by johnah on November 5, 2020
Fishtail Palm Seeds
In order to grow your own fishtail palms indoors, you need to purchase some seeds. There are many types of seeds available online, but here at Amazon we have gathered the best ones for you. You can buy them directly from our site or through any other online retailer such as eBay or AliExpress. If you prefer to buy them locally then check out your local garden center or nursery store.
What do you need?
The first thing you will need is a container with drainage holes. A plastic storage tub works well. You may want to use glass containers too if possible because they tend to break easier than plastic ones.
If you plan on growing fishtail palms outdoors, then it’s probably not necessary to keep the container outside anyway so why bother?
You’ll also need a place where you can put your plants when they’re young. They like bright light and airy spaces. So make sure there’s plenty of room around the plant inside the container.
Once you’ve got all these things, go ahead and get started!
Step 1:
Get yourself some fishtail palm seeds. As mentioned above, you can get these online or at any nursery or garden center.
Step 2:
Choose a container to plant your seeds in. It’s important that the container have some drainage holes. You should also sterilize the container before planting anything in it. To do this, just put the container (and its lid if it has one) in a large pot and pour boiling water over both. Then let them dry completely before you use them.
Step 3:
Fill your container with a good quality potting soil. Don’t skimp on the type of dirt you use since this will greatly affect how well (or not) your palms grow. Distribute the seeds throughout the container and lightly cover with more potting soil. Don’t bury the seeds too deep or you won’t be able to see when they start to sprout.
Step 4:
Put the container in a location that gets plenty of indirect sunlight. (If you’re indoors, then an east facing window is your best bet). Don’t put it in direct sunlight since the soil will dry out too much.
Step 5:
Keep the soil lightly moist but not wet. If you’re using plastic, it’s good to have a tray underneath to catch any leaking water. You can also set up a humidifier nearby if you live in a dry area.
Step 6:
Wait. One to three months should pass before you start seeing sprouts appear. Once they do, you can transplant them to larger containers. Be sure to put a few inches of gravel or broken clay pot pieces at the bottom of the larger container before you add the soil. This will help with drainage.
Step 7:
Wait some more. You should water your palms every couple of days. It’s important that the soil stays moist but not soggy. The palms also need plenty of sunlight. If they start to fall over, you can prop them up with small stakes until they get bigger.
That’s it. You should start to see your new plants grow at an accelerated rate. They can get up to 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide in a relatively short amount of time. If you want, you can also plant them outside. They thrive in the full sun so it’s best to put them some place with plenty of open space.
Of course, you don’t have to grow them yourself. You can also go to a nursery and buy some that are already fully grown. These can cost anywhere from $30 to $200 depending on size and quality. Of course, you can also go the cheaper route and get some at your own local garden center. They’ll usually be a lot smaller, but can still make a great addition to your yard.
No matter which route you take, fishtail palms are a great choice for accent pieces in your yard. They’re relatively easy to grow and will thrive in most conditions as long as you give them the TLC they need.
Sources & references used in this article:
Contrasting seed biology of two ornamental palms: Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii O’Brien) and Fishtail Palm (Caryota urens L.) by K Prakash, R Chaudhury, MR Rohini… – Indian Journal of …, 2019 – 14.139.47.23
Population genetics of the understory fishtail palm Chamaedorea ernesti-augusti in Belize: high genetic connectivity with local differentiation by A Cibrián-Jaramillo, CD Bacon, NC Garwood… – BMC genetics, 2009 – Springer
Palm parts by D Mead – sulang.org
Growing indoor plants with success by SV Pennisi – 2009 – athenaeum.libs.uga.edu
Cultivated palms of the world by D Ellison, A Ellison – 2001 – books.google.com
Interior plantscaping with large houseplants by RC Smith – 1997 – library.ndsu.edu
Biology of Palms and Implications for Management in the Landscape by DR Hodel – HortTechnology, 2009 – journals.ashs.org
Edible palms and their uses by J Haynes, J McLaughlin – 2000 – researchgate.net
An African Tropical Forest in Boston by MA Thurlow – Arnoldia (USA), 1990 – arnoldia.arboretum.harvard.edu
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