The Phoenix palm, also known as the Canary Island date palm, is not one of the most popular palm species in the Central European climate for nothing. Because this palm tree is particularly easy to care for and decorative. It is suitable as a houseplant or for summer planting on the balcony.
How do you properly care for a phoenix palm?
Caring for a phoenix palm includes a bright, warm location, slightly acidic soil, medium to high water requirements, occasional fertilization and protection from frost below -5 °C. In summer you can slowly get used to the sun and place it on the balcony.
The right soil and the best location
The phoenix palm tolerates slightly acidic and well-drained soil best. The soil should also be fresh and slightly moist. But you don't necessarily have to buy expensive special soil for palm trees (€7.00 on Amazon). Mix your substrate yourself. To do this, you need loamy garden soil as a base, plus some sand and compost. To acidify the soil a little, add a little leaf compost or rhododendron soil.
Although the non-poisonous phoenix palm generally likes a sunny location, as a young plant it cannot tolerate that much sun and should rather be in partial shade. The phoenix palm also doesn't do well with rapid changes between extreme temperatures or lighting conditions. That's why you should slowly get her used to moving from a moderately bright room to a sunny balcony spot, for example.
Planting the Phoenix Palm
Plant the phoenix palm in a large flower pot or a bucket, because the phoenix palm is not very hardy. So it can stay in the apartment all year round or spend the summer on the terrace or balcony.
Choose a tall pot or container because the phoenix palm has long taproots. These grow straight down and need a lot of space. Drainage at the bottom of the planter ensures that excess water can drain away easily. This is how you prevent waterlogging. Water the newly planted palm tree well.
Water and fertilize the phoenix palm properly
Ideally, water your phoenix palm abundantly, but not too often. Only when the top layer of soil has dried slightly does the phoenix palm need water again. A few days of dryness are better for you than waterlogging. That's why the drainage layer in the planter is so important. You can fertilize your phoenix palm every two weeks from April until around October.
The phoenix palm in winter
The phoenix palm can only tolerate frost down to around -5 °C, so it should not spend the winter in the garden, at least not in our latitudes. Before the temperatures drop permanently below freezing point, it is better to bring your phoenix palm back into the apartment or a winter garden.
The phoenix palm also benefits from winter rest as a houseplant. Place your palm in a cooler but still bright room for a few weeks, it will thank you with more vitality and resilience.
Phoenix palm care in brief:
- bright warm location
- rather slightly acidic soil
- medium to high water requirement
- Fertilizer not essential for survival
- hardy to around – 5 °C
Tip
In summer you can place your phoenix palm on the balcony. Get them used to the sun slowly.
