The fan palm (Washingtonia) is probably one of the most attractive palm trees in the home and garden. The fan-shaped leaves provide a Mediterranean flair. Caring for the fan palm is not very difficult. You can care for it as a houseplant as well as a potted plant on the balcony and terrace.
How do I properly care for a fan palm?
Caring for a fan palm includes thorough watering without waterlogging, fertilizing from spring to the end of summer, careful cutting of brown or yellow fronds, repotting if necessary and overwintering at temperatures above minus eight degrees. Also make sure you choose a bright, sunny location.
How to water a fan palm correctly?
In the growing months, a fan palm needs a lot of water. Therefore, water thoroughly. Waterlogging must be avoided at all costs.
If the fan palm is cared for in the room, make sure that the humidity is high enough. If necessary, place bowls of water near the plant.
Do fan palms need to be fertilized?
Fertilization takes place from spring to the end of summer. A good liquid fertilizer is sufficient (€7.00 on Amazon). Of course you can also use a special palm fertilizer.
Depending on the type of fertilizer, fertilization is carried out at weekly or monthly intervals.
How to cut fan palms?
Even if the fan palm grows very tall - you can't just cut it. If you cut the top, the palm tree will die.
You can cut off brown or yellow fronds before you bring the fan palm into winter quarters. Do not leave any leftover fronds on the trunk as they form a good breeding ground for pests.
When is it time to repot?
Repotting is always done when the pot has become too small. This can be recognized by the roots growing out of the drainage hole at the bottom or the root ball pushing upwards. Even if the stability of the fan palm is no longer guaranteed, it is time to repot.
What diseases and pests can occur?
Illnesses almost never occur. If the roots or trunk of the palm tree are rotten, there are always care errors. Waterlogging is usually the cause due to too frequent watering.
Scale insects occur relatively frequently, but are often recognized very late. If the leaves turn brown or yellow, you should inspect the fronds for pest infestation and take action if necessary.
How is the fan palm overwintered?
Fan palms are only partially hardy. They can tolerate temperatures down to minus eight degrees for short periods of time. When overwintering outdoors, the palm heart in particular must be protected.
Tip
Fan palms prefer a very bright, sunny location. If the place is too dark, the palm tree will react with brown or yellow leaves.
