What You Need To Know About Parlor Palm: 24 Care Tips

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Notes

Parlor Palm is easy-to-care-for and is sure to spruce up your garden of indoor plants. In the community of plant collectors, this houseplant is well-loved because of its distinctive appearance and feel.

In this article, we’re sharing the most important tips and tricks you’ll need to know to raise a Parlor Palm successfully!

If you want to have one for yourself, we have a few reasonable options for you to explore. Continue reading this care guide to learn more about this Chamaedorea’s interesting attributes.

What Is Parlor Palm?

Parlor Palm, considered a typical indoor palm, is ideally placed indoors in low light or away from direct sunlight and cramped space. When grown outdoors, it is only recommended for hardiness zones 10-12 for higher survivability.

Also known as Parlor and Neanthe Bella, this plant belonging to the wide variety of palm trees is famous for its resilience to indoor conditions and reliable habit. It belongs to the Palms family.

Origin And Family

Neanthe Bella originates from the Chamaedorea genus, which is part of the Palms family. The rainforests of Southern Mexico and Guatemala are home to this plant. Neanthe Bella has become a popular indoor plant in recent years, thriving in most households that give it plenty of temperature and average humidity levels. It also produces small yellow flowers in spring, which can also be good additions to flower arrangements!

Where To Buy

If you are looking to buy a Parlor Palm, we have great buying experiences with online sellers from Etsy. Although fairly high prices typically range between $20 and $70, it won’t be a waste with its beauty!

Parlor Palm Plant Size

When grown indoors, the Parlor Palm grows to a height of 2-6 ft and spreads to a width of 2-3 ft.. Although it is a slow grower, it thrives in low light and cramped spaces.

Parlor Palm Care Needs

Your Parlor Palm will thrive beautifully with the right care. It likes to grow on a moderately moist soil surface and in low light. In most situations, you’ll want to water your Chamaedorea elegans when the soil is dried out. Be sure not to give it very little water! Deliberately drench the soil until you see water seeping out from the bottom of the pot. As a temperature and humidity-loving plant, it will be in its best health when provided abundantly with excess water.

We’re making it simple for you to care for your Parlor Palm with the extensive list of tips below.

Care Difficulty

Given its light, water, and humidity needs, the Parlor is typically considered easy-to-care-for. In order to grow this plant successfully, you’ll need to be particular with the well-draining soil and amount of water.

New friends! Parlor palm, bromeliad, fern, golden philodendron, and an African violet! 🌿 pic.twitter.com/9Q9abCMxIp

— Ren is Gardening 💙💛🌻 (@RenTradewind) July 24, 2020

Growth Rate

The Neanthe Bella plant grows 2-6 ft as a houseplant in height when grown to its maturity and stored indoors. Its growing season is in the spring towards the summer months, but most Chamaedorea species, areca palms, have a slow growth rate.

Potting

For potting needs, you can go for a larger pot. An important requirement is that the pot should contain at least one drainage tray or hole. Leaving your Neanthe Bella in wet soil for extended periods could kill your plant.

Repotting

Parlor Palm typically needs to be repotted every few years or when it becomes pot bound. When this happens, carefully remove the plant from its pot but be careful not to disrupt the main root ball. You can then transfer the plant into a bigger pot. The roots will adapt quicker when planted on the same substrate that it’s used to.

Soil

The Parlor does best in a well-drained cactus, palm, or potting mix. The roots of this plant prefer a moderately moist condition, so make sure you choose components with moisture-retention properties right for your soil. Use coarse sand and perlite to create your own compound.

Root rot or other diseases can be avoided with good drainage. Consider adding chunky and granular materials to your soil for better aeration.

These are some adequate soil options for your plant:

pH

Your Neanthe Bella likes neutral to acidic soil, meaning you should keep the pH level at 5.1 to 7.5. If you’re concerned about acidity, you can buy a simple pH testing tool to examine your soil.

You can also regulate excessive pH levels on your soil with sulfur or aluminum sulfate and improve low pH levels by adding baking soda, calcitic or dolomitic lime, or wood ash.

