Areca Palms are known for their ability to brighten up any living space they are kept in.
This bold, feathery, and elegant plant is quite alluring and an ideal choice for your home.
Most plant parents prefer buying a young Areca Palm plant, as mature ones are more expensive.
However, these plants grow fast, provided that they get plenty of sunlight.
New plant owners often wonder if their plants receive a proper amount of sunlight because too much light can burn the palm leaves, and too little can damage it eventually.
In this guide, we will discuss how much light is appropriate for the Areca Palm to thrive in.
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Can Areca Palm Grow In Shade?
Areca Palm thrives in bright but indirect sunlight and can manage fairly well in the shade.
It needs to be protected from harsh sunlight, especially during afternoons.
It is not good for an Areca Palm to be exposed to direct sunlight constantly as this can burn its leaves.
Placing the plant near a south or west-facing window is ideal for its light needs.
Tips To Fix Low Light Issue For Your Indoor Areca Palm
Bright light is absolutely necessary for an Areca Palm to grow well.
In their natural habitat, they grow under the shade of other trees, which is why bright but indirect sunlight is preferred for the Areca Palm.
While direct sunlight can harm the leaves, not getting enough light can be detrimental to the health of the plant.
Brown tips and spots begin appearing on the leaves of the Areca Palm when it does not get enough sunlight.
To know whether the plant is getting enough light, examine it over a period of time.
The leaves will appear dull and subsequently turn brown when they do not receive adequate sunlight.
This can also be due to its placement in a particular room.
A brighter location can help revitalize the plant.
If the plant is near a south-facing window, place it away from the window so that the plant is not exposed to direct sunlight.
When placed near a north-facing window, keep the plant closer to the window so that it can get as much sunlight as possible.
Direct sunlight in the morning and during the late afternoon is good for the plant.
If you want to plant your Areca Palm in a low-light area, you can do so by investing in artificial lights so that the palm tree gets its fair share of light during the day!
Placing a fluorescent light 12 inches above the plant can be helpful for the plant, but ensure that you set a timer for the light.
Keeping the lights on for 14 hours will give it the right amount of light it needs to grow.
Feeding the plant with a balanced fertilizer will also help maintain its growth rate.
FAQs
Areca Palms enjoy plenty of sunlight as long as it is not directly exposed to sunlight.
This is because direct sunlight can burn the leaves of the plant.
Areca Palm can be kept in the shade when it is extremely sunny, but keeping this plant in the shade for long hours can damage it.
Areca Palms thrive in bright, indirect sunlight, so it is important to give the plant its daily dose of bright light.
If the room your plant is kept in does not receive sunlight, consider buying grow lights.
Grow lights can immensely aid Areca Palm’s growth.
It is one of the few indoor plants that can tolerate trimming.
Trimming the plant once in a while can keep the plant fresh and even make it bushier.
However, the key to maintaining a mature plant for a long time is by trimming it routinely.
It grows 10 to 15 cm in height until they reach a mature height of 6 or 7 feet (1.8 m 2.1 m).
Thus, compared to other similar indoor plants, this palm is quite fast-growing.
No, the Areca Palm should not be exposed to cold weather.
In US hardiness zones 10 and 11, Areca Palms are considered hardy, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
However, few nurseries consider these plants hardy in Zone 9, too.
Therefore, cold weather, especially frost, can be dangerous for this palm in these US hardiness.
Temperatures below 35 degrees Fahrenheit can be considered too cold for an Areca Palm, but mature trees can handle a few degrees below 30 as well.
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