Areca Palm Identification
Also referred to as yellow palm, butterfly palm or golden cane, the Areca palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens), is a commonly cultivated nursery tree in the United States. Arecas can be spotted both indoors and outdoors in tropical and subtropical areas. Does this Spark an idea?
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Shape and Size
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Areca palms grown in the wild can reach heights of 20 feet or higher, with spreads of 5 to 10 feet in a bush or shrub-like form. When grown indoors, areca palms are mcuh smaller. The multi-trunk frame branches out as each trunk spreads into its own frond-topped crown. The fronds of the areca are green or bronze and have 80 to 100 leaves that form a V-shape.
Fruit and Flowers
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In the spring and summer, areca palms bloom with small, whitish-yellow flowers and yellowish-orange fruit.
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Landscape Uses and Habitat
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Quick growers in tropical and subtropical USDA hardiness zones 9 and 10, areca palms are often used as a screening hedge in outdoor gardens, or as an indoor ornamental plant. When grown indoors, the areca is frequently used for its naturally humidifying properties.
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