Water

Neanthe Bella is a temperature and humidity-loving plant that needs moderately moist soil throughout the year. However, during the spring, water your plant when the soil is dried out. Drench the soil until water drains through.

If you’re using a collection tray, make sure to toss out the water to fend off root rot and other diseases. In the winter months, you won’t need to water as much. Continue to water your plants deeply but do it less frequently.

Light

This houseplant prefers low light for approximately 2-4 hours a day or even for the whole day. If there’s excessive light, its darker green leaves will turn to light green and/or yellow. If your Parlor Palm isn’t getting enough light, you can move it to a place where it is facing a window. You might also consider investing in LED grow lights. Here are recommended products for you to choose from:

Fertilizer

Plants, like humans, need more food when they are actively growing because they are using up a lot of their energy. For the Parlor, this growth spurt typically happens in spring. During this period, you can apply a balanced liquid fertilizer or slow-release fertilizer every other week. In the winter, this plant’s roots usually go dormant in the cold. This means they won’t need extra food for growth.

Propagating Parlor Palm

There are different ways to propagate a Parlor Palm. For higher chances of success, follow the steps we’ve laid out below for each unique method.

you forgot parlor palm. they are cheap and literally indestructible. need essentially zero light. occasionally can forget to water. so easy. pic.twitter.com/9AInNRvKbA

— edge daddy oliv (@goodluckolivia) September 12, 2020

Division

Division is a propagation technique typically used for plants that have pups exposed from the roots. You can separate the stem clusters of your Neanthe Bella by following these steps:

1. Dig up. Remove the plant from its container. This will show where the plant’s natural divisions are.

2. Separate. Using your fingers, gently separate the sections apart. It may be necessary to use shears to cut any entangled roots.

3. Repot. Using new pots filled with the same soil that they’re used to, plant each section.

Humidity And Aeration

For rich-colored leaves and lush growth, your Parlor Palm needs moderate to high humidity between 40-60%. If you’re concerned about the humidity or if you see brown tips or brown spots on your plant leaves, you may purchase a humidifier and place it near your plants. This addition will make a big difference in your plant’s health.

Temperature

Generally, since these are tropical plants, tropical vibe or temperatures are best for your Neanthe Bella plant. This can range between 60-85 degrees Fahrenheit. The most important consideration for this plant is consistency. Abrupt temperature changes can heavily damage the Neanthe Bella. In cold weather, protect your plant against cold drafts by closing windows and sealing any opening. Keep it far from heat vents that can dry the foliage.

Flowers

Although a rare occurrence in an indoor environment, you might be able to witness your Neanthe Bella producing flowers that are insignificant and yellow. Outdoors, this plant blooms in spring.

Non-Toxic

The Parlor is not hazardous to children or pets. According to the ASPCA, it will not hurt dogs or cats if consumed, and there are no elements in the plant that are toxic to humans.

Pests, Diseases, And Other Problems

Is your Parlor Palm looking ill? Most would say that this is not a plant with strong resistance to pests, diseases, and overall problems.

In the following sections, I’ve provided the common issues that affect this plant. Use these tips to help diagnose and treat your Chamaedorea.

Spider Mites

Unfortunately, red spider mite is a widespread problem, particularly for plant collectors with a Neanthe Bella. If you notice brown or yellow stains on your plant’s leaves, silky webbing between branches, or leaves that take a long time to unfold, you have spider mites. Bring your sick plant to the sink, tub, or outside and vigorously wash all the leaves with a forceful spray of water to combat a spider mite infestation. Spider mites can also be eliminated by applying neem oil, horticultural oil, and insecticidal soap on a regular basis. If you prefer a non-chemical approach, ladybugs, lacewings, and minute pirate bugs can help control your spider mite population.

White Flies

Whiteflies are gnat-like pests that feed on the sap of your houseplants. Having them on your Neanthe Bella can be a big inconvenience. They deposit eggs which will hatch into larvae that eat the undersides of your plant’s leaves.

