The mountain palm is one of the most popular indoor plants. No wonder, because they are undemanding and easy to care for. There are still a few things to consider in order to create the most important prerequisites for the exotic.
Mountain palms also fulfill practical functions in their original habitat. For example, the palm leaves are used for roofing. As the most common indoor palm, Chamaedorea elegans' strengths lie in its robustness. The palms are popular plants for beginners and can reach heights of between one and two meters in room culture. The plants make few demands and ignore one or the other care mistake.
If you would like to add exotic charm to your home, the following care instructions will help you.
Watering the mountain palm properly
The mountain palm trees need a lot of water. This is not least evident from the fact that the plants stretch their roots down to the groundwater in their natural range.
» Tip: The water needs of the plant can be optimally met with hydroponics or an irrigation system.
The water requirement increases with the temperatures. In summer you should water the mountain palm abundantly. The mountain palms also forgive a short-term soaking of the root ball. The plant will use up the water quickly and therefore the roots will not rot. Waterlogging, i.e. permanent moisture in the root ball, is not tolerated by the mountain palm either.
Most palm trees do not like hard water and should therefore be watered with rainwater rather than tap water. The mountain palm is an exception here. The plants prefer slightly alkaline soil and therefore have no problems with calcareous water.
To meet the high moisture requirements of the mountain palm, you can occasionally place the plant in a saucer with water so that the root ball can soak.
Dry feet should be avoided. In winter there is less watering. In the summer, the plant also likes to take a shower, especially when theIf the palm tree is outdoors, it should be sprayed with water from time to time.
humidity desired
The mountain palm is a very tolerant palm species and is usually satisfied with low humidity. If the air is permanently too dry, you will recognize this by the brown coloring of the leaf tips. Spray the mountain palm regularly with room-warm water.
» Tip: Tap water should not be used to spray the mountain palm. Although the plant otherwise tolerates calcareous water, lime leaves stains on the leaves.
Fertilize the mountain palm properly
The nutrient requirement of the mountain palm is rather moderate. If compost is mixed into the substrate when planting, the plants are well supplied with nutrients. If the substrate is poor in nutrients, it is advisable to help with a rather weakly concentrated liquid fertilizer during the growth period, about monthly. In winter there is no fertilizer application. The plants go into a dormant phase and do not absorb any nutrients.
Portrait of some species of mountain palms
The small mountain palms for the living room do not stand alone. The genus Chamaedorea includes more than 120 species. Mountain palms originally grow in the mountains of Mexico. There they can reach heights of growth of up to five meters. Mountain palms in the living room will usually hardly grow more than a meter high. The yellow, round flowers surprise plant lovers from the second year.
❍ Chamaedorea elegant
This is probably the most popular species of mountain palm and one that is widespread as a houseplant in our latitudes. The mountain palms have a rather short trunk and slightly curved leaves, which grow about 50 centimeters long.
❍ Chamaedorea graminifolia
This mountain palm species comes from Guatemala. The delicate pinnate leaves, up to almost a meter long, are the hallmark of this palm species. The blue-green leaves emerge from thin tubes that grow bushy. Cultivated as an ornamental plant, this mountain palm can reach a height of approximately 1.3 metres.
❍ Chamaedorea eurumpens
This mountain palm grows a little over two meters tall and has stems reminiscent of bamboo. The lush green leaves hang slightly and can grow up to 50 centimeters long.
Do mountain palms need to be pruned?
Mountain palms do not require pruning. Only brown and dried fronds are removed. Since the mountain palm only grows a maximum of two meters high indoors, no pruning is required.
Winter mountain palms -that's what matters
About October, the mountain palm takes a kind of rest. From this point on, the plants are watered less and no longer fertilized. The root ball should no longer appear dripping wet. Allow the soil to dry out before watering again. A bright winter location is necessary. The temperatures should be around 15 degrees.
» Tip: If the mountain palm stays in the overheated living room over the winter, there is an increased risk of pest infestation. Dry heating air damages the plant. If no other parking space can be found, spray with room-warm water every day if possible.
Mountain palms are not hardy and therefore unsuitable for outdoor cultivation. If the plant was allowed to spend the summer on the balcony or terrace, the timely move to the winter quarters must not be missed. If the temperatures are permanently below ten degrees, mountain palms have to move indoors.