Welcome to the first entry of our new series on taking care of your plants. So often we want to have some live greenery in our homes and all to often we are intimidated by the care requirements that a plant may have. How many times have we said to ourselves, I can’t have it because around me it will die? Or the classic: “I don’t have a green thumb”! Some people (I am sure you have heard) play classical music to their plants, others talk to them! While I will never dispute the benefits of talking to a plant, I can assure you that making sure that your plant is in an environment that it is comfortable in, is far more important than conversation or musical genre!
In this and all entries that follow, we will offer simple no-nonsense easy to understand instructions. We should not be scared of the care that plants require and in fact, they don’t require that much care. Today we introduce you to the Areca Palm!
Areca palms can live indoors quite comfortably. They are tropical plants and they would thrive in that type of climate. Generally in a bright, sunny airy room that you are comfortable in (room temperature, with no extremes) they become well acclimated. Here are some basic care instructions for your plant:
- Select a sunny location. It is best to have the plant near a Southern or Western facing window.
- Water the plant about once every ten to fifteen days. If the soil feels dry and granular on the top layer it is time to water your plant.
- When you water your plant, pour the water in slowly so that the moisture is absorbed by the soil, rather than running through the plant.
- Do not water your plant too often or too much. Most plants do not like living in a moisture infested swamp.
- Too much standing water attracts bugs!
- Feed about every one or two months with your choice of manufacturer’s indoor plant food. Follow instructions on the bottle / box.
- Avoid extreme temperature fluctuations. Do not expose the plant to drafts by doors that open and close to the freezing cold or scorching heat.
- Keep the plant away from the direct influence of a radiator (it will dry the soil and make the foliage crisp).
Areca palms can be purchased from small table top plants (12 inches tall) to really tall floor plants that are over nine feet in height. The average is between four and six feet. If you have any questions on how to take care of your plant or on which plant is best for you, please feel free to reach out to me at nic@starflor.com. You may also visit our website at www.starflor.com. You can also email us a photo of your Areca for more thoughts on how to take care of your plant and correct a certain situation.
Lastly, don’t forget that Areca Palms make great gifts for a home or an office. In the right space it will live forever and you will be remembered every time the person receiving your gift looks at its luscious green fronds!
About Starbright Floral Design: Starbright is a full service florist located in the heart of New York City’s historic flower district on 28th Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues. We service all hotels, event venues in the city as well as assisting with sending floral and plant gifts worldwide. We can be reached at www.starflor.com, by email at cs@starflor.com or by phone at 1-800-520-8999.
Blooming Thoughts 
We live in Hawaii on the ocean and our plants are exposed to a lot of salt spray. My areca palms are indoors with moderate light, however after 3 or 4 months the leaves begin to turn brown, shrivel up and die. This has happened to every palm that I bring home, they start out healthy and eventually die. I water as directed, use miracle grow occasionally, nothing seems to work. Hope you can help as I love these plants in our home and would like to keep the healthy for more than a few months. Mahalo, Marilyn
Thank you so much for the great, useful information.
It came handy since I have just reccently planted Areca Palm indoors. It is in a big pot, and in a big living room full of light (facing East and South).
I encounter the same problem that Marylin is facing
I notice that the edges of the leaves (all of them) become brown, and it seems to progress.
Would appreciate your advice
Thanks,
George
Los Angeles area, California
Can you email me a photo of the leaf? I would be happy to look at it. Do you get salt spray water from the ocean? That can be an issue. My email address is nic@starflor.com. Thank you! Nic Faitos, Senior Partner at Starbright Floral Design.