Yellowish stems, feathery fronds, a touch of the South Seas: the areca palm brings holiday vibes into the room. In return it wants light and humid air.

What it does for you

With its feathery, arching fronds and yellowish stalks, the areca palm brings the tropics into your room – it's one of the most popular indoor palms¹. The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic for cats and dogs², but NC State rates it as low in toxicity¹ – more on that under Caution.

Origin & history

The areca palm only grows wild in eastern Madagascar⁵ – in dense clumps in forests, on sand dunes and along streams⁶. There its habitat is shrinking⁷. In many tropical countries, on the other hand, it has become naturalised⁵.

It was described in 1878 as Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, later called Dypsis lutescens – which is still often what the label says⁵. DNA analyses split the genus Dypsis up again in 2022; since then the old name applies once more⁸. Lutescens means "becoming yellowish" and suits the yellow leaf stalks⁷. The fruits are yellow to orange too¹.

Caution

The ASPCA lists the areca palm as non-toxic for cats, dogs and horses². NC State, however, rates its leaves and stems as low in toxicity (nausea, vomiting) and the palm heart – the growing tip with the young leaves – as cyanogenic (cyanide-releasing). Skin irritation isn't known¹. The sources differ, so don't let pets or children chew on it.

Care

Light. It needs plenty of light⁶, but no harsh sun: bright and indirect, close to an east, west or south window⁹. In winter it can move closer to a south or west window⁶ (in the southern hemisphere, north instead of south).

Water. In summer the soil should never dry out, but the palm should never stand in water either; in winter let the surface dry out slightly⁶. Water thoroughly as soon as the surface is dry, and empty the saucer⁹ – as a rule of thumb once or twice a week in summer. Waterlogging makes the roots rot⁹.

Temperature & humidity. Ideal is 18–21 °C at night and 24–29 °C by day⁹, in winter never below 13 °C⁶. It likes high humidity¹; in heated rooms a tray of damp gravel helps⁶. It is very prone to spider mites⁹.

Soil, pot & repotting. Peat-free houseplant soil or loam-based multipurpose compost⁶, open and rich in organic matter⁹. Repot every two to three years in spring, once the roots fill the pot – carefully, the roots are sensitive⁹. The RHS advises repotting every two years until it's in a 20–30 cm pot; in the years you don't repot, renew the top 5 cm of soil⁶.

Feeding. It is more sensitive to salt than most foliage plants – too much fertiliser makes the frond tips die back¹⁰. Recommendations range from every two weeks⁶ to two or three times a year⁹; as a rule of thumb, monthly and at low strength from spring to early autumn.

Extras

Indoors it grows about 1.8–2.1 metres tall and adds 15–25 centimetres a year. You can't shorten it, because every shoot only grows from its tip⁹. Cut old fronds off instead of tearing them⁶. Outdoors it grows up to eight metres tall and flowers yellow in summer¹¹ – indoors rarely¹.