Temperature
65–80°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Areca palm
Dypsis lutescens
Areca palm wants bright indirect light and water every 5 to 10 days, once the top inch is dry. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
Within three feet of an east or south window. It wants more light than most people give a palm.
Water
Every 5–10 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top inch is dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Wants 55%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Moderate
Scores 3 of 5: Scores 3 of 5: no single difficult requirement, but it wants bright light, steady moisture and clean water at once, and browns visibly when any one slips.
Habit
Clumping
Grows to 36–84 inches. No support needed.
Non-toxic to cats and dogs
Eating a large amount of any plant can still cause mild stomach upset.
Detail for cats → Detail for dogs →
What each authority says sources differ
- ASPCA
- Non-toxic to cats and dogs
- NC State Extension
- Poison severity: Low · cyanogenic glycoside(s) · The heart-of-palm (the meristem and young leaf buds) are cyanogenic and should not be consumed. Symptoms include nausea and vomiting.
These records do not agree. Both are reproduced above and linked; we do not adjudicate between them.
Light
Bright indirect light. Within three feet of an east or south window. It wants more light than most people give a palm.
Water
Every 5 to 10 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top inch is dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | keep evenly moist |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top inch is dry |
Soil and potting
Two parts potting soil, one part perlite, one part coarse sand.
Repot roughly every 2 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- Brown crispy edges monitor
- Yellow leaves this week
- Frond drop this week
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-12.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Spider mites act today
- Mealybugs this week
- Scale insects this week
Propagation
Division in soil. Roots in 28 to 70 days.
| Preferred method | division |
|---|---|
| Medium | soil |
| Time to root | 28–70 days |
| Node required | No |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Dypsis lutescens Checked 2026-09-12.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Dypsis lutescens Checked 2026-09-12.
- Wikidata entity Q1535705 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Dypsis lutescens Checked 2026-09-12.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Dypsis lutescens Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Photograph: KENPEI, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 3.0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02