Areca palms also referred to as the 'Butterfly Palm,' is a beautiful kind of tree with delicately textured leaf stalks.
These gorgeous trees, which originated in Madagascar and South India, can be found in any tropical or warm climate area.
The areca palm is one of the many palm trees that are salt-tolerant, which means depending on the degree of salinity in soil or water, the plant will thrive.
While this tree is popular in Florida and other tropical climates, it can also be grown in the confines of one's house with proper care.
In the following guide, I have shared some useful insights on the salt-tolerant quality of Areca palms.
So, do check them out below.
Are Areca Palms Salt Tolerant?
Yes, Areca Palms are moderately salt tolerant.
It means that the palms are relatively tolerant to both salt spray and salt salinity.
Salinity tolerance refers to how much salt a plant can withstand without causing deterioration.
It is essential to be mindful of how much salt is present in the water and soil before planting or caring for an areca palm.
To obtain this information, one can send a sample of the water to the water provider in a particular area or a commercial laboratory that conducts such analysis.
To check the soil's salinity, a private lab will give you the necessary information for the plantation work.
Now, let's look at how soil salinity affects this variety of palm.
How Does Soil Salinity Affect Areca Palms?
Since Areca palms are moderately salt tolerant, here is some useful information:
For Saline Water Spray:
When the palms are soaked in water that contains the following properties, there is a probability of 25% lesser growth of the fronds and 25% more harm to the palm's leaves.
These properties include -
- Electric Conductivity (EC) - 2 to 3 dS/m
- Sodium - 425 ppm
- Chloride - less than 590 pm
For Salinity Of Soil:
When the soil contains EC of 6 to 8 dS/m, the leaves remain unharmed.
List Of Salt Tolerant Palms
Here is a list of a few other palm trees that are salt-tolerant at differing levels:
| Palm Type | Tolerance Level |
|---|---|
| Paurotis Palm (Acoelorrhaphe wrightii) | Moderately Salt Tolerant |
| Mediterranean Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis L.) | Tolerant |
| Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii) | Moderately Tolerant |
| Cabbage Palm (Sabal palmetto) | Sensitive To Soil Salinity |
| Chinese Windmill Palm (Chinese windmill palm) | Sensitive to salt salinity |
| Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis) | Tolerant |
| Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) | Moderately Salt Tolerant |
| Dwarf Blue Palmetto (Sabal minor ‘Riverside’) | Moderately Sensitive |
| California Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera) | Moderately Tolerant |
| Mexican Fan Palm( Washingtonia robusta) | Moderately Tolerant |
| Senegal date palm (Phoenix reclinata Jacq.) | Moderately Tolerant |
| Queen Palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana L.) | Moderately Tolerant |
Tips To Grow Areca Palm Indoors
While it is a beautiful plant to have indoors, it comes with certain challenges.
This plant needs more sunlight than regular houseplants, a good amount of water, and plenty of nutrients.
And all of this needs to be in the perfect and balanced amount.
When choosing a pot for growing an areca palm indoors, it is important to select a larger-than-average pot that gives the palm space to grow.
Still, one should also remember that if given plenty of space, the tree might grow taller than it's supposed to be indoors.
It is also not compulsory to change the pot of the palm often; once every couple of years will be sufficient.
1. Type Of Soil
The soil that areca palm grows in should be nutrient-rich and not contain too much moisture.
The ideal kind of soil would be perfect when mixed with cocopeat and shaved bark.
2. Water
The pot should also be equipped with draining water as the areca palm tends to dry quite quickly and requires plenty of water during the summer months.
If the pot does not drain well, the excess water will cause several issues to the plant.
3. Fertilizer
Like most palms and plants, Areca palms require nutrients for their upkeep.
Investing in fertilizer pellets, including monthly sprays with liquid fertilizer, will help keep the leaves healthy.
4. Temperature
Warmer temperatures are ideal for these tropical trees.
Temperatures between 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal, and this temperature should not decrease below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Humidity is also essential for the plant to keep its leaves green.
This palm tends to allow new growth from between the fronds.
Reducing these new growths by snipping or shearing will injure the fronds.
However, you can trim them slightly when the tips of the leaves turn brown.
It also does not require too much pruning and can be maintained for up to ten years, which is its usual lifespan.
There are also some cons to having an Areca palm indoors.
When the humidity in the surroundings decreases, Spider Mites will commonly be found eating the dredge off the tree's fronds.
However, this is not a significant issue as the fronds can be kept clean and regularly washed.
Apart from Spider Mites, Mealybugs can crop up due to moistness and humidity.
Areca palm trees tend to have issues due to overwatering and too much fertilizer.
If you over-water the plant, it may cause the roots to rot and result in pink rot.
When Potassium is low in the soil, it may lead to the discoloration of leaves.
And the leaves might turn yellow in a few days.
Alright, now, let's take a look at some of the commonly asked questions by the readers.
FAQs
Areca palm trees are mildly tolerant of drought.
These trees need plenty of water and need to be fertilized every two months or so.
Palm trees possess the quality to sustain in saline conditions.
Still, the level of salinity in soil or water differs for each palm tree.
For example, the Cabbage Palm is sensitive to saline conditions, whereas a Date Palm is tolerant to salt.
While this palm thrives in sunlight, direct exposure might be an overkill.
The duration of its growth will prolong if the tree is kept away from light for a long time.
On the other hand, excessive sunlight will lead to leaves turning yellow.
When kept indoors, they should be placed next to a South or West-facing window for bright sunlight.
The Areca palms can survive in temperatures between 65-to-75-degree Fahrenheit.
If the temperature dips below 55-degree Fahrenheit, the leaves may start turning brown.
Over To You
Well, as you can see, the Areca palm is a salt-tolerant plant.
But you still need to care for it properly if you want to see decent growth over the period.
Meanwhile, if you still have any queries related to this topic, please do leave a comment below.
Also, if you liked this guide on Areca palms, don't forget to share it on your favorite social media platforms.
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