This palm needs bright light indoors, dappled light outdoors, and high humidity to thrive.
Providing the right amount of light for these plants is crucial.
Successfully growing them requires balancing several factors: heat, light, andfertilization.
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Majesty palms have a reputation for being somewhat temperamental.
Light
Majesty palms are understory plants in their natural habitat.
Indoors, provide them with lots of indirect light and a few hours of sun from a window.
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Move plants that are stretching to a brighter spot, but do not place them in full sunlight.
These palms need good drainage to prevent water-logged roots.
They are acid-loving plants that do best with a pH level as low as 5.
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Water
Keep the potting media evenly moist but not waterlogged.
Temperature and Humidity
This plant will grow fairly well in temperatures between 65 and 85F.
It prefers high humidity but can survive in ordinary household humidity levels.
In dryer homes, running a humidifier can have a positive effect.
Low humidity levels can encourage insect pests.
If yourindoor palm plantstarts to stretch out, thenreduce or stop fertilizing.
A fertilizer mix designed for cacti is a good choice.
Majesty palmis the only species commonly cultivated for garden or houseplant use, and it has no named cultivars.
Pruning
Pruning is not entirely necessary.
For aesthetic reasons, you may want to remove any fronds that have turned brown or yellow.
Use clean pruners or shears to get a clean, sharp cut without tugging on the plant.
Pots made from clay or ceramic will help stabilize these plants, which can get top-heavy.
Get Your Repotting Gear
Overwintering
Majesty palm doesn’t require any specific care during winter.
double-check to get your plant indoors before freezing weather arrives.
This plant will not survive winter in zones 9 or cooler.
Common Pests
Majesty palms are vulnerable to pests includingaphids, scale, andwhitefly.
Large outdoor trees planted in the landscape may produce white flowers followed by red fruit once they are full-sized.
The blooms are not particularly showy.
Common Problems With Majesty Palms
Leaf color is a major indicator of majesty palm health.
Amoisture metercan guide you towards correct watering.
If leaves are beginning to turn brown at the tips, the plant is probably not getting enough water.
If you notice brown spots developing on the leaves, that’s likely an insect problem.
Majesty palms will grow better outdoors, especially in zones where they are hardy: 10 and 11.
However, majesty palm can be grown indoors if cared for properly.
Growers in cooler zones can also give their plants a boost by placing them outside in summer.
This palm tree grows about one foot a year, which means infrequent repotting.
Once it reaches four to six feet, the growth rate slows.
Majesty palms do not like their soil to dry out, but they also don’t like soggy soil.
Instead of watering on a schedule, regularly check the soil and water only if needed.
A moisture meter will tell you when the soil is still somewhat moist but about to dry out.
Majesty palms need bright sunlight when grown indoors and dappled sunlight when grown outdoors.
North Carolina State Extension.