You can get rid of Whiteflies using a general pesticide. You may either buy it online or make one using the recipe below:

• To create your base, mix these ingredients: 5 drops of dish soap (make sure it doesn’t have any bleach in it!) + 1 cup of vegetable or olive oil

• For every cup of water, add 1.5 tsp of the prepared mixture

• Shake the solution well and then transfer it to a spray bottle.

• Spray all surfaces of the infected plant, especially on the underside of leaves.

Scale Insects

Scale insects might look like lumps on the stems or leaves of your Parlor Palm. These small bugs, which may be green, gray, brown, or black in color, usually remain sedentary when they’ve latched onto a plant.

In minor infestations, you can dilute a teaspoon of neem oil in four cups of water to inhibit scale insects from attacking your plant. Use a spray bottle and spritz the plant vigorously. Neem oil and horticultural oils will not kill the pests but will certainly cause some damage to them. There are numerous insecticide sprays against scales that are regarded as safe to use indoors.

Slowly but surely replacing fake plants I'm my apartment with real ones. I got the tall boy (parlor palm) and tiny succulent (Crassula baby necklace) from a new local plant shop. The owner was a delight and so helpful. Please support your neighborhood small businesses!! ✨ pic.twitter.com/qyfgj3Aili

— Miranda Sanchez (@HavokRose) October 24, 2020

Mealybugs

Mealybugs may infest your Neanthe Bella. These tiny parasites harm your plant by feeding on the sap. The honeydew secreted by these parasites can also invite fungal diseases. Mealybugs are visibly oval bugs that seem like cottony masses all over the plant. They will either crawl slowly or stay immobile.

To avoid a mealybug invasion, take a cotton swab, soak it in rubbing alcohol, and rub it over the palm-shaped leaves or any affected areas of the plant. I also recommend water mixed with neem oil as a preventive spray.

Brown Leaf Tips

Brown leaf tips on your Neanthe Bella can either be caused by low humidity, root damage, underwatering, or soil compactness. You may need to flush out excess minerals, salts, fertilizers, and chemicals in the soil occasionally by letting the water flow through for a few minutes. As long as you have a fast-draining substrate and a pot with drainage holes, you shouldn’t worry about accidentally drowning your plant’s roots.

 

Yellow Leaves

Yellowing leaves on Parlor can be caused by lack of light, too much light, overwatering, underwatering, nutrient deficiency, overfertilization, recent disruption of the roots, changes in temperature and humidity, presence of pests, and many others.

If you’re confused, don’t worry! Gardening requires trial and error to figure out the ideal conditions for your plants, and even master gardeners are learning new things every day. It is usually encouraged to prune off yellowing leaves so the plant won’t waste its energy trying to “save” the leaf instead of supplying nutrients to new leaves.

Similar Plants

Love Neanthe Bella? Here are some other related plant options you should try:

Areca Palm – The smooth, occasionally golden trunks of these palms resemble bamboo bunches. Their fronds are similar to bamboo leaves in that they are slender and full. They are frequently utilized as a privacy screen when cultivated outside. Indoors, these palms are grown as houseplants. They grow at a slow to moderate rate and are best planted in the spring.

Philodendron Mayoi – Philodendron mayoi is a Brazilian tropical plant. It’s a newly discovered philodendron species in the Araceae family. The leaves of the Philodendron mayoi are strongly pinnated, with up to six lobes on each side, and resemble those of a palm tree.

Ponytail Palm – This palm tree with ponytail-like leaves is neither a palm nor a tree. It is, in reality, a succulent that belongs to the Agave family. Bottle palm tree and elephant foot tree are two more frequent names for this species. It was previously classed as either Nolina recurvata or Beaucarnea recurvata, but the latter is now the proper name for this species.

Conclusion

The Parlor Palm, with its resilience to indoor conditions and reliable habit, is the ultimate addition to any plant lover’s collection. Whether you’re new to indoor gardening or you’re a long-time hobbyist who’s learning more about this particular plant, we hope you’ve learned some helpful tips from us to successfully grow your Parlor Palm!

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