How to Care for Palm Trees: Planting, Watering, and Pruning

Nothing turns an indoor or outdoor space into a tropical paradise more quickly than a palm tree. Whether you already have one or plan to plant one, knowing how to care for palm trees is the secret to keeping these leafy plants happy and healthy for years to come.

Here’s everything you need to know to keep your palm looking its best, from taking precautionary steps during planting to if (and when) you should prune it.

Choosing the Right Palm Tree 

There are many different species of palm trees, many of which are actually built to withstand cold weather. When picking one for your home, it’s important to consider where you’re planning to put it (whether indoors or outside) and choose a palm tree species accordingly.

Here are the most common types of palm trees and where it’s best to plant them.

Best Hardy Palm Trees

Despite having a reputation for being a warm-weather plant, many palm tree species survive and thrive in cold or freezing weather. Bonus: They also do well in warm weather, so you don’t have to worry about them no matter the season. More than 20 palm tree species are classified as hardy plants that can survive cold temps, including some of the most common and popular options, such as California fan palms and date palms.

Hardy palm trees are perfect for outdoor settings where the temperatures are known to plummet, but even they need direct and semi-consistent sunlight to shine. If you live somewhere where it’s perpetually cloudy, an indoor palm tree may be the better option.

Best Indoor Palm Trees

Christmas isn’t the only moment for indoor trees. With the right palm tree species, your home can feel like an island getaway all year long.

Some species are better suited to living indoors than others. The lady palm is a favorite of many for indoor gardening because it doesn’t need a lot of light or water and will grow to a max of 6 feet. If you’d prefer to start smaller, areca palms are similarly low maintenance but only grow between 6 and 10 inches. In general, any small palm trees that are native to warm regions can be a fit for inside your home.

How to Care for a Palm Tree: Planting

How you plant a palm tree determines how well it will survive, so take a few precautionary steps right away to avoid some common pitfalls.

Plant Palm Trees at the Right Moment

Whether indoors or outdoors, try to plant new palm trees when the weather begins to warm from mid-spring through summer. Higher temperatures encourage palm tree roots to acclimate and grow more quickly in their new environment. Planting during winter may shock the plant's roots, especially if it sprouted and was kept inside up until that point.

Water the Roots Before Planting

It can be hard to ensure full coverage when watering an already-planted palm tree. To ensure the plant has enough H2O to get comfortable in its new home, water it well while it’s still in its original pot before planting it elsewhere.

Dig a Hole or Use a Plant Pot That’s Twice the Size of a Palm Tree Trunk

As any home gardener knows, indoor and outdoor plants alike need space to grow. Wherever you’re planting a palm tree, ensure that the vessel is at least twice the size of the trunk. Failing to do so will stunt the tree's growth and may make it more susceptible to common palm tree diseases, like trunk and root rot.

Fertilize, But Don’t Over-Fertilize

Palm trees may not need a ton of water to look their best, but they do need fertilizer, especially in the beginning. In particular, palm trees need a lot of nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and iron to thrive, so make sure to pick up a store-bought fertilizer that meets these criteria.

Avoid using quick-release fertilizers because these varieties contain more than normal amounts of nitrogen and not enough potassium to offset their effects. A slow-release fertilizer will give your plant nutrients for up to 12 weeks. Fertilize once when you first plant your tree and again every two to three months afterward to keep it healthy.

Palm Tree Care: Indoor vs. Outdoor

When it comes to learning how to take care of a palm tree, your job doesn’t end after planting. While these trees don’t need a ton of care afterward, there are still a handful of things you need to do regularly to keep them in tip-top shape—indoors or outdoors.

Indoor Palm Tree Care

Most indoor palm tree varieties are native to warm regions, so they typically need a decent amount of sunlight and warmth to thrive. Here’s everything an indoor palm tree might need.

• Bright, indirect light: Although some palm trees love direct sunlight, most prefer indirect light because they’re used to growing among other leafy plants that offer shade. If placed in direct sunlight, the leaves of certain palm tree varieties can brown or dry out.

• Biweekly waterings: Indoor palm trees are thirsty plants and will likely need more water than some of your other leafy friends. In general, water palm trees two to three times a week when the weather is warm and once a week during the winter months for the best results. You’ll know it needs a drink when the soil is dry to the touch, and the plant is lighter than usual when picked up. If the soil is still quite wet, leave it be, because overwatering does more harm than good.

• Increase the humidity in your home: Indigenous to tropical areas, palm trees need a similarly moist and humid environment to feel at home. If you notice that the soil is wet, but the leaves are still dry, that’s a sign that your home isn’t humid enough. Fortunately, there are plenty of easy ways to humidify your home, from air-drying your laundry to leaving the dishwasher open when it’s done.

Outdoor Palm Tree Care

Although similar, there are some key differences between caring for indoor and outdoor palm trees. Here’s what you need to know.

• Plant outdoor palms in full sun when possible: Unlike indoor plants, which may dry out in direct sunlight, outdoor palms don’t have a problem receiving the sun’s rays and, in fact, need as many as possible to thrive. If all you have are shaded spots, don’t fret. Although palms prefer direct sunlight, they can handle shady conditions as well.

• Water often for the first few months after planting: Outdoor palm trees need a lot of water upfront to establish themselves in their new home, but not nearly as much once they are situated. Palm trees are famously drought-resistant and can survive for months on little to no water but only when originally planted in the right conditions.

• Protect your tree from frost during winter: Hardy palm trees are more resistant to cold temps than their indoor counterparts, but they can still benefit from certain protective measures. Before particularly icy conditions, wrap a burlap or frost cloth around the tree's trunk or cover the base with a larger-than-usual amount of mulch to keep the roots safe.

When to Prune a Palm Tree

Palm trees don’t need to be pruned unless parts of the tree are diseased or rotting and putting the rest of the plant at risk. As long as it’s in good health, you can let it prune itself—old foliage will naturally fall away with new growth. Proper palm tree maintenance often just means keeping an eye on things.

If you do decide to prune your palm tree, either for aesthetic or practical purposes—like removing dry leaves that could be a fire hazard—experts recommend cutting off as little as possible. Use sterilized pruning shears or a plant saw to remove dead or dried fronds at the base, and be sure to avoid accidentally cutting the tree trunk, as this can lead to infections. Hiring a local palm tree specialist to do the work will ensure your tree stays healthy and isn’t accidentally damaged.