are not typically attractive to insects, but may attract small soft-bodied pests in great numbers.
Liz Baessler, a Senior Editor at Gardening Know How with a background in English and horticulture, offers expert advice on caring for Chamaedorea elegans.
The Parlor Palm, thriving in low light and low humidity indoor environments, can enhance a modern lifestyle or boost the aesthetics of a home-and-garden decor. To ensure its health, a home-and-garden enthusiast might choose to mist the leaves frequently to compensate for low humidity conditions, as the plant prefers higher humidity.
