The Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens) is the classic indoor palm: soft, arching fronds on slender golden canes that fill a corner without crowding it. It is pet-safe, tolerant of average home humidity, and a natural humidifier for dry rooms. Give it headroom, such as a foyer, a stairwell, or beside a sofa, and in zones 10 to 11 it can live outside on a porch.
Areca Palm Care Guide & Presentation
Prefers medium levels of indirect light.
Water well and then allow the soil to dry out between each watering.
Enjoys humidity. Spritz occasionally.
Keep this plant in warmer temperatures and avoid drastic changes in temperature.
This plant likes warmer temperatures and can be acclimated to part shade to full sun over time. Bring in when temperatures dip below 35°F.
Add a time-release fertilizer to the top of the soil in the spring. This will be sufficient throughout the season. Do not fertilize in the fall and winter months.
When receiving the plant, do not repot immediately. Wait at least 6-12 months, or until the roots begin to crowd and grow through the drainage holes.
This plant likes to be a little snug in its pot so there is no reason to repot initially. If the soil is aged, repot in the spring, using a 2" bigger pot to keep the roots drier. Use a well-draining indoor potting mix with perlite to help with drainage or use a palm soil mix.
Place a piece of screening at the bottom of the container over the drainage hole to secure the soil and allow water to drain. Add soil to the bottom to elevate the root ball.
Be aware that the roots are brittle, so carefully remove as much soil around the roots as possible to replace the aged soil and fertilizer deposits.
Very carefully lift the plant and release the roots against the existing planter. Use a clean knife or garden trowel to wedge between the pot and the soil to loosen.
Inspect the root ball. Notice if there are any dead or rotting roots and trim off with sterile pruners.
Ensure the plant is sitting about 1" below the edge of the pot to avoid water spillage. Add more soil and backfill around the sides by tamping down. Fill up to the soil line but not over.
Water thoroughly, leaving the soil damp but not soggy. If settling occurs, add more soil.
Remove any dead fronds down to the base of the plant. Remove any debris on the soil and replenish soil when needed.
This plant is hard to propagate. We recommend getting a small plant to nurture!
What you get
Size: Small (4-inch pot, up to 18 inches tall), Medium (6-inch pot, up to 24 inches tall), or Extra Large (10-inch pot, up to 39 inches tall).
Pot: nursery grower pot, eco pot in four colors, or basket.
Pet-safe: yes. The ASPCA lists Dypsis lutescens as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.
Light: medium to bright indirect light.
Shipping: $9 flat-rate standard shipping, 2 to 8 business days, with a 30-day happiness guarantee.
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About the Areca Palm
Native to Madagascar, the Areca Palm grows in clumps of bamboo-like canes and reaches 6 to 7 feet in a container over several years. It is a slow to moderate grower, so the size you order is close to the size you will live with for the first year or two. In Feng Shui, it stands for peace and prosperity, which is why it shows up so often in entryways.
Areca Palm Tree Benefits
Why people choose it: it releases moisture into dry indoor air, it is non-toxic to cats and dogs, and it asks for little beyond bright indirect light and a drink when the top inch of soil is dry. Acts as a natural air purifier.
Areca Palm Tree: Alternative Names
Also sold as Butterfly Palm, Golden Cane Palm, Cane Palm, Yellow Palm, and under its older botanical name, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens.
Where It Fits, and What Else to Consider
Where it fits: a bright living room a few feet from the window, an office with good ambient light, a bedroom where it can raise humidity overnight, or a large bathroom with a window. It handles a little neglect, which makes it a good first palm.
Companion Plants
Pairs well with: Peace Lily, Snake Plant, Spider Plant.
Looking for something similar? Pygmy Date Palm for a true trunk, Neanthe Bella Palm for a compact pet-safe palm, or browse all indoor palm plants.
Order Your Areca Palm From Lively Root
Pick your size and pot above, and your Areca Palm ships from our nursery in 2 to 8 business days, backed by our 30-day happiness guarantee.
FAQs
Yes. It tolerates average home humidity, grows slowly enough to stay manageable in a pot, and is safe around pets. Give it a bright spot out of direct sun.
It needs bright, indirect light, such as a few feet from an east or west window. Direct afternoon sun scorches the fronds; too little light thins them out.
Six to seven feet in a container over several years. Keeping it slightly root-bound slows growth if you want it smaller.
Yes. The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.
When the top inch of soil is dry. Brown tips usually mean the air is too dry or the plant sat in water; our care guide covers both.
