How to Grow and Care for Neanthe Bella Palm

Due to its popularity as a houseplant, the Neanthe Bella palm (Chamaedorea elegans), thrives in indoor conditions. Reaching between two and six feet, the stems are upright and have a bamboo-like appearance, and the pinnately compound leaves spread and droop slightly.

If you have a Neanthe Bella palm, be sure to place it in a sunny spot, as it enjoys bright, indirect light. This is a great houseplant choice, as it's an easy-to-maintain palm that looks beautiful in any home.

Read on for our best Neanthe Bella palm care tips.

Neanthe Bella Palm Care

• Prefers bright indirect light of a north or east-facing window.

• Avoid overwatering; soil should dry out slightly between waterings.

• Enjoys low to medium humidity levels.

• Repot every other year in a loamy container mix.

Light

The plant can tolerate low-light conditions but prefers bright, indirect light from a north- or east-facing window. Outdoors, place the palm in dappled or deep shade.

Soil

Use a loamy container planting medium that has a slightly acidic or neutral pH. If planting outdoors, the soil should be well-draining and loose.

Water

The palm prefers moist soil but should not be overwatered. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings and do not allow the roots to stand in water.

Temperature and Humidity

A subtropical palm, it prefers warm temperatures and low to medium humidity levels. The palms should be protected from cold drafts and regularly misted if placed near a heating vent.

Fertilizer

As an indoor palm, use a slow-release palm fertilizer with an analysis like 12-4-12 or 8-2-12. It should contain micronutrients, such as iron, manganese, zinc, boron, and copper to maintain a healthy plant.

Apply two times a year during the spring and summer growing season. Do not fertilize in the dormant winter period. Supplement the soil in the spring for outdoor Neanthe Bella palms with organic matter.

Types of Neanthe Bella Palm

You may see the plant labeled as the cultivar 'Bella' or its previous classification of Collinia elegans. It can be confused with other indoor palms like Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, a palm from Madagascar, or Phoenix roebelenii, a dwarf date palm.

Pruning

Neanthe Bella requires little or no pruning. Dead stems and fronds should be removed with sharp shears. Avoid over-pruning that can weaken the plant. In general, remove only fully browned leaves and never cut your palm down to just one or two new fronds.

Propagating

The best way to propagate a Neanthe Bella palm is to divide a mature plant. Palms cannot be propagated with a cutting, but they can be grown from seeds.

You will need a clean, sharp serrated knife, fresh potting mix, and an appropriately sized plant pot for the new divisions. While you can divide the palm at any time, you'll have better results if the division is done during the spring growing season.

Here's how to propogate a Neanthe Bella palm.

1. Allow the soil to dry for about a week after watering the mother plant.

2. Gently remove the plant from its container. Brush away excess soil and examine the root ball and crown of the plant to identify clumps of stems and their roots. Multiple divisions can be done from a single plant as long as the stems on each clump are at least one foot long with healthy leaves and a sturdy root system.

3. Use your fingers to loosen the root ball a bit, then use a serrated knife or pruning saw to cut away the clumps you'd like to propagate.

4. Repot the divisions with fresh potting mix in containers that have drainage holes. The soil line should land at the same place on the plant as it did in the original pot.

5. Water the new plants well and place them in indirect light. Allow the root systems to recover for a few weeks before fertilizing the plants.

How to Grow Neanthe Bella Palms from Seed

You can purchase Neanthe Bella palm seeds or collect them yourself once the palm has matured and flowered. The germination rate is slow and sometimes unreliable, but it can be done.

1. Sow seeds on the surface of a well-draining, damp seed starter mixture.

2. Lightly cover the seeds (no more than 1/8-inch) with vermiculite or compost.

3. Place the container in a propagator or seal inside a plastic bag.

4. Keep the seed starter tray at a temperature of 77-86 °F. until after germination.

5. Germination takes from 10-42 days. Once the seedlings have two leaflets, remove the tray from the plastic bag.

6. Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle, taking care not to damage the fragile roots, into three-inch pots.

7. Move to larger containers if the palm becomes rootbound.
   

Potting and Repotting

The Neanthe Bella palm grows slowly and should only need to be repotted every other year. As the palm grows larger, use a heavy clay or ceramic container to prevent the palm from tipping over.

When repotting, gently tap the plant from the container to prevent damaging the root ball. Use fresh potting mix and add additional peat moss to make sure there is good drainage. Repot in the early spring so the plant can adapt to its new home before it begins actively growing.

Overwintering

If the palm is moved outdoors during temperature weather, be sure to bring it inside before the temperature drops below nighttime temperatures in the 40s °F. Indoor palms should be misted regularly if placed near a heat vent or add a humidifier to the room.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

Indoor palms can become infested with red spider mites or mealybugs. Do regular inspections when water to catch the pest infestation early. Removal, if caught early, can be done by wiping the palm leaves and stems with a damp cloth to remove these pests from the plant.

How to Get a Neanthe Bella Palm to Bloom

After several years of growth, an irregularly branched stem may emerge from the trunk of the palm below or among the leaves. The light-green branch will have small, light yellow, yellow, or orange-red clusters of small balls without petals and develop seeds.

Proper light, moisture, fertilization, and maturity are required for the palm to develop blooms.

Common Problems with a Neanthe Bella Palm

The most common problem is overwatering which leads to root rot. Be sure the potting mixture drains well and do not leave water standing in the decorative outer planter or saucer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can a Neanthe Bella Palm live?

Under ideal conditions, the palm can as a houseplant for 10 years or more.

Is a Neanthe Bella Palm difficult to grow and care for?

This is one of the easiest-care houseplants because it does not require daily watering. It prefers indirect, bright light, is slow-growing, and pet-friendly.

Where is the best location for an indoor Neanthe Bella Palm?

The palm prefers bright, indirect light; although they can tolerate low-light conditions. A north- or east-facing window is optimal. Protect the palm from cold drafts near windows, doors, or vents, and mist the leaves during periods of low humidity.

Read the original article on The Spruce.