Mountain Palm Care Guide – Uplifers

The mountain palm is a small houseplant with bright green leaves. A plant native to Mexico and Guatemala, the mountain palm is tolerant of low light and dry air and requires little maintenance. The mountain palm, which has the ability to purify indoor air, is a very slow growing plant and is not toxic to pets.

For the best care of the mountain palm, it is important to choose a bright place, but protected from direct sunlight. These plants, which need to be watered and fertilized regularly during their growing season, do not require much maintenance in winter. In this article, you can read everything you want to know about the mountain palm and the tricks to look out for when caring for the mountain palm.

What is a mountain palm?

The mountain palm, or Chamaedorea elegans in Latin, is a beautiful plant with green leaves. The mountain palm, which has been used as a houseplant for many years, is often preferred in flower arrangements because its leaves can stay alive for up to 40 days after being cut. This plant, which grows slowly and can take years to reach its full size, is 60 to 180 cm tall indoors and can reach 5 meters outdoors. The general characteristics and needs of the mountain palm are as follows:

• botanical name: Hamedorea graceful
• Family: palm
• Type: Palm
• Dimensions in adulthood: Height 180-500cm outdoors, Height 60-180cm indoors
• Solar request: Bright environment, indirect sunlight
• Soil request: Well-drained soil outdoors, peat-based potting mix indoors
• soil pH: sour to neutral
• Flowering period: Spring (rarely blooms indoors)
• flower color: Yellow
• Source: Rainforests of Southern Mexico and Guatemala

How to care for a mountain palm?

The mountain palm is a slow growing plant, usually not exceeding 2 meters in height when viewed indoors. Unlike other types of palms, the mountain palm, which can grow in low light conditions, is usually grown with more than one plant in a pot to make it look more attractive. Mountain palm, whose lush leaves are resistant to low temperatures, is a great choice for indoors, as it helps to purify the air. Points to pay attention to when looking at a mountain palm tree indoors are as follows:

easy request

Mountain palm can grow in shady places with insufficient lighting. However, it will do best in an environment where it receives about 5 hours of indirect sunlight per day. The mountain palm should not be placed in direct sunlight, as direct sunlight can burn the leaves of the plant.

soil request

Like other houseplants, the mountain palm loves well-drained, light soils rich in organic matter. You should use a lot of pumice or sawdust, which will cause the water to drain very quickly into the pot of the mountain palm, which likes to keep the soil constantly moist. Although peaty soils are generally suitable for mountain palm, mixtures that retain moisture should be avoided. Too much moisture in the soil can harm the plant’s roots and cause root rot.

water request

Under-watering a mountain palm is a much better option than over-watering. You should water the mountain palm soil throughout the growing season to keep it moist but not too wet. During the colder months, water the soil when it is completely dry. If the plant is in bright and indirect light, it may need more frequent watering. Also, plants with small pots need to be watered more often than plants with large pots.

temperature request

Although the mountain palm is resistant to temperatures up to 10°C, a temperature of 20-25°C is ideal. In order for the mountain palm to reach its potential, it must be grown in a warm environment.

moisture requirement

Indoor humidity is usually sufficient for a mountain palm. However, if you live in a dry climate, indoor humidity is below 40 percent, and your plant’s leaf tips are starting to turn brown, you may want to consider using a humidifier to increase the humidity.

request for fertilizer

Mountain palm does not need frequent fertilization. However, if you have more than one potted plant, you can fertilize the plants twice during the growing season with a slow release, high nitrogen fertilizer. You can also use biohumus or compost.

How big does a mountain palm grow?

The mountain palm is a plant that typically grows up to 2 meters when viewed indoors. However, when viewed under ideal conditions, it can reach 4 meters in length. The types of mountain palms that are on the table can be easily grown anywhere, they usually grow up to 30 cm.

How to propagate mountain palm?

The mountain palm is usually grown from seed. Although it is possible to propagate by separating the plant’s roots, this is usually not the preferred method as it can cause too much stress for the plant. It is not possible to reproduce a mountain palm tree by cutting its branches. So if you want to have more mountain palms in your home or office, it might be a good idea to buy a new plant instead of trying to propagate an existing plant.

Does the mountain palm blossom?

Although the indoor mountain palm does not usually bloom, the plant usually produces small yellow flowers when it blooms. The female flowers on the plant are round and do not have leaves. The male flowers are smaller than the female ones and are greenish-yellow. The flowering period of the mountain palm is from late winter to early spring.

If the plant is pollinated, black fruits with seeds develop. When the fruits ripen, the stems turn a reddish-orange color. Since the male and female mountain palm flowers occur on different plants, if you plan to propagate mountain palm at home, you should have both female and male plants.

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