Learn all about Chinese Fan Palm Care and bring a tropical flair to your rooms with its unique evergreen fronds!
Chinese Fan Palm is an easy-to-grow subtropical plant that can be grown both indoors and outdoors. Check out the details about how to grow it.
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Chinese Fan Palm Information
The Chinese Palm is native to east Asia (China, Japan, Taiwan) and some areas of South Africa. With fan-shaped leaves, this evergreen plant stands out with downwards-drooping leaves, popularizing it as Fountain Palm. It requires low maintenance, which makes it a good houseplant.
Botanical Name: Livistona chinensis
Common Names: Chinese fountain palm, Fountain palm, Wide leaf palm
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Propagating Chinese Fan Palm
From Seeds
Propagation from seeds takes more time than all other alternative growing options. Plant the seeds in moist potting soil containing perlite or regular garden sand. Water and keep the seeds in a warm spot with indirect sunlight. The seeds will germinate in 3-5 weeks.
From Pups
Propagation via pups is an easy, quick, and commonly used method. Look for a sucker stem or root at the base of a well-grown Chinese Palm and cut it using a disinfected knife.
Plant it in a pot containing a mix of perlite and well-draining soil. Water well, and place it in an area with indirect sunlight. The roots will develop in a few weeks, and the plant can be repotted into a bigger pot.
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Best Pot Size to Grow Grow Chinese Fan Palm
The size of the container depends on how big or small the plant is. If you are planning to get the plant from a garden center, then it is advisable to transplant it into size bigger pot.
The key here is the pot size should always be one size bigger than the root ball of the plant.
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Requirements for Growing Chinese Fan Palm
Sunlight
While growing Chinese Palm, pick a location that receives indirect sunlight—an east-facing window would be a great place if you are planning to grow it indoors.
Avoid keeping it anywhere that is exposed to the constant exposure to harsh afternoon sun, as it may burn the foliage. Avoid keeping the plant in a shady and dark location too.
A location that gets bright and indirect light all day is a perfect spot for growing this plant.
Water
Water the plant according to its growing season, i.e., during spring and summer, water the plant sufficiently but don’t let the soil get soggy.
This plant is tolerant to drought-like conditions once established. It would be wise to water the plant only when the topsoil feels dry to the touch. Avoid wetting the foliage
Soil
The Chinese Palm is not very picky about the soil and does well in any well-draining growing medium with neutral, acidic, or alkaline pH.
Alternatively, you can mix two parts of regular potting soil, one part sand, half part compost, and half part coconut coir. If you want to know how to DIY it at home, we have a detailed article on it here.
Temperature and Humidity
While growing indoors, please ensure that the Chinese Palm remains in a room with a temperature above 55°F or 12°C, as anything colder than this point can cause serious damage to the plant.
Keep the plant away from the air conditioner vent if grown indoors. Place the pot on a pebble tray filled with water or use a humidifier to ensure the humidity levels comply with the plant’s requirements.
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Chinese Fan Palm Care
Fertilizer
Though the Chinese Palm is not fussy about fertilizer, you can feed it with a diluted water-soluble fertilizer like 10-10-10 once in 8-10 weeks during spring and summer.
Avoid feeding the plant in winter. If the plant is battling magnesium deficiency, Epsom salt is also a good choice.
Pests and Diseases
While growing Chinese Palm, look for red spider mites, whitefly, scales, and mealybugs. Use a strong jet of water or insecticidal soap to take care of them.
Avoid overwatering to keep most of the potential diseases at bay.
Pruning
Chinese Palm is not an aggressive grower, so you don’t have to worry much about pruning it every now and then. Just make sure to remove the dead and damaged foliage from time to time using shears. Make sure not to harm the plant.
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Where Can You Grow China Palm Indoors?
Thanks to its wide fan-like foliage, the China Palm can be a wonderful addition to living rooms. It stays manageable, growing 4-5 feet in height and 3-4 feet in width. You can also make it a part of your office to bring some tropical vibes to the workplace.
