Majesty palms can grow indoors and outdoors with relative ease. That said, what are the majesty palm's light requirements, and how can you care for one appropriately? We have researched this topic so you can be sure that your palm is getting all the light it needs.
Majesty palms prefer indirect light and need to be exposed to light for between four and six hours a day.
What are the different tools, though, that you can use to boost a palm's light exposure? Let's broaden your toolkit and knowledge base so that you can better provide your majesty palm with the care it needs to thrive. Keep reading for all the details!
What Are The Majesty Palm's Light Requirements?
Majesty palms are versatile and can thrive both as interior decorations and as exterior landscaping. The light requirements - and additional needs - of a majesty palm will vary slightly based on where you're keeping them. As a result, you may need to adjust your care based on your majesty palm's location.
What Conditions Does A Majesty Palm Need To Thrive?
In addition to specific light conditions, your majesty palm will need to live in a compatible environment to thrive. Upon planting a majesty palm outdoors, try to make sure that you provide it with the following:
- Water - you'll need to water your majesty palm between once and twice a week, depending on the weather and whether or not it's rained. Avoid allowing the soil around the base of your majesty palm to become dry. If you're keeping your palm indoors, the same watering schedule will apply.
- Humidity - majesty palms' health doesn't vary too much with changes in humidity. So long as your home isn't dry, your majesty palm should thrive. Comparatively, if you've planted your palm outdoors, change your care schedule with the humidity. If it gets warm and dry, water your palm more frequently. If it's cold and dry, consider bringing a smaller palm indoors.
- Temperature - majesty palms prefer temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Note that a healthy, outdoor majesty palm can grow to exceptional heights. Most indoor majesty palms, by comparison, can be trimmed to be house-appropriate. If you prefