How to identify, grow, and care for a Bamboo Palm

Bamboo Palm

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About

A Bamboo Palm is part of the larger Chamaedorea genus of about 105 species of palms. Chamaedorea palms are native to the tropical and subtropical parts of Mexico and Central America. Compared to other palms growing in the forest, they are relatively small, reaching a height of only about 5ft-20ft (1.5m-6m). The name Chamaedoria is Greek for “on the ground” and it refers to the fact that the fruit on a Chamaedorea palm could be easily reached when it was ripe. The Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii ) is one of the most popular varieties used as an indoor plant.

Bamboo Palm Description

It’s easy to see why a Bamboo Palm is used so often as an indoor plant. It is a beautiful, compact, easy care, tropical looking plant that grows well in medium light. It can even be happy in lower light if you are careful with your water. Even though it is called a Bamboo Palm, it is not a relative of the real bamboo, a type of grass that requires very bright light. Indoors the plant be as tall as 5 – 7ft. and as wide as  3 -5ft. with multiple, reed-like stems growing in clumps. It’s these reed like stems that gave the Bamboo Palm its nickname, the Reed Palm. There are about 10-15 fronds on each stem and each frond has 10-14 pinnate (feathery), dark green leaflets. The base of each stem is covered in a tan-colored fiber that resembles bamboo.

Quick Care Tips for a Bamboo Palm

Too much salt or other chemicals in your water or too much plant food causes brown leaf tips

Green leaves drop off when plant is over watered

Do not rush to repot; Bamboo Palms like to be root bound.

Avoid temperatures below 50°F (10°C)

Be sure soil is moist when fertilizing

Commercial insecticides harm the leaves; use an insecticidal soap for pest problems

Conclusion

The  graceful Bamboo palm is much hardier than an Areca palm and much less expensive than a Kentia palm.  Although NASA lists it as an excellent clean air plant, a Bamboo Palm is a slightly poisonous plant and should be kept away from small children. It is also toxic to cats, dogs and other pets. Read more about common houseplants that can be dangerous in my book Don’t Feed Me to Your Cat: A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants. 

Plant Care

Light

Although a bamboo palm grows faster in bright indirect light, it still does well in medium light, and grows very slowly in low light if you’re careful not to over-water.

Water

Allow the top 1/3 of the soil of a bamboo palm to dry out before watering. These plants like barely moist but never soggy soil. Never allow a bamboo palm to sit in the excess water that drains from the pot. Do not use water that has passed through a softener because the high salt content damages the leaves. Leaf tips look pale in color and green leaves fall off when a bamboo palm is over-watered. New growth and leaf tips turn brown when a bamboo palm is under-watered. The confusing thing is that yellow leaves can develop when the plant is over or under- watered, so you need to check the soil as far down as you can to know if the plant needs water.

Fertilizer

Feed a bamboo palm monthly in the spring and summer with a fertilizer high in nitrogen diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength. Do not fertilize a bamboo palm if it is not actively growing or if the soil is very dry.

Temperature

A bamboo palm does well in temperatures between 65°-80°F (18.3°-26.7°C).

Humidity

All palms, including bamboo palms, like high humidity but still do well in basic household humidity.

Pests

Bamboo palms are very susceptible to spider mites, scale, and mealy bugs. Keep a bamboo palm clean by spraying it often with a mixture of biodegradable liquid soap and water. If the pests persist, spray the plant with an Insecticidal soap.

Diseases

Root- rot due to over watering, sooty mold, fungal and viral infections such as rust can alb a problem.

Soil

Bamboo palms need a basic, well-aerated potting soil that drains quickly but still retains moisture.

Pot Size

Re-pot when the roots have filled the existing container. Always use the next size pot and nothing larger, be sure there are drip holes in the bottom so excess water can drain out.

Pruning

Cut brown leaf tips with a wet scissors, and remove bare stalks. Clean your plant tools in alcohol after using them to prevent spreading plant diseases from plant to plant.

Propagation

Bamboo palms are propagated from seeds. This is a very slow-growing plant and It usually takes 2-5 years for a bamboo palm to reach a decent size. I’d recommend leaving propagation to the professionals and buying an established plant.

Clean Air Plant

NASA lists bamboo palms as excellent plants to clean the air of harmful chemicals.

Poisonous Plant Info

Although the ASPCA lists a bamboo palm as a non-poisonous houseplant, other experts state that the entire plant, especially any berries that appear, is toxic. We’ve erred on the side of caution and have listed a Bamboo Palm as a poisonous houseplant with a #1 toxicity level.

FAQ

What Is the Reddish Colored Fine Webbing on My Bamboo Palm?

The webbing on your bamboo palm is caused by spider mites. To eliminate spider mites, spray the entire plant with a mild, soapy water solution. If this doesn’t solve the spider mite problem, use a commercial insecticidal soap. You can read about insecticidal soap in theGlossary of the website.

What Causes Brown Tips on the Leaves of My Indoor Bamboo Palm and Why Do the Lower Leaves Turn Brown & Die?

Too much salt in the soil either from excess fertilizer or from chemicals in the water can cause brown leaf tips and brown lower leaves on a bamboo pam. Take your palm outside and flush out the soil 8-10 times with salt free, chemical free water. Never use water that has passed through a softener, it is too salty. If your household water contains a lot of chemicals allow it to sit out over night before using it.

Why Do Green Leaves Fall Off of My Bamboo Palm?

Green leaves fall off of a bamboo palm because of over- watering.

Why Isn’t My Bamboo Palm Producing New Fronds?

You can help your Bamboo Palm grow faster by moving the plant to a location that gets bright indirect light and high humidity.