An areca palm, the full, feathery indoor palm that gives a room the most greenery for the space it takes up.
Dypsis lutescens, also sold as the butterfly palm or golden cane palm, grows from Madagascar as a clump of slender cane-like stems, each one arching over into a long feathery frond of yellow-green leaflets. Several stems together make a naturally full, bushy plant that reaches around 1.5 to 2.5m indoors over time.
It is happiest in bright indirect light, out of prolonged direct sun, which yellows and scorches the frond tips. Water when the top few centimetres of compost feel dry, make sure the pot drains, and cut back in winter. It wants warmth, between about 16C and 24C, and it wants humidity, so mist the fronds through the heating season or stand the pot on a tray of damp pebbles. Brown tips come from dry air and hard water rather than from thirst. Feed monthly through spring and summer. Cut off any brown or yellow fronds at the base. Repot every two or three years in spring into peat-free compost; it prefers to be a little snug.
Supplied as one established plant with a 3 litre, 19cm root ball, ready to pot into a container of your own. This is an indoor palm and is not the same thing as a hardy garden palm such as Trachycarpus.
Cultural Information
Common Name: Areca palm, butterfly palm, golden cane palm
Fully Grown Height and Spread: 1.5 to 2.5m x 1 to 1.5m indoors
Growth Habit: Upright and clump forming with arching fronds
Perfect For: Living rooms, bedrooms, offices, conservatories and bright hallways
Foliage: Feathery pinnate yellow-green fronds on slender cane-like stems
Flowering Time: Grown for foliage
Planting Position: Bright to low indirect light indoors, best in bright
Soil Type: Free-draining, peat-free houseplant compost
Hardiness: Tender, indoor only; keep above 12C
Maintenance: Low; mist in a dry room and remove old fronds
Seasonal Interest: Evergreen foliage all year
Type: Evergreen indoor palm
