How to Grow and Care for a Cat Palm in Your Home
Choosing the Right Environment
Cat palms thrive in environments with bright, indirect light. Direct sunlight can scorch the leaves, so it’s important to place your plant in a location that receives plenty of light without being exposed to harsh sunlight.
The ideal temperature range for cat palms is between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and in the 60-degree range at night. Temperatures below 50 degrees can damage the foliage.
Planting and Soil
Cat palms prefer loose, well-draining soil that holds moisture while allowing excess water to drain away. You can purchase a pre-made potting mix specifically created for palms, or make your own by combining potting mix with equal parts pine bark and perlite.
To plant your cat palm, fill a pot with the potting mix and create a hole large enough to accommodate the root ball. Gently remove the plant from its container and place it in the hole, making sure the soil line hits the same place on the plant as it did in the original pot. Backfill with potting mix and tamp down gently to secure the plant.
Watering
Water your cat palm when the top of the soil has just begun to dry out. One of the most common issues with cat palms is root rot from overwatering, so do not water too often. Check saucers and cache pots to make sure your plant isn’t sitting in excess water after watering.
Fertilizing
Feed cat palms with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength once per month starting in early spring, or when you first see new growth at the start of the season. Stop fertilizing in the fall.
Pruning
Cat palms don’t need regular pruning to look healthy, but they benefit from occasional tidying up. Use clean, sharp, sterilized shears or pruners to cut back yellow, dead, or damaged fronds at the base of the plant as they appear.
Propagation
Dividing Mature Plants
Cat palms are simple to propagate by dividing mature plants. Here’s how:
- Gently remove the mother plant from its container.
- Use your fingers to loosen the root ball a bit, then use sharp shears or a serrated knife to cut away the clumps you’d like to propagate.
- Repot the divisions with fresh potting mix in appropriately sized containers that have drainage holes.
Growing from Seed
Growing cat palms from seed is very slow, with inconsistent results. It’s better to propagate cat palms by dividing a mature plant instead.
Pests and Diseases
Cat palms can fall prey to a few common houseplant pests, including mealybugs, scale, and spider mites.
Leaf spot can also affect cat palms. Prevent it by watering the soil directly or bottom watering to keep the foliage dry and less susceptible to disease.
Bloom
Cat palms can bloom with small spikes of tiny yellow flowers. While it’s unlikely that an indoor plant will bloom, you’ll have the best luck if you recreate the plant’s ideal conditions and fertilize it regularly as soon as you see signs of new growth in late winter or early spring.
Common Problems
Brown Leaf Tips
Underwatering and low-humidity conditions can both cause cat palm leaf tips to turn brown. Water your plant when the soil surface has just begun to dry out and create more humid conditions.
Leaves Turning Yellow
Yellowing leaves are a common sign of overwatering or underwatering in houseplants, including cat palms. If you suspect overwatering is the issue, cut back on watering until the soil dries out completely, then water the plant well. Only water when the top of the soil has just begun to look dry.
Leaves Dropping
Overwatering and underwatering can both cause leaves to fall off. Check the soil moisture and adjust your watering routine accordingly.
FAQs
Do cat palms need direct sunlight?
No, cat palms grow best in bright, indirect light. A few hours of direct sun in the morning is okay, but harsh afternoon sunlight can burn your plant’s leaves.
Do cat palms like being misted?
No, misting doesn’t recreate the humid environment many houseplants need and can even create the conditions for plant diseases to take hold. Instead, run a humidifier in the room with your cat palm, or group it with several other humidity-loving plants to create a microclimate with more moisture in the air.
Do cat palms like to be rootbound?
No, cat palms don’t respond well to having their roots disturbed, so it’s better to let them become slightly potbound before repotting. Plan to repot your cat palm every three years or so.
