Chinese Fan Palm Care
Common Name: Chinese Fan Palm
Scientific Name: Livistona chinensis
Lighting: Bright Light
Water: Heavy
The Chinese Fan Palm has distinct foliage, which looks just as the name sounds. Large, bright green fan-shaped leaves radiate from their own small stalks. The Chinese Fan Palm requires more space than your average houseplant due to the large foliage it supports as well as its spread.
This houseplant prefers full sun, so keep within 3 feet of a window which receives sunlight for at least 4 to 5 hours. Be sure to also keep the plant away from heat and cooling sources such as vents or doors so that it maintains a consistent temperature. Your Chinese Fan Palm will also enjoy a daily misting of water to help satisfy its humidity requirements. If the leaf tips turning brown, you probably are not keeping the humidity levels high enough.
Another main area to watch for with this houseplant is its water level. The Chinese Fan Palm requires heavy watering, so be sure to keep the soil moist at all times, but at the same time, do not over water. You don't want the soil to become soggy. Soggy soil is always a good candidate for root rot.
I personally have never had any problems with bugs or disease with my Chinese Fan Palm, however spider mites can be common with this houseplant. If bugs appear on your plant, simply mist with a soapy water mixture twice daily until gone.
This plant is a slow grower, so don't feel discouraged if it seems its size is remaining constant.
Labels: palms
posted by drayas @ 10:56 PM
13 Comments:
Hello,
I just bought a 10" chinese fan palm about 2 1/2 ft, not in great condition, but decided it was too nice to pass up. The tips are browning slightly and a bit cracked in the middle of each "finger." I'm not sure if cutting the tips would be any good or if there is a special way in which to cut the tips. Also I have it next to a west window, which can get pretty hot and sunny throughout the day. I have read that younger plants do well in partially shaded areas. So far I've been watering twice a week and misting on a daily basis, even during the day if I can so as not to let it become to dry. Any ideas? Can I keep the plant alive and thriving this way?
Thanks,
gardenhoe
gardenhoe,
You seem to be right on track in terms of caring for your Chinese Fan Palm. Keep it up. If the palms foliage begins to brown more, then move it away from the light. From what it sounds now though, it's just browning like a typical palm will.
Keep me posted.
Thanks,
drayas
Ahh, the tips of my fan palm continue to turn brown. I just moved it to the other side of a west facing window where it will receive indirect light throughout most of the day and direct sunlight only as the sun is setting for about 2-3 hours. I still water twice a week, in which I water the plant thoroughly wait for the excess water to drain out and place the palm back to where it was. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Should I trim the brown tips?
Ok I see I am not the only one who has a Chinese Fan Palm that is turning brown on the tips. You all make me feel better, not make my plant. I have 2 that are about 9-10 feet each. I got them about a month ago (May 08). Is this just typcal for them? Or am I doing something wrong? The lady whom I got them from said only use distilled water, because our water has floride. Distilled or tap? Any truth to this? I just want them to live, they are HUGE!!
Hello,
Yes, only use distilled water. Palms are extremely touchy to chemicals in the water. Therefore avoid using water that has gone through a softener or treatment of any sort.
Thanks,
drayas
(ATL GA)I have 4 of these that i got free from a wedding. They live outside right now since the summer is pretty warm, my tips are also brown. I water them every 3-4 days, they fall right over if the 5th day comes along and they haven't been watered.
Thanks for sharing advice. I really appreciate readers doing so!!
drayas
I dug up a "baby" Chinese fan palm in SW Florida (abour a 4" frond on top). I know it was by all the other palm around being Chinese fan palm. I planted it in the same sand soil it was growing in. The frond turned crispy and yellow-brown. I water it every 2 days or so and it drains and it is sitting on an East facing window sill. I am in WI. Is there any way to bring baby fan palm back or a check to see if it is still alive even though the frond turned crispy?
Hello,
It's hard to say. Taking an outdoor plant from a very humid climate back to WI was probably a big adjustment. Continue watering and caring for the palm as stated above. Also, be sure to mist it daily seeing as Wisconsin doesn't have much humidity this time of year.
Keep us posted.
drayas
I have had a chinese fan palm for several years and it did well until a couple of weeks ago. I forgot to water it and all the greenery turned brown and withered. I started cutting them off as they turned, but now the entire plant is withered. Did I kill it or is a chance it will regrow on the stalks?
Hello,
Its hard to say. Has anything else changed in its environment? Did you overwater it after realizing your under watered the plant? You can try cutting all the brown foliage off, this will relieve stress on the plant keeping it from using energy to help un-savable parts of the plant, making it focus on new growth instead.
Keep us posted.
drayas
I have a chinese fan palm that has three main stalks with stems and leaves as high as 10 feet tall. I was wondering if it is possible to seperate them and replant three seperate plants without killing the entire plant? If os, how do I do it and when is the best time of the year to attempt??
Thanx in advance for your help
Hi,
I have a CFP that is doing pretty well in the garden but the foilage is a little yellow, do I need to fertilise or add nutrients to green it up. Thanks, Stephen
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