Large, strong palm trees with beautiful green fronds are the dream of many plant lovers. Unfortunately, after a while, disillusionment often sets in, because the plant does not thrive as hoped and hardly forms any new leaves. Sometimes, but not always, there are maintenance errors. These can be easily turned off so that the palm tree sprout beautifully again.
There can be various reasons for the palm tree not growing
Causes can be:
- Wrong choice of variety
- Too little light
- Lack of humidity
- Too much or too little water
- root rot
strain choice
There are types of palm trees, such as the popular Kentiaplame, which grow very slowly, even with good care.
lack of light
Most palm trees are extremely light-hungry and need an illuminance of 2,000 lux for strong growth. Window glass and curtains swallow a lot of light. Even if you place the palm tree a few meters away from the window, it may not grow any further due to a lack of light. If necessary, compensate for this with additional lighting.
How much light the plant needs is not only dependent on the palm species. The warmer the room in which the palm tree is, the more light it needs.
humidity
For vigorous growth, you should spray the plant regularly. Always use room-warm, lime-free water. You can also use an indoor fountain or humidifier to increase humidity.
casting error
In the case of palm trees in a pot, a pot root that is too dry is often responsible for the fact that it does not grow. Water whenever the top inches of the substrate feel dry.
If you have forgotten to water for a long time, the soil can sometimes hardly store any liquid. In this case, it is advisable to immerse the pot and leave it completely in the water until no more air bubbles rise.
root rot
If you have meant too well with your green companion over a longer period of time, the excess moisture may have led to root rot. The root system can no longer transport water, the plant no longer grows and stunted.
Repot the palm tree:
- Does the substrate smell musty or feel like a dripping wet sponge?
- Are the roots no longer white and crisp?
Then you should act quickly. Remove the old substrate, cut back the diseased roots and place the plant in fresh palm soil. Water significantly less in the future.
tips
Despite additional lighting and good care, indoor palm trees often grow slowly. Therefore, buy a copy that has already reached the optimal size for you.
meta: Your palm tree is not growing and you are wondering what is causing this? You will find answers and valuable care tips in our guide.
Michael Kaiser