Care of a Madagascar Palm

Get Your Basics in Place

• Madagascar palms can grow up to 6 feet, so you will have to choose your pots accordingly. Of course, re-potting as the plant grows is always an option. Drainage is of prime importance to these plants and a potting soil fit for cacti will serve your purpose.
  These plants are best kept outdoors since they require a lot of sun. Ideal places would be your porch or a balcony that is open to the sun.
  Water your plant when you find that the soil on top has gone dry. In winters, you can reduce the frequency even further. Water just enough to prevent the soil from going dry.
  Twice a year, in the beginning of spring and the beginning of summer, you need to apply a watered-down fertilizer.

A Healthy Madagascar Palm

• You know your palm is doing well when you record a growth rate of 12 inches per year. When your palm sprouts pretty white flowers that perfume the place, you know you have done well. You also know that your Madagascar palm is growing the right way when you re-pot it and it flourishes.

Winter Care For Madagascar Palms

• In extremely cold winters, take it indoors. If you do this too late and you suspect that the cold has gotten to it, check for wilting at the top portion of the plant. If nothing has set in, you have a chance of saving your plant. Water sparingly and make sure you have a sizable top portion of the soil dry before you put in water. When summer comes again, you will want to keep your plant outside but under cover, just until it gets used to the new weather.

Caring for Sick Madagascar Palms

• As with any plant, Madagascar palms can succumb to infection. If you are lucky enough to catch it at the beginning, you could save your plant. If your plant is beginning to rot due to any infection, check the point of origin. You can cut off the infected part a little at a time until you have gotten rid of all infected parts. If the infection is near the base or root end of the plant then you don't have much of a chance.
  With infected or bug-eaten leaves, simply pull off the leaves that are affected.

Madagascar Palms and Dormancy

• In winter most Madagascar palms go into dormancy; that is, they do not show any signs of growth. Some leaves may fall off depending on how old they are. The actual occurrence of dormancy varies for each subspecies of the plant. This is a time when watering should be done sparingly. Once out of the winter season, you will see a good rate of growth again.