Question
brooklyn palm
Hello,
I live in Brooklyn NY and recently purchased a very tall (@ 8 ft) palm which we
adore. It does not appear to adore us. Its nestled in a corner with south and
west exposure, lots of sun all day. I"ve watered it once a week for the past 2
weeks. It's getting more yellow and brown by the minute. Worst of all, I don't
really know what kind of plant it is so I can't figure out how to help it. Can u
help id and advise on how we should proceed?
thanks so much.
melissa
AnswerMelissa,
I believe it is unfortunately a Majesty Palm. Majesty palm (latin name: Ravenea Rivularis), is one plant I can never recommend because unfortunately, it just does not fare well indoors, except perhaps in a greenhouse. It requires copious light, humidity, water, and fertilizer. Growers and retailers love majesty palms because they grow very large and very quickly allowing them to satisfy the public's desire for a large plant at a low price. Unfortunately, they rarely last much longer than a year in a typical home setting.
Indoors, they must have direct sun to even have a fighting chance. Then their roots must be kept constantly moist. It is best to water thoroughly (until a little water trickles through the drainage holes) whenever the top inch or so of soil feels dry.
When they are growing vigorously, they require lots of fertilizer, particularly the minor element magnesium. (Stay away from Miracid or any other fertilizer that lowers the pH and prevents the nutrients from being absorbed.) Finally, if you manage all that, you must be prepared to treat spider mites regularly because they love majesty palms.
I am sorry to be negative about this plant, but you should be aware of just how difficult it is to maintain indoors. BTW, the better nurseries don't grow and sell these palms anymore because of their poor history.
Keep your fingers crossed and your expectations low with this plant. Good luck.
Darlene
