Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea erumpens) Indoor Care; Light, Water, Temperature, Humidity, Soil, Repotting
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Bamboo Palm (Chamaoderea erumpens) grows best in bright indirect light, average warmth and humidity and moderately moist, rich, well-drained, all purpose soil coupled with monthly feeding in the growing season.
Chamaedorea erumpens is one of the popular palms on account of its beauty, ease of care and air-cleaning properties.
The yellowish bamboo-like canes and beautiful, deep-green, broad leaflets make Bamboo Palm stand out as a focal point plant in any space making it one of the best plants for the home, office and other suitable places.
Bamboo Palm belongs to a group of palms called cane palms which produce tall reed-like stems which look like bamboo-like canes when mature.
Botanical name: Chamaedorea erumpens
Family: Arecaceae
Sufamily: Arecoideae
Common name: Bamboo Palm
Origin
Chamaedorea erumpens is native to the tropical forests of Central and Northeastern Mexico as an understory plant.
Size
Chamaedorea erumpens can grow to a height of 6-10 feet under good conditions but it grows slowly and may take a few years to reach the average height of 6 feet placing it among the best tree-like plants for indoors.
Flower
Bamboo Palm also produces flowers followed by bright-orange fruits once grown and mature apart from being attractive. The fruits contain oxalic acid which can irritate skin; wear gloves when handling and are also toxic to humans and pets.
Air Purifying
According to the NASA Clean Air Study, Chamaedorea erumpens was found to be among the best air-cleaning plants and gets rid of xylene, toulene, benzene, formaldehyde and trichloethylene.
Toxicity
The foliage of Chamaoderea erumpens is non-toxic to both humans and pets. However, the fruits (berries) are highly poisonous to both humans and pets. It is important to prevent flowering by removing the flower stalks when they begin to form. The fruits contain oxalic acid which can irritate sensitive skin; always wear gloves when handling the berries.
Related Plants
Chamaedorea erumpens is related to Chamaedorea elegans (Parlour Palm) and Chamaedorea seifrizii (Reed Palm).
Where to Buy
Bamboo Palms are great addition for your collection for a tropical feel in your home. You may acquire these palms from (Link to Etsy).
Chamaoderea erumpens Care Indoors
Bamboo Palm (Chamaoderea erumpens) flourshes in bright indirect light (filtered light), average warmth of 15-260C, humidity of 50-55% and moderately moist, rich, well-drained, all purpose soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season.
Chamaoderea erumpens repotting is done at the beginning of the growing season only when the palm has become pot-bound. Pruning is needed to keep the palm neat as well as reduce pests and diseases. Keep reading for more on these growing conditions and how to achieve them.
Watering
Water Bamboo Palm thoroughly during the growing season and allow the top 2-3 inches of soil to dry out between waterings to keep the soil moderately moist.
Cut down on watering during the cold season to maintain the soil slightly moist but do not allow the soil to dry out completely.
Use chlorine-free water to water the palm; like all palms Bamboo Palm is sensitive to chlorine and other chemicals dissolved in water.
Avoid getting the base wet to prevent rotting and do not allow the palm to sit in soggy soil as it may lead to root-rot and eventual loss of the palm.
Light Requirements
Bamboo Palm grows best in bright indirect light away from direct sunlight as it can scorch the leaves. Keep it away from too much light as it will cause the palm to develop a yellowish color instead of the beautiful dark-green color.
Chamaoderea erumpens can also be grown under grow light where the natural lighting is not sufficient. Check out these full spectrum grow lights on Amazon.
Turn the pot regularly to ensure the plant receives light on all sides for uniform growth and prevent lopsided growth.
Temperature and Humidity
Bamboo Palm grows best in an average warmth of 15-260C with a minimum of 120C. Keep it away from cold drafts like windy doors and windows as they result in too cold temperatures which cause brown leaf tips and spots.
Chamaoderea erumpens has no need for extra humidity, moderate humidity of 50-55%. However, it benefits from occasional misting of the leaves during the hot season. Occasionally clean the mature leaves by damp-wiping with a soft cloth to get rid of dust and discourage pests infestation.
Fertilizer
Feed Bamboo Palm monthly during the growing period with a balanced, liquid fertilizer to promote a lush growth. Do not feed in the cold season as growth is minimal at this time and feeding at this time as it can lead to fertilizer burn and eventual death of the palm.
To get rid of any accumulated chemicals from the soil, run a stream of water through the soil until it comes out through the drainage holes. Let it run for a few minutes and repeat the process several times.
Potting Mix
The best potting medium for Bamboo Palm should be rich in organic matter and free-draining to prevent it from getting soggy while providing the required nutrients. All purpose potting mixes are ideal for this palm.
