Christmas Palm

Christmas Palm Care

Adonidia Merrillii

Other names: Palmera Manila, Manila Palm, Merrill Palm

What is the plant

The adonidia palm (Veitchia merrillii, formerly Adonidia merrillii) is also called the Christmas palm because it has large clusters of bright red berries each year during the holiday season. A Philippine native, it grows year-round, to about 16 feet tall, outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 11, or as a container-grown plant indoors. This palm grows at a moderate rate and needs only some basic care to thrive.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Full Sun

Temperature

18°C - 24°C

Hardiness zone

10 - 11

Difficulty

Medium

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Water regularly, but don't allow soil to get soggy which can cause root rot. Always use a pot with drainage holes.
Pruning
That problem with the messy fruit is closely related to pruning. To be fair, the Christmas palm doesn’t need much pruning. When a leaf dies, it falls off the trunk leaving a little scar. This self-cleaning feature makes caring for the tree such an easy job.To avoid the issue of having to clean the fallen fruits from under the tree, many gardeners cut off the flower stalks when they appear during the summer. This stops the fruits from growing on the tree altogether.
Fertilizer
Most indoor plants like a steady diet of liquid plant food, but not palms. Palms are slow-growing, especially indoors, and don't need much fertilizer. Feed with a slow-release fertilizer, such as Jobe's Indoor Palm Fertilizer food spikes once in spring and again in summer. It contains the micronutrients that palms need to keep them healthy, lush and green.

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
Bright light to full direct sun
Soil
Mix 3 parts peat moss-based mix to 1 part sand for faster drainage
Temperature
Average room temperature 65-75°F/18-24°C year-round; Christmas palm tree is not cold-hardy and will not tolerate frost.