Majesty palm care: Tropical elegance for any space

Some houseplants are hard to kill but not tropical-looking, the kind of houseplant many people look for. Others are more difficult to keep, either because they are relatively short-lived, they don’t grow tall, they quickly lose good looks or have indoor challenges. Cactuses and aloe, for example, may not fare well indoors over time, or need to be cared for regularly, which can leave gardeners struggling to find the ideal plant for a balanced look.

The majesty palm, which grows slowly, is a nice option as it thrives in low light. It has long, graceful, green fronds, so it looks good in any indoor space. It usually grows indoors to a height of about 10 to 12 feet, but it can top out at 100 feet or more outdoors. Being a slow grower, it needs little mainte­nance, and is good for small-space gardeners.

The majesty palm adds natural beauty and charm to any garden or home. Growcycle helps gardeners to find the best tropical plants and offers helpful tips for caring for them.

Botany of Majesty Palm 

The majesty palm (Ravenea rivularis) is a popular houseplant from the tropical palm family Arecaceae. It is from Madagascar and grows naturally in river edges and humid tropical environments. 

• Size: The Majesty Palm grows from 10 to 100 feet tall and 6 to 20 feet wide in its natural environment, such as river edges or streams. However, indoors, it typically reaches 5 to 10 feet.
• Leaves: The plant is famous for its large, arching, and feathery leaves, which are made of long, thin leaflets. These leaves are 6 to 8 feet long, giving the plant a tropical look. 
• Stems: The stems of the Majesty Palm have a smooth, upward arch with shades of cream, tan, grey, or silver. 
• Flowers: The Majesty Palm produces tiny yellow-white flowers. These flowers are mostly covered with the leaves and only appear when the plant is fully grown.
• Adaptations: It thrives in bright, indirect light and requires 4-6 hours of sunlight daily for smooth growth, making it a perfect indoor gardening choice. 
• Reproduction: It reproduces with different methods, such as seeds, offsets, or stem cuttings. However, It works well in the division process where there is a division of offset or pups growing from the mother plant's base, which is separated to grow into new plants.

Benefits of Growing Majesty Palm as a Houseplant

Majesty palm is a popular tropical plant for households, which offers multiple health and environmental benefits:

Majesty palm is a favorite tropical plant for in the house, it’s very beneficial to your health and the environment:

Environmental Benefits

Majesty palm has a duty to perform in order to gift several with environmental benefits:

• Improves Air Quality: It is a natural air purifier. It absorbs toxins and releases oxygen, so it helps clean the air in your home.

• Natural Humidifier: The plant restores moisture to the air by diffusing water through its leaves, and is ideal for naturally adjusting the air humidity in air-conditioned rooms. Particularly suitable for use in dry environments.

• Supports Wildlife: It is wildlife friendly, offering both food and shelter for birds and small mammals, and encouraging a rich diversity of birds and insects. 

Health Benefits

It is a common household plant that can enhance people's health, such as:

• Promotes Mood: Majesty palm's lush, dark green foliage works to boost your energy, too; the lush green hues provide your surroundings with a calming and serene feel.

• Improves Respiratory Health: The plant also is a natural means of decreasing the occurrences of respiratory illness as well as increasing humidity, which benefits the respiratory system, especially in dry climates.

Growth Benefits

Majesty palm care is not as difficult as some other palm plants because it is known to adapt to lower light.

Low Maintenance:  This plant is low maintenance and easy to care for as it only needs indirect light and moderate temperature, great for busy gardeners.

When to Plant Majesty Palm Plant

Planting the majestic palm plant differs when outdoors or indoors.

• Indoor: Gardeners can grow majesty palms indoors, any time of the year, by providing the proper temperature, water, and humidity conditions.

• Outdoor: Depends on the region. If it’s an appropriate location, like tropical or subtropical, be sure to plant it in spring or early summer.

Majesty Palm Care for Lush Look

Majesty palm is a vibrant and beautiful plant that adds colors to the environment. However, it requires some specific care for the proper growth, such as:

Light

Majesty palm plant prefers to grow in bright, indirect light, such as that near a window, and under moderate humidity. For that, a window that is north or west facing, or by using curtains in the southeast window, will offer protection against scorching. These are plants that want some direct sun, but you have to be careful not to put them in too much sun, because the leaves will burn.

Water

Majesty palm needs regular water and flourishes along river banks or in streams. Therefore, the soil moisture needs to be maintained by gardeners, not allowing it to become too soggy. They can also perform the finger test to test the soil hoe moist it is and make sure it isn’t completely dry. Depending on what season of the year it is, give the plant some water every 7-10 days or up to 14 days.

If the ends of the leaves turn brown then the plant is too dry, yellow indicates over-watering, so water accordingly.

Soil 

The majesty palm does best in well-draining potting soil to not harm its roots. While this plant does well in acidic soil, a pH of under 5 is crucial. To prevent the roots from rotting, make sure the pot has drainage holes so excess water can drain away.

Gardeners with good old-fashioned peat in the mix will be able to use a super mix with plenty of peat in it to stop its roots getting overly wet and rotting. This allows the palm to obtain the ideal moisture and helps maintain the health of roots for robust growth.

Temperature and Humidity

Majesty palms perform best when kept at average home temperatures of 65ºF to 85ºF, but need some level of humidity, that is a moderately low level, about 50%. So, gardeners need to keep the temperature around these plants constant to keep them healthy.

A humidifier or pebble tray can help gardeners control humidity in low-humidity areas. Otherwise, low humidity can harm the plants with bugs.

Fertilizer 

Regarding fertilizers, a weak liquid fertilizer once or twice during the growing season, such as summer or spring, is enough for the healthy growth of majesty palms. However, gardeners can also consider cactus or houseplant fertilizer every two to three months during the warmer months. 

In the cooler months, don’t feed the majesty palms; they don’t require fertilizers. Gardeners also need to avoid fertilizing when stretching palms, as over-fertilizing kills new growth.

Essential Tools for Majesty Palm Care

• Pruning shears
• Gardening gloves
• Hand saw
• Sharp Knife 
• A large and heavy container

Majesty Palm Propagation

Propagating a majesty palm is challenging because it does not produce easily with basic propagation methods such as cuttings. Rather, it originates from seeds or is divided while young. Here's a simple guide:

Types of Propagation for Majesty Palm

The various methods of propagation available to the gardener is as follows:

Seed Propagation 

Majesty palm seed propagation is the slowest of all methods and needs patience and the right care. It's a seed spreader and takes a long time to become full-grown from seed. Here is the process:

• Prepare seeds by cleaning and drying prior to planting.
• Sow the dry seeds in a well-draining soil.
• Keep the seeds moist and put them in a warmer environment to allow them to germinate.
• As you see the sprouts, move them to a place where they will get plenty of light.
• Keep the plant watered for new growth.

Stem Cutting

It is not the most dependable way to propagate Majesty palm plants. It is a matter of cutting stems to propagate new plants. Here is the process:

• Select a healthy stem from the mother plant and gently remove it.
• Strip any low leaves from the cut part to expose the stem.
• Dip the cutting end of the stem into the rooting hormone to encourage root development.
• Insert the-bladed end into the drained soil.
• If it ever experiences any root rot, just watch the plant's growth.

Offset Division

For propagation of majesty palm, gardeners should select the division method, the process of which involves removing offshoots from the mother plant.

Pruning Majesty Palm

Pruning Majesty Palm is a key step in keeping them healthy by getting rid of damaged fronds.

When to Prune Majesty Palm?

The best time to trim your majesty palms is during early summer or spring when they are growing the most. For an outdoor garden, gardeners can do the pruning in earlier, warmer months. There is no need to cut back a new plant if it has not developed fully.

Majesty palms simply require having the cuttings from the damaged parts to encourage better growth. So gardeners need to remove only damaged portions, like yellowed leaves or brown fronds, when growth resumes.

What to Prune in Majesty Palm?

Gardeners have to be cautious when trimming off the bit’s healthy green, which is used for photosynthesis. Here are the ones gardeners need to tackle.

• Yellow or Brown Fonds: The yellow or brown fonds appear on the majesty palm leaves, denoting the damaged part which can be pruned away gently.
• Brown Tips: Trim just the brown part of the plant and nothing else.

Overgrown Leaves: The overgrown part of the plant may obstruct the water and soil from reaching the roots, so trim the overgrown part.

Repotting Majesty Palm Plant

Repotting a majesty palm is essential for its growth and health as it outgrows its container. Here's a simple guide for repotting:

1. Choose the Right Pot 

Gardeners need to select a container that is slightly larger than the current one; at least 2-3 inches bigger in diameter if possible. With a larger pot, roots can spread out and grow naturally rather than become root-bound. Ensure there are drainage holes in the new pot so water won’t collect at the base.

2. Prepare Well-draining Soil

A well-draining soil mix is best for healthy roots. This can be a mixture of peat moss, sand, and perlite, or be bought down as a ready-made potting mix from a garden center. The soil should be moist without being overly wet, and water should be able to drain easily so as to prevent root rot.

3. Remove the Plant from the Pot 

Gently remove the Majesty palm from its current container. To do this:

• Gently work the soil from the sides of the pot, and then the soil from the bottom of the pot, either with your hands or a small trowel.
• Tilt the pot, and slide the plant out gently without tugging forcefully on the trunk, which could harm the roots.

If the roots are visible densely woven and intertwined in on themselves, gently spread them apart with your fingers.

4. Prepare a New Pot 

Get the new pot and layer some fresh potting mix at the base, 1-2 inches deep. This layer provides support for the plant and helps with drainage.

5. Put the Palm in the Pot

Position the majesty palm in the middle of the new pot. Just make sure the plant is sitting upright and that the bottom of the trunk ends up at the same level it was in the old pot. If you plant it too deep, you can run into problems with growth and health.

6. Fill the Root Space 

Fill with a fresh potting mix around the roots. Fill in soil slowly and tamp gently to release air pockets. Do not overcompact the soil, as it can restrict root development.

7. Water the Palm Plant 

Water the majesty palm until water trickles from the bottom of the pot. This will help to pack the soil around the roots and get them soaked. Let the excess water drain out and put the pot back in position.

8. Monitor 

For the first couple of weeks, after re-potting, pay close attention to your plant:

• Maintain regular checks on soil moisture to prevent overwatering.
• Look for any signs of stress, like yellowing fronds, which may indicate watering or light issues.
• Keep the plant in a spot with bright, indirect light to help it adjust to the new pot.

Challenges and Solutions of Growing Majesty Palm

As lovely as the majesty palm is as a houseplant, it does have some of its share of issues. Here is a guide to common problems and what to do about them:

Yellow Leaves

Problem: Adverse environmental conditions.

Solution: 

• Inspect the plant to see if it is in the correct sunlight or humidity.
• Water the plants adequately and do not overwater.
• Be sure to use regular interval fertilising.

Brown Leaf Tips

Problem: Not enough water or humidity

Solution: 

• Raise the humidity by watering the leaves.
• Use a humid pacifier or tray pebbles if necessary to help control humidity.
• And don’t forget to water it, the little guy needs regular moisture and can’t take getting dry.

Root Rot

Problem: Overwatering or poor drainage

Solution:

• Attempt to repot into fresh soil in the drainage pot.
• Use the pot that has a drainage hole in the pot and water will not flow too much.
• If it is slow to drain, regularly monitor water levels.

Slow Growth

Problem: Over- or under-watering, low light, lack of nutrients, poor drainage, or pots too small.

Solution: 

• Test the soil for moisture levels prior to irrigating.
• Ensure that the plant is kept in a well lit location.
• Supply all necessary nutrients with a balanced fertilizer.
• Repot the plant into a larger pot (if needed). 

Leaf Curls 

Problem: Over watering, pests on the plant, location, or level of sunlight, and temperature variation.

Solution: 

• Watch for the appearance of pests on the plant’s foliage.
• Ensure to provide water to the plant on a frequent basis.
• Change the illumination range and demands of the plant.

The Bottom Line

Majesty palm plants are lush tropical plants that need less care and add leafy texture. They are the best indoor and outdoor plants and help to restore the air quality.

With proper care and maintenance, majesty palm plants can thrive and produce lush green and large leaves. Growcycle allows gardeners to choose the right majesty palm plant and provides the proper tools and equipment for their growth.

Disclaimer: This material is for informational purposes only and should not be relied on for legal, medical, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

Sources:

1. Costafarms - A Guide to Growing Majesty Palms Indoors

2. Wiki - Ravenea rivularis

About the Author

Victor Miller

Environmental Journalist Focused on Sustainable Agriculture

Victor Miller is an environmental journalist at Growcycle, where he covers the latest news, trends, and innovations in sustainable agriculture. He has a deep passion for storytelling that emphasizes ecological balance and responsible farming practices.