Which palm is this ? (Photo)

13 years ago

Hello, I am not sure what type of palm I have. I bought it over two years ago and it had always survived very well with light watering (maybe once or twice a week) and in a big room but not near the window. I also mist every few days.
I have now moved apartment and have placed it beside a window in a very bright room. It has had the sun in the evening shining through for about 2 weeks (summer has been pretty bad here).
I finally looked up the different types of Palms and have been treating it as an Areca palm. I have started to water it maybe every 2-3 days, cut off some of the stems that had hardened on the tip so I knew nothing was going to grow from them.
The palm is now extremely droopy (had to tie string to help hold it up) and also for the first time, two of my fronds are going yellow.

Today, I repotted for the first time. It went from a 26cm to about a 35/40cm pot (probably too big of a jump I now realise). I did not touch the old soil, just added a lot more 'universal' soil to fit the new pot. When I lifted it out of the old pot, it came out very easy (which I read means it was ready for repotting) and I could see all the white roots around the edge of the soil.

Can anyone tell me, first the type of palm but also how I can fix what mistakes I may have made??
Thanks for any advise..

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Comments (5)

jennywh2
Original Author
13 years ago
Here is another picture of the stems
jennywh2
Original Author
13 years ago
And finally this is the palm repotted. I have also moved it to another room that still gets some evening sun but the palm is much further from the window. (Is it okay to have the palm leaning against the wall?)
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tropicalzone7
13 years ago
Looks like a Cat palm to me which is in the Chamadorea family. Their care requirements are pretty similar to Areca palms so you are doing the right things.

They aren't the best indoor palms so that could be the reason why they are a little droopy. If the weather is nice and warm where you live, it would be a lot happier in shade outside. Keep it well watered and it should be happy there. You can always bring it in during the winter. When I have my cat palm indoors, it usually just isnt that happy. There are a lot of palms that are better for indoor use. Chinese fan palms (Livistona) are pretty happy with being indoors and Lady palms (Rhapis) and Chamadorea Elegans are especially happy indoors.

Good lucK!
-Alex
tropicbreezent
13 years ago
Does look like a Chamaedorea cataractarum. They get called Cataract or Cat Palms. In nature they grow in rivers and on river banks. They form dense clumps up to about 2 metres tall. They like a lot of water and can be full sun (if well watered) but are better in some shade.
jennywh2
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for your replies.
Hopefully it will grow a few more stems because at the moment it is not very 'full'. I will leave it in the new room for now and keep checking its progress