Bamboo palms are popular among homeowners because of their stunning appearance. They are also a beautiful addition to any garden.
Bamboo palms are an excellent houseplant to grow as an outdoor or indoor plant. They require minimal maintenance and produce beautiful flowers all year round.
Bamboo palm care and grow guide for beginners. Learn how to care for and grow healthy bamboos at home.
Bamboo Palm Overview
If you’d like to add some tropical flair to your home or office, the Chamaedorea seifrizii or Bamboo Palm is a rock star when it comes to decorating.
The bamboo palm features long stems that look like bamboo stalks, hence its name. Each palm cane will develop ten to fifteen fronds in an attractive shade of dark green. Fronds are feather-like in appearance.
They are large and spread to the point that they can grow to twenty feet tall and ten feet wide outdoors. When cultivated indoors, it will probably not exceed a height of seven feet or width of four feet.
This palm can be cultivated successfully as an outdoor and indoor plant, and although it prefers a rich, well-draining soil bed that is a bit acidic, it is actually tolerant of various kinds of soil beds.
They are a member of the Araceae family and native to Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. A winter-hardy evergreen perennial, they are good to grow in USDA zones 8b and up.
To jazz up any corner, consider one of the chamaedorea bamboo palm varieties available, including:
- Chamaedorea elegans
- Chamaedorea microspadix
- Chamaedorea radicalis
How to Care for your Bamboo Palm
The bamboo palm is a low-maintenance plant, making it ideal for beginners or those without a great deal of time to dedicate to indoor gardening.
Those are the environmental conditions to grow a bamboo palm plant successfully.
Environmental Conditions
Soil for the Bamboo Palm
An acidic soil bed of good-quality, well-draining potting soil mixed with organic material like peat moss is good for the indoor bamboo palm tree. This will help the plant retain some moisture without drowning it.
Repotting can be done as needed and should be done in a new pot that is one size larger. When you repot gently remove the old soil from the root ball. Trim off any dead or damaged roots.
If you want to grow the bamboo palm trees outside, it should be done at the end of spring or the beginning of summer in a shaded location.
Soil should be well-draining and mixed in with compost, humus, or manure that has decomposed. Water the chosen spot at least a day in advance to prepare the soil surface before planting.
Light for the Bamboo Palm
Like so many popular houseplants, this type of palm will thrive in bright, indirect light conditions.
In its native habitat, it grows underneath other plants and trees where it receives dappled natural light. As a result, it has great tolerance for heavy shade, making it perfect for indoor locations with low light, whether natural or artificial.
Extremes of direct sunlight exposure or dark locations should be avoided. To help your palm achieve overall beauty, turn it partially every week so that all the foliage can access similar lighting conditions.
Temperature for the Bamboo Palm
Bamboo palms do exceptionally well in a moderate temperature range from 65° to 75° Fahrenheit.
They can still grow at temperatures above or below slightly for short periods of time. Outdoors, they need to be cultivated in areas where the temperature does not dip below 55°F for long periods.
Humidity for the Bamboo Palm
Bamboo palms enjoy humidity, so if you are cultivating an indoor palm tree, you can mist it from time to time.
A couple of other ways to increase humidity is to use an underlying pebble tray or a small humidifier to keep your bamboo plant healthy and happy.
Cold and dry conditions aren’t a great environment for the bamboo palm.
Watering the Bamboo Palm
The bamboo palm likes moist soil, but not a soggy water-logged one. Leaving this plant standing in water needs to be avoided, so unblocked drainage holes become paramount for its well-being, particularly when cultivated indoors.
When checking the soil bed, it should always feel barely damp to the touch. If you feel that the bed is dry a third to halfway down, water it.
When you water your bamboo palm, make sure to allow excess water to drain thoroughly. Don’t leave water at the bottom of the planter. Wet soil can lead to root rot.
Rainwater or distilled water will be healthier for the plant as treated municipal water will most likely have lots of salt and perhaps chemicals.
If ever notice any salt buildup on the soil’s surface, flush the soil with rainwater and allow the water to fully drain out of the pot.
Should you overwater your tropical plant, the bamboo palm leaves will begin to fade, yellow, turn brown, and drop. New growth will be quite pale, and root or stem rot is probable.
Should you forget to water your palm, leaf tips will turn brown with little to no new plant growth. You can remedy this by trimming off the tips, and giving your palm a good soaking and draining.
Feeding the Bamboo Palm
Bamboo palms are sensitive to fertilizer salts, so when feeding, it’s better to do so monthly in the spring and summer growing season. Feed it with nitrogen-rich, liquid fertilizer diluted to half-strength.
An undiluted fertilizer will be too strong and can burn roots. This plant should not be fed during its dormancy period.
For outdoor palms, it is sufficient to fertilize twice a year, at the beginning of spring and halfway through summer.
Bamboo Palm Blooms
An interesting fact about this palm is that its blooms have no fragrance, but are dioecious, having both male and female reproductive organs.
Male blooms and female blooms will develop separately on different palms. Bamboo palm flowers are yellow. However, the female blooms will ultimately develop orange fruit that will ripen into a black tint.
Pruning the Bamboo Palm
The foliage of bamboo palms does not really require pruning. It’s enough to trim back dying or old fronds, trim brown leaf tips, and cut away any bare canes.
Bamboo Palm Propagation
Most palm species will be grown from seed, but it is a long, drawn-out process. Even the smallest common palms among nursery plants will be several years old.
You can propagate bamboo palms by separating offshoots from the parent plant, but this is extremely stressful for bamboo palms.
Put the offshoots in loamy, well-draining soil, and it should adapt in 2-3 months.
Bamboo Palm Pests
Bamboo palms are susceptible to many of the same pests as other houseplants, including aphids, mealybugs, scale, spider mites, and whiteflies.
If the correct environmental conditions are maintained, infestations can be avoided or significantly reduced. For healthy palm plants, keep an eye on humidity, watering, and good ventilation.
Neem oil or insecticidal soaps are good solutions to pest problems.
Bamboo Palm Toxicity and Pets
While Bamboo Palm stems and leaves are not toxic to pets or humans, the berry fruits produced by female blooms are quite poisonous.
If you have pets or children, it is wise to remove the fruit as soon as it develops.
Bamboo Palm Care Final Thoughts
The hardy bamboo palm is an enduring palm that asks little from its owners. It acclimates to a variety of locations, particularly as an indoor houseplant.
It’s a tropical delight for your home, office, or garden.
Other houseplant care guides to take a look at:
- Majesty Palm Plant Care Guide
- Parlor Palm Plant Care Guide
- Crown of Thorns Plant Care Guide
- Goldfish Plant Care Guide
- Lucky Bamboo Plant Care Guide
Bamboo Palm Care FAQs
Does the bamboo palm need sun?
The bamboo palm prefers bright, but indirect sunlight like its native tropical environments. They usually grow in dappled sunlight under other larger trees in the wild.
Is the bamboo palm easy to care for?
Yes, the bamboo palm is easy to care for. Just remember to give it plenty of indirect light and water regularly. If you notice any signs of stress, such as wilting, then repot them immediately.
Is the bamboo palm lucky?
The bamboo palm is said to bring good fortune because of its long, thin leaves. The palm is a different plant from the lucky bamboo, that is more traditionally what people buy for good luck. The plant needs minimal care and maintenance.
How tall will a bamboo palm grow?
Bamboo palms can grow to about 20 feet tall outdoors if given proper space and attention. When growing them indoors, it may only reach about 7 feet tall.
Is the bamboo palm poisonous to humans?
No, the bamboo palm leaves are not poisonous to humans or pets. But the berries that they produce are poisonous, so they should not be eaten.
Is the bamboo palm an air purifier?
Yes, the bamboo palm is a great plant air purifier for your home and office. They will help to remove toxins like formaldehyde, ammonia, benzene, and trichloroethylene from the air. .