Repotting
Repot Bamboo Palm at the beginning of the growing season only when the palm has become root-bound as it does not like root disturbance.
Use a pot 1-2 sizes larger than the current one. Ensure that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy as it can lead to root-rot disease and eventual death of the plant. Check out these pots with drainage hole on Amazon.
Pruning
Pruning Bamboo Palm is easy. Cut away the old brown and dry fronds near the soil surface to maintain the palm neat and also reduce pest and disease infestations.
Where the seeds are required for propagation, allow the fruits to mature and drop then cut away the spent flower stalk. If the seeds are not required, cut away the flower stalk immediately to prevent the palm from wasting energy on developing the flowers and seeds.
Propagation
Bamboo Palm (Chamaoderea erumpens) propagation can be done in three ways. These methods are from seeds, offshoots or by plant division.
How to propagate Bamboo Palm from seeds
Bamboo Palm propagation from seeds is difficult and may take up to 4-6 months.
Sow the seeds in moist soil and place the set up in a brightly-lit, warm place, at about 25-300C.
Maintain the soil moist through out the period until germination takes place.
Lower the temperature slightly after germination and maintain the soil moist until the new Bamboo Palms are well established.
How to propagate Bamboo Palm from offshoots
Bamboo Palm is clumping palm which produces offshoots at the base which can be used to propagate new plants.
Carefully cut the offshoot from the mother palm. Ensure that the offshoot has adequate roots before seperating it from the mother.
Pot the offshoot in its own pot, place in a warm, well-lit place away from direct sunlight and maintain the soil moist through out.
Allow the new Bamboo Palm to be well established before transplanting after which you can begin routine care.
How to propagate Bamboo Palm by plant division
During repotting, divide the Bamboo Palm into sections and pot the sections in individual pots.
Place the set up in a warm, well-lit place away from direct sunlight and maintain the soil moist until new growth emerges.
Allow the new Bamboo Palm to be well established before transplanting after which you can begin routine care.
Chamaoderea erumpens Common Problems
Bamboo Palm (Chamaoderea erumpens) problems include brown leaf tips, yellowing, brown leaves, leaf spots, diseases and pests among others. Keep reading for more on these problems and how to solve them.
Brown leaves
The lower leaves in Bamboo Palm may turn brown and droop due to age; remove by cutting and not pulling. However, if browning is general and accompanied by rotting the reason is root-rot due to soggy soil. Learn how to treat root-rot disease in houseplants.
Pests
Common pests in Bamboo Palm are mealy bugs, spider mites and scales. Regularly check underneath the leaves for these pests and keep the palm properly pruned to discourage their infestation. Isolate the affected palm to prevent spread to the other plants and treat it appropriately for the pests. Read more on how to identify and get rid of pests in houseplants.
Yellowing leaves
Bamboo Palm yellowing leaves are due to underwatering. Water the palm liberally during the growing season and allow the top 2-3 inches of soil to dry out between waterings to keep the soil moderately moist. Decrease watering during the cold season as growth is reduced to maintain the soil slightly moist but do not allow the soil to dry out completely. Learn more on how to water houseplants the right way.
Brown leaf tips
Bamboo Palm brown leaf tips are caused by four possible reasons. Trim off the brown tips with sterilized scissors to keep the palm neat and tidy.
One possible reason for brown leaf tips in Bamboo Palm is dry air. To raise humidity, set the pot on a wet pebble tray or use a cool mist humidifier. Check out these techniques on how to increase humidity for houseplants.
The second possible reason for brown leaf tips in Bamboo Palm is underwatering which results in too little moisture in the soil. Keep the soil moderately moist during the growing season. Reduce watering in the cold season but do not allow the soil to dry out completely.
The third reason for brown leaf tips in Bamboo Palm is cold drafts which cause sudden drops in the temperature. Keep the palm away from cold drafts like windy doors and windows, air conditions units to maintain an average warmth of 15-260C. Check out this guide on understanding temperature for houseplants.
The fourth reason for brown leaf tips in Bamboo Palm is damage by touching. Keep the palm away from the line of traffic.
Brown leaf spots
Brown leaf spots in Bamboo Palm may be due to two reasons. Cut away the affected parts and discard. One reason is overwatering. Maintain the soil moderately moist during the growing season. Decrease watering during the cold season but do not allow the soil to dry out completely.
The second reason for brown leaf spots in Bamboo Palm is sudden decrease in temperature due to cold drafts. Protect or keep it away from drafts inorder to maintain an average warmth of 15-260C with a minimum of 120C.
Related: Bamboo Palm Common Problems Indoors and How to Fix Them
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