Caring for Chamaedorea elegans

The palm Chamaedorea elegans or lounge palm is a plant that is found both in gardens and indoors. It is relatively small, especially when compared to other species, as it barely reaches 2 meters in height. As if that were not enough, it has a single trunk which is very thin, although it is sold planted in a pot with multiple specimens; in fact, it is practically impossible for them to sell it as a solitary plant.

The reason is that it is thought that the more there are, the prettier it will look, but thus a problem that appears sooner or later is ignored: the death of the 'weaker' seedlings as a result of the lack of space and nutrients. . So, It is important that, if you decide to buy a flowerpot, you know what the care of the Chamaedorea elegans. Next we are going to explain them to you.

How do I take care of my salon palm tree?

It is a single palm tree that grows rather slow, but over time it can grow to about 2 meters in height. Its trunk is always thin, measuring approximately two centimeters thick at most. Thus, It is possible to grow it either in a pot, or in a garden, be it large, small or medium.

It is easy to care for, but sometimes because it is small, and especially if it is kept at home, it is often made the mistake of paying too much attention to it. From pampering her excessively. For this reason, it is necessary to take care of yourself, yes, but not too much.

Let's see point by point what we have to do to make it perfect:

How to water a chamaedorea?

La Chamaedorea elegans it does not tolerate excess water in its roots. So, we have to water approximately two or maximum three times a week during the summer in the hottest season. When temperatures stay lower, that is, in autumn and winter, we will water once a week; and in spring when the weather begins to improve we will proceed to water every 3-4 days.

When doing it, we have to pour the water on the ground, never on the plant, since if we take this out of habit we would run the risk of it rotting and dying. In addition, we must moisten all the soil well, so we will pour water until it is soaked or until it comes out through the holes in the pot if we have it planted in one.

Where do you put it?

To answer this question It is important to know that it supports weak frosts of up to -2ºC, and that it needs light but not direct sun. Likewise, the environmental humidity must be high, since in dry places its leaves have a hard time.

Thus, if you choose to have it outside, it is very interesting to plant it under a tree, or in a place where there is a lot of light but no direct light. And if you choose to grow it indoors, we will put it in a room with a lot of light, but away from the windows, and we will put containers with water around it if the humidity is low.

When and how to pay the Chamaedorea elegans?

It has to be paid both in spring and summer so that the plant can grow a little more and with better health. For this, we can apply specific fertilizers for palm trees following the manufacturer's instructions.

Another option is to pay with natural products. For example, guano is highly recommended, since it is very rich in nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and it is also quickly absorbed by the roots. But compost, mulch, seaweed extract fertilizer,… among other natural fertilizers will also work for you.

When to plant or transplant it in soil or pot?

The best time is at spring. But if we buy one, for example in summer, we can plant it in the ground or change the pot a few days later if the roots come out through the holes or if we see that, when we pull it up, the soil bread comes out without falling apart.

But regardless of where we are going to have it, it is necessary that its roots are not manipulated much. In fact, before taking it out, you have to make the hole or prepare your new pot with universal substrate mixed with 30% perlite (for sale here).

Could it be pruned?

La Chamaedorea elegans could not. The only thing that can be done is to cut off the dry leaves, as well as their inflorescence (group of flowers) once they wither in spring-summer.

For this, the tool that will help us are normal scissors that we all have at home. They can be cooking, crafts, sewing. We clean them well with soap and water, dry them, and then proceed to cut.

Salon palm tree problems

La Chamaedorea elegans you may have several problems throughout your life, which are:

• Brown leaves: depends. If they are spots that are only on one side of the palm tree and coincide with where there is a window, they are burns. But if not, they are fungi which are treated with fungicide that carry copper, and spacing the waterings.
• Dry leaves: it is usually due to lack of water. When watering, you must add water until the soil or substrate is well soaked.
• Dry leaf tips: it can be due to lack of irrigation or low humidity. Check the substrate before watering, and if it is dry, do not hesitate to give it water. In dry climates it should be sprayed or sprinkled with water once a day if it is outdoors, or put containers with the precious liquid around it.
• Fallen leaves: it can be another symptom of lack of irrigation. Observe if when you water the soil, it absorbs the water well, and if not, if it is in a pot, put it in a basin of water for about 30 minutes, and if it is in the ground, aerate the soil with an aerator.

Most common pests and diseases of the Chamaedorea elegans

There are basically two: mealybugs and spider mites. Both appear during the warm months of the year. They land on the leaves and begin to feed on their sap. To eliminate them, it can be treated with diatomaceous earth, or with specific insecticides following the manufacturer's instructions.

The symptoms that we will see are: discolored and / or deformed leaves, red dots that move (in the case of Red spider), Cotton balls or a kind of limpet (mealybugs) that are removed with your finger. At the slightest suspicion, the ideal is to treat it so that the situation does not worsen.

And as for diseases, fungi appear when overwatered. They attack the roots, often causing irreversible damage, and then continue to spread to the top, making the trunk even thinner, and killing the leaves. To avoid this, it is necessary to water only when it is necessary; and if it is planted in a pot, there is no need to place a plate under it.

We hope that now you can provide the best care to your Chamaedorea elegans.