How to Propagate a Palm Plant

The easiest way to propagate a palm plant is through seed germination. However, seeds are not normally produced by palm houseplants and therefore must be obtained from an outside source. Propagation by seed also takes several years to produce a small plant. If you're unable to get seeds or want a new palm quicker, propagation by separation can also be successful.

Things You'll Need

• Clear plastic

Instructions

1. Remove the palm plant from its pot and look for a sucker that is at least 1 foot tall. A sucker is a side shoot from the main plant. Suckers usually produce their own roots, so your new palm plant is already be off to a good start. Select the sucker with the most roots, if possible.

2. Cut the sucker away from the parent palm plant. Make the cut as close to the base of the parent plant as possible in order to get most of the roots. It is best to propagate palm plants in the spring.

3. Mix two parts standard potting mix with one part coarse sand or perlite. Pour the mixture into a 4-inch pot. Moisten the potting mixture in preparation for the palm sucker.

4. Place the sucker into the potting mix and cover the pot with a sheet of clear plastic. The propagation will need to be kept at a temperature no less than 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Water, if the top of the potting mixture begins to dry out.

5. Wait a month and remove the plastic from the propagation. Water only when the potting mixture dries out at first. This helps to prevent rot. When new growth begins, treat the propagation as a mature palm plant.

6. Repot the new palm the following spring, using standard potting mix.