For the patrons of stylish, sophisticated, and yet, neglect tolerant houseplants, Ruffled Fan Palm is an unrivaled choice. The spectacular, corrugated leaves is the primary appeal of this tropical beauty. These Pacific Island natives have sneaked their presence into the interior space through their magnetic appearance and high durability. A fervent enthusiast of bright filtered light, they are nature designed to be drought tolerant and environmental stress combaters. An active adapter of environment- Licuala grandis grows well in estate gardens and lawns as well as in containers and potted domains.
Also known as the Grand Licuala Palm, it is, as its name suggests, grand, unusual and architectural. The leaves grow and expand to almost 2-3 feet wide, so make sure you are placing the plant at a location where it can get plenty of space to expand its gorgeous fronds. From terraces, to wide office spaces, the Ruffle fan Palm has found itself adorning the open spaces with its ridged armature. Apart from its enduring nature, it also fosters air-purifying benefits, turning itself into a green bed by eliminating harmful toxins from the indoor atmosphere, by effective removal of harmful VOCs that are detrimental to health.
An offbeat indoor houseplant, the Ruffled Fan Palm is a prodigious addition to the aesthetic appeal of any location with its uncommon leaf morphology. Even though well-established palms rarely need the care of an excessively paranoid plant parent, young plants do need a tad extra attention to properly establish themselves to combat stress on their own.
Alright! Now that we have your attention towards this amazing plant, let us explore a bit on the care aspect of this tropical charmer.
Location: You can place the Licuala Grandis just about anywhere- bedrooms, hallways, living rooms, balcony gardens and any other location with filtered light. They work best as floor plants with metal and ceramic planters, complementing their remarkable foliage. They are also experts in adapting to soil environments and grow exceptionally well if planted in gardens and lawns. If placed near a wall, make sure you rotate the plant every 15 days to ensure a uniform growth from all sides.
Light: Light is one of the most relevant factors when it comes to growing palms. They are ardent fans of bright light, but direct sun tends to turn them into an ugly shade of brown. Keep them in location which gets plenty of bright indirect sunlight for a minimum of 5 hours everyday for uniform and lush growth. Direct rays of the sun will turn the ends dry, brown and crispy. Open living spaces, will-lit bedrooms, apartment balconies and north-facing balconies are some of the best locations to keep a Ruffled Fan Palm.
Water: A drought tolerant tropical specimen, Ruffled Fan Palm is a passionate lover of humidity. However, it is not forgive=ving when it comes to moisture stress, especially overwatering. Leaves tend to turn brown and crumpled if the plant is sitting in excess moisture. An ideal way to ensure that you are properly watering the soil is to let the top 2 inches dry off between each watering spell, which should take some time between 7-10 days.Give the plant a good through drench with every watering for a happy plant.
Humidity: Low on watering and high on humidity is the Ruffle mantra. They prefer warm and moist conditions for their green, leafy fronds. Make sure to mist them every alternate day thoroughly or place a humidifier near the plant for best results. Do note to keep them away from air-conditioners and locations where they can be subjected to cold drafts. Sudden change in temperatures leads to crimped leaves which fold into themselves, leading to the plant fronds drying up. Crimped fronds are next to impossible to revive, but with proper hydration, this issue can be kept under check.
Convinced enough that this is THE plant for that awaiting space at your home? You can get your own magnificent Ruffled Fan Palm here.
Before proceeding further, let's have a quick glance at the care:
Now that we have care under control, let us have a glance into the pesky menace magnets and other issues that Ruffled Fan Palms usually face. These are the some of the common problems, your Licuala Grandis might face:
- Mealy Bugs are some of the most common pests to appear on Ruffled Fan Palm. White, fluffy and soft-bodied insects, they infest in groups and drain out the plant’s nutrients. Neem Oil treatment is one of the most organic and effective methods to get rid of these bugs. For severe infestation, use Rubbing alcohol or Isopropyl alcohol in full concentration.
- Spider Mites often go unnoticed until the plant gets too sick, due to their small appearance. Yellow leaves and speckled leaves are some of the most common symptoms of Spider Mites. An insecticidal soap wash or Neem Oil treatment is very effective in removal and prevention from future attack.
- Leaf Spots: Round, yellowish and discoloured spots is the primary identification of the leaf spot fungal infection. Water monitoring is the best way to control and prevent this sort of infection. Incase of severe spread, discard the infected frond.
Impactful, atypical and a noteworthy tropical plant, Ruffled Fan Palm upholds the reputation of turning a boring corner into a beguiling one with its lush green fronds. Apart from its enduring nature and air cleansing properties, it is one plant that your pets are sure to adore, since it is one of the pet-friendly options you can explore. So the next time you want your paw-ed friends to have a leafy best friend, you know where to turn to.