Plant care library / Majesty Palm
How to Care for Majesty Palm
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About Majesty Palm
A rare tropical wonder, Majesty Palm made its way into our homes and hearts from its native wetlands of Madagascar only in the last few years. With elegantly bright green fronds, it gracefully arches and curves to perfectly fill the space, weaving joy and life into any room.
The striking Ravenea rivularis, more commonly known as the Majesty Palm, is an eye-catching tree species in the Arecaceae family. Generally growing up to 10 or 12 feet tall when kept indoors as a "houseplant" and potted, this majestic variety may reach heights of nearly 100 feet in its natural state!
Other common names
- Ravenea rivularis
- Majestic palm
How Often Should I Water My Majesty Palm?
Self-watering can be a lifesaver in maintaining a healthy Majesty Palm. This provides the same moisture level to the environment that it would experience in its natural habitat. With easyplant, watering your Majesty Palm is simple. Make sure to check the easyplant reservoir once a month and fill it when empty, and you're all set!
In most cases, without an easyplant pot, you'll need to water your Majesty Palm every 7-10 days; however, depending on climate and seasonality, this can be extended up to 14 days. To ensure your majesty palm receives the proper amount of hydration, it's recommended to use either the finger test or a moisture meter. To conduct the finger test, check the moisture level by inserting a finger into the soil. If the soil feels dry a couple of centimeters, it's time to water the plant. Consider self-watering systems as a convenient way to keep your Majesty Palm healthy. Easyplant makes it easy to provide consistent care and water your Majesty Palm on an optimal schedule, ensuring that issues like overwatering and underwatering are avoided.
Majesty Palm Light Needs
Majesty Palm grows best in a space with bright direct light, where the sunlight streams inside directly, and can also adapt to spaces with bright indirect light, where the sun rays are diffused. Avoid placing it in spaces with low light or spaces without natural sunlight.
To ensure your Majesty Palm thrives indoors, it's ideal to position it in a location that receives bright, direct light for part of the day. This palm is best suited to environments where it can soak up sunlight directly, especially when placed near a window that allows for generous light exposure. However, it's crucial to moderate its exposure to intense direct sunlight to prevent the leaves from scorching. A spot near a north or west-facing window often provides a balanced amount of direct sunlight and indirect light throughout the day, making it an excellent choice for your Majesty Palm. If you only have south or east-facing windows, you can still accommodate your palm by using sheer curtains to diffuse the direct sunlight, ensuring the plant benefits from the light it needs without the risk of damage from too much sun.
Majesty Palm Plant Care
On your Majesty Palm's first few days at home, it may lose several leaves, or leaves will turn yellow. This is no reason for concern. Simply shake off or cut the leaf, and look forward to new and better-adjusted leaves. To help it grow optimally and evenly, occasionally dust the leaves and rotate the pot by a ¼ turn once a month. To maintain its aesthetic shape and height, you may periodically prune it to your liking.
How Big Do Majesty Palm Plants Grow?
Majesty Palm grows slowly and steadily with one foot of new growth a year, ultimately reaching about eight to ten feet tall. The majesty palm is an awe-inspiring sight when grown in its natural outdoor environment, reaching heights of up to 80 feet and boasting fronds that span 8 feet.
The majesty palm can take some time to reach its full height of 10 feet tall, based on surrounding environmental conditions. Once it reaches this mark, the rate at which it grows slows down as energy is redirected into developing deep roots that will help sustain its broad frond shape. Typically around 15 years old, these majestic palms have reached their mature size and are ready to thrive even longer.
Temperature & Humidity
With their tropical heritage, Majesty palms are best suited for temperatures between 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit and a minimum relative humidity of 50%. Although they can get quite large in their wild habitat, these beauties make great houseplants and will be content with most thermostat settings.
If you reside in an area where the climate is typically dry or hot, consider supplementing your plant's habitat with either a pebble tray or a humidifier. Through these simple steps, you can ensure optimal growth for your Majesty palm.
Are Majesty Palm Toxic for Pets & Kids?
Majesty Palm is non-toxic and safe for humans and animals alike. It is often used to decorate homes with both pets and children, as it does not pose any harm. To ensure safety for kids and animals, keep the leaves dust free to prevent accidental ingestion of dirt particles.
As with most plants, despite it being non-toxic, keeping them out of reach of small children is the best way to avoid unnecessary accidents.
Troubleshooting Common Problems with Majesty Palm
If the leaves are becoming brown or crispy, relocate the pot to a less directly lit location. If you notice the leaves are becoming yellow, relocate the pot to a more directly lit location.
If the temperature surpasses or falls below its optimal range (65-85 °F), your majesty palm leaves may suffer from browning. Heat-induced drying and lighter spots characterize dryness caused by excessive heat, while cold-related discoloration consists of darker hues, even black. You might also observe drooping in some cases.
If you observe darkened, squishy stems and dark spots on your majesty palm’s fronds, be aware: it has most likely been overwatered and may also have root rot. Reduce the watering frequency and wait for it to recover. If it does not recover after a month or so, try to transfer your plant into fresh soil and clip off any moistened roots with discoloration present.
Frequently Asked Questions about Majesty Palm Plant
- Do Majesty Palms need full sun?
Majesty Palms can adjust to various lighting conditions; however, they do best with bright light. To thrive indoors, the majestic Majesty Palm requires an abundance of light — up to eight hours a day — and will be happiest near direct sunlight in a bright window. - How do you take care of an indoor Majesty Palm?
The first step in caring for your Majesty Palm is to ensure it gets access to bright but indirect light. Keep the temperature between 65-85 °F and maintain a minimum relative humidity of 50%.
- How often do you water Majesty Palm?Majesty Palms appreciate a good soak every time the top inch of soil feels dry and should never be allowed to dry out completely. Depending on your environment, this may mean watering once or twice a week — more in hotter months and less in cooler months. To make watering easier, you could use easyplant's self-watering pot. Just fill the reservoir once a month and your Majesty Palm will always have the right amount of water it needs.
- Should I cut the brown tips off my Majesty Palm?To promote healthier plant growth, clip away any completely brown or yellow leaves near the stem or roots. When trimming, be gentle and avoid tugging so as not to damage other parts of the plant. If only a portion is discolored, simply snip off that part without removing the entire leaf.