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The Areca Palm, also known as Dypsis lutescens, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, or Butterfly Palm.
Latin name
Dypsis lutescens “Areca”
Pronunciation
(“DIP-siss loo-TESS-ens”)
Common name
Butterfly Palm
Origin
Eastern Madagascar
The Arexa Palm is an elegant palm with a dense cluster of pale green fronds, which have a characteristic golden colour to the stems (petioles) – the intensity of the colour depends on light levels. The Areca Palm fronds grow at a sharp angle (approx. 40 degrees) from the base of the plant, and its trunk when that forms, resembling butterfly wings.
This palm is a clustering type, with multiple stems that will eventually form proper trunks, although as indoor plants they tend to keep to their juvenile form.
caring for your plant
Light
High to very high light.
Watering
Dypsis lutescens is quite a heavy water user. The soil should be kept moist, but not wet and the foliage should be regularly misted with tepid water.
Pruning
Palms should never be pruned. Dead or dying fronds should be removed by cutting them off at the base with a sharp knife or secateurs.
Feeding
As a relatively fast growing house plant, this species benefits from regular feeding. Add some dilute fertilizer to the water every time you water the plant.
pest & diseases
Two-spotted spider mites can be a problem, so keep foliage clean and mist regularly to deter them. Remove mealybugs and scale with a damp cloth, checking leaf undersides and the plant’s centre. Dypsis lutescens can rarely develop pink rot (Gliocladium blight), seen as pink-orange pustules; discard affected plants.
Where the Areca Palm originates from
This species originates in Madagascar, but has been introduced into a number of other locations.
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