Question
I am not a plant person, but my daughter gave me a Cat Palm and I've read everything about it from full sun to no sun, and a LOT of water to watering it once a week.  I originally had it in southern exposure but was told that was too much sun, so I moved it to the east side of the house and now it gets sun in the morning only.  I want to put it in a ceramic pot (approx. 12") the plant is about 3 ft. tall.  Can I repot it in this pot by putting stones on the bottom for drainage? The pot itself doesn't have any drainage holes in the bottom. What type of potting soil would be best?  Does it need misting? and if so, how often?


Answer
Hi Irene,

Yes, there is an abundance of ill-advised and conflicting information out there about Cat palms (Chamaedorea cataractarum). Much of that information is geared to other types of palms or assumes that all palms have the same general requirements. They don't. Cat palms are among my favorites, but they are challenging and a bit on the high maintenance side.

Light: Lots of bright, but mostly indirect light is best. Right in front of a north or east window is preferred. It will not do well in either low light or in lots of direct sun.

Water: Cat palms do not tolerate dryness at all. When properly potted, they should be watered thoroughly as soon as the surface of the soil feels dry. But that does not mean the soil should remain saturated for an extended period of time because the roots will then rot and that is fatal.

Pests: Like most palms, the Cat Palm is very susceptible to spider mites. Check the undersides of the fronds regularly for early signs of spider mites. Look for tiny dust-like particles. If you find any, spray all of the fronds with a solution of soapy water until they are dripping wet.

Pot Size: I am guessing that your palm is probably in a 10-inch plastic pot, which is about the right size for it. Like  most plants, Cat palms do best when moderately potbound. If your palm can go go at least 3 days without water following a thorough watering, then it should not be moved into a larger pot.

The ceramic pot: Here is the best solution for you. You will not find this advice anywheres else, I promise.

Keep the palm in its existing pot. Put a block of Styrofoam in the bottom of the ceramic pot that has no drainage holes. Insert a fabric wick through a drainage hole in the existing pot and up into the center of the rootball (Use a screwdriver to poke the wick up into the rootball through a drainage hole). Set the plastic pot inside the ceramic pot and on top of the Styrofoam block. Let the wick dangle over the styro block to the bottom of the ceramic pot.

Now water the Cat palm until the water runs through the pot and fills the bottom of the ceramic pot to the top of the styro block. This means there will be about an inch or so of water in the bottom of the ceramic pot, but the plant will not be sitting in this water because it is sitting on top of the block. The wick will dangle into the water reservoir at the bottom and slowly wick up the water into the soil. This will allow the plant to go longer between waterings. When the surface of the soil feels dry, then water again until the reservoir of water below the block is once again filled.

I realize this sounds a bit complicated, but ig is pretty simple and does not require expensive materials. A strip of felt material about 8-10 inches long and 3/4's of an inch wide will work well as a wick. The advantage of this set up is two-fold. It allows you to go longer between waterings and it provides the palm with steady supply of moisture around the roots. This technique is called "subirrigation" and it is used mostly by plant professionals. It works especially well on plants that need constant moisture.

I hope I haven't overwhelmed you with information here. Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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