Different Types of Palm House Plants – Top 20 Varieties
Given their association with the tropical environment, the palm houseplant types are perhaps the lone contender known to induce a beachy feeling amongst the distinct range of indoor plants.
These feelings invoke a sense of relaxation and calm. At the same time, the palm also looks tropical and bold and elevates the interiors exquisitely and exclusively.
Typically, all palm tree house plant types will survive in more or less similar conditions – bright warm weather, moderate humidity, indirect sun, and soil with good drainage.
While some types of house palms are fast-growing, many are slow-growing too. We will discuss a few different varieties of palm house plants through our guide below.
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Let us get started and address these houseplant palm varieties one by one.
Different Types of Palm House Plants
1. Areca Palm
Botanically known as the Dypsis lutescens, Areca Palm is more commonly referred to as the Yellow Palm, Butterfly Palm, and the Golden Cane Palm.
It is one of the most prevalent palm tree house plant types, known to purify the air in your surroundings, leaving you with a fresher, cleaner space to breathe. The palm removes toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde from the environment.
Typically, areca will grow about three-five feet wide and about four to twelve feet tall. Areca palms are susceptible to root rot. Hence, you must avoid overwatering, but ensure that the humidity in the air is just proper.
2. Majesty Palm
Native to Madagascar, a tropical palm arcs vertically and has a somewhat swollen trunk base. Majesty palms enjoy moist soil. It is one of the fast-growing varieties and tends to reach a height of 15-feet when fully mature. These palm houseplant types can thrive in indirect, bright light, but partial shade is also tolerable.
3. Chinese Fan Palm
These house palm tree types are widely popular for their distinctive shape and structure. Also known as the fountain palm, these palm varieties have dark green leaves and can elevate the look and feel of any room.
It is a slow-growing fan-type plant, which can grow up to 10 feet, with a widespread, when exposed to the right growing conditions.
4. Blushing Palm
Also known as the red leaf, watermelon palm, or the red feather palm, these types of palm houseplants are exotic and make for an excellent indoor palm. It has dark green, feathery leaves, about three feet long and extremely thick. In the blooming season, these houseplant palm varieties will yield purple flowers. It also has large, red seeds.
5. European Fan Palm
These palms are slow-growing and grow up to about 15 feet in height with a width of about 10 feet. Surprisingly enough, these are some of the rare palm houseplant types native to Europe.
As European palms are hardy, they can tolerate the cold. In addition, they are drought-resistant and heat tolerant. It is a slow-growing, low-maintenance palm, and many even call it the Mediterranean Fan Palm.
6. Parlor Palm
These are one of the more prevalent and trendy types of palm houseplants. Usually grown indoors, these are slow-growing variants, which can take many years even to acquire a height of three feet. However, when exposed to the right growing conditions, the plant also yields some flowers.
7. Ponytail Palm
Native to Eastern Mexico, despite being christened as a palm, these types of house palms are not real palms. An indoor ponytail palm can grow up to about three feet, but outdoors, this palm can grow up to 20-feet, provided the palm is exposed to the right growing conditions.
This palm does okay with being root-bound. Since the ponytail palm can grow up to a massively tall height, being root-bound is beneficial as it keeps the width and height in check for the indoor environment.
Since their trunks are where the palm stores water, it works like a reservoir. This makes it a drought-tolerant palm.
8. Pygmy Date Palm
These are low-maintenance house palm tree types, which grows up to 75-feet. You can find more minor variants in it, ideal for indoor space.
Native to Southern China, it is a dwarf palm, and these houseplant palm varieties are also called Phoenix or Miniature Date Palm. Despite their small size, their leaves grow reasonably long, up to five feet.
In addition, the pygmy date palm forms a crown on top of its trunk, which adds to its attractiveness.
9. Cascade Palm
Native to Central America and Southern Mexico, the Cascade Palm is also known as the Mexican hat or the Cat palm. These house palm tree types are famous for their cascading wall of feathered, lush green fronds.
The plant can grow up to six feet in an indoor space, and their broad foliage might occupy massive space. They best thrive in moist and shady regions.
10. Sago Palm
These are ancient-looking types of palm houseplants and are pretty eye-catching. The plant needs indirect sunlight, significantly higher moisture than the other varieties, and moist soil. Never expose Sago to direct sunlight as its leaves are sensitive to burn.
11. Fishtail Palm
With a close resemblance to an actual fishtail, these house palms are native to Indo-China but thrive even in the sub-tropical, tropical, and Mediterranean regions. They look quite like feather palms and can live for five to twenty-five years, depending on the care you give.
12. Kentia Palm
Often referred to by their scientific name, Howea forsteriana, Kentia house palm tree types are typically grown by serious gardening enthusiasts.
To thrive, they need moderate humidity, indirect sunlight, and temperature between 55°F – 85°F to thrive. Further, with watering just once a week, you can make the plant grow well.
13. Lipstick Palm
Also known as the red sealing wax palm, these are incredibly versatile and beautiful house palm. The plant has a distinctive feathery green frond and red trunk.
They grow in a natural habitat and can grow up to about 10-15 feet indoors and about 50-feet outdoors. They yield green flowers.
14. Bottle Palm
Also referred to as the Hyophorbe lagenicaulis, these palm tree house plant types are quite exotic. Native to Mauritius and Round Island, their bottle-shaped name brings them this name. They are low-maintenance houseplants and can live 100 years with moderate watering, partial sunlight, and good soil mix.
15. Sentry Palm
Botanically known as the Howea belmoreana, these types of house palms are more prevalently called the Belmore Palm or the Curly Palm. Look wise; they look much like the Kentia Palms.
Their broad curly, feather-like fronds can elevate the interior space magnificently. They tend to grow up to 8-feet, but pruning them should not be a hassle. The plant enjoys humid and dry conditions. So, misting frequently can be helpful.
16. Canary Island Date Palm
With their majestic and giant size, these house palms rule any landscape where they are grown. Also referred to as the Pineapple Palm, Cenary houseplant palm varieties are elegant and have a pineapple-like shape with a crusty leaf pattern. This can be a perfect types of house palms if your home has a Mediterranean vibe.
17. Bamboo Palm
Bamboos have bushy, bright-green leaves, and they can grow up to 12 feet and need an organic, rich potting mix. These house palm tree types do not enjoy extreme humidity and are tolerant to low light conditions.
Because of their rich visual appeal, these palm tree house plant types can accentuate your home’s interior. In addition, they tend to purify and cleanse the air.
18. Yucca Palm
Yucca Palm, Stick Yucca, or the Spineless Yucca is one of the most beautiful types of palm houseplants, renowned for its distinctive sword shape. Native to Mexico and Central America, it is an evergreen plant that is low-maintenance and easy to care for.
19. Lady Palm
Lady Palms are one of the slow-growing types of house palms. Native to Asia, these are the perfect picks for someone who does not like repotting often.
They are beautiful ornamental houseplants but are intolerant to direct sunlight and low-light conditions. Hence, you must expose the plant to indirect but bright sunlight for the plant to thrive.
20. Needle Palm
Amongst the different types of palm house plants, the Needle Palm is one of the house palms, which is quite easy to grow. Native to the Southeastern US, these cold-hardy palms can conveniently adapt to the varying sunlight degrees and soils.
In addition, it is one of the slow-growing types of palm houseplants, which can conveniently fill in the empty spaces in a backyard or garden.
Related: Date Palm Types, Garden Palm Types
What Other Houseplants Can You Buy?
Beyond the types of house palms already discussed, there are also other kinds of house plants that you can plant to elevate any indoor space. These include:
- Aloe plant
- Christmas Cactus plant
- Cast-iron plant
- Anthurium plant
- Dieffenbachia plant
- Asparagus fern plant
- Chinese evergreen plant
- Peace lily plant
- Dracaena plant
- Arrowhead vine plant
- Tradescantia plant
- Peperomia plant
- Spider plant
- Plectranthus plant
- English Ivy plant
- Philodendron plant
- Snake plant
- Hoya plant
- Ficus plant
- Pothos Ivy Plant
- Jade Plant
- Peace Lily Plant
- Shamrock Plant
- Fiddle-leaf fig tree
- Golden Pothos
- Lemon Button Fern
- Swiss Cheese Vine
- Burrow’s tail
- Meyer Lemon
- Corn Plant
- Basil plant
- Mint plant
- Baby tears
- String of pearls
- Croton
- Air Plant
- Eternity Plant
- Wax Plant
- Money Plant
- Aglaonema Lipstick
- Heart-Leaf Philodendron
- Nephrolepis Exaltata Fern
- ZZ Plant
- African Violet
- Juniper Bonsai
- Pilea
- Sweetheart Plant
- Bird of Paradise
Related: Indoor Water Plants
Frequently Asked Questions
Ques 1. How do I identify my indoor palm tree?
Ans. You can identify the indoor palm tree majorly from its leaf shape. Further, the size, color, and flowers, too, can help with identification.
Ques 2. Are palm trees suitable for indoors?
Ans. Because of their magnificent appeal & low maintenance, palm trees are good picks for indoors types of house palms.
Ques 3. How long do indoor palm trees live?
Ans. Different palm trees have a different life span. But, typically, a palm tree can easily live about 70-80 years. Some varieties of palms die at 40, while others can also live a century. A lot of the lifespan depends on the environment and care the palm is exposed to.
Ques 4. Is palm tree air purifier?
Ans. Beyond their magnificent visual appeal, house palm tree types are also excellent air purifiers. This is one prime reason why people prefer palms in their bedrooms.
They filter the common pollutants and the significant degree of formaldehyde from the air. The best palms for this purpose are bamboo palm and the pygmy date palm.
Ques 5. Should I fertilize my indoor palm?
Ans. In all honesty, there is not much need for you to fertilize your indoor palms. But still, a regular feed can only prove beneficial or the palm. During the fertilizer selection, always choose palm-specific fertilizers, and avoid chemical or synthetic fertilizers.
Further, you must perform a soil assessment before plantation to ensure that the soil is well-draining and has everything the plant needs.
Ques 6. How frequently should I water my indoor palm houseplant?
Ans. Even though the watering requirements for different palm varieties may be variable, ideally, watering a mature palm once a week will suffice, but this will be weather-dependent.
However, if your palm’s soil tends to dry out quickly, you must increase the watering frequency. For a new palm, the watering frequency is more. So, they should be watered all seven days of the week, especially in the first week.
From the second week onwards, you can switch to alternate days, and from the third week to maturity, stick to every third day. It is advisable to check the topsoil before your watering and only water when the topsoil is completely dry.
Please note that both overwatering and underwatering can prove lethal for your palm.
Ques 7. What kind of light do indoor palms need?
Ans. Palms indoor like bright, indirect sunlight with moist soil. So, you can place them in a south-facing or a west-facing window.
However, avoid the harsh direct sunlight of afternoons, and it is best to keep the palm plant outdoors in the morning and evening sun to help it meet its daily light requirements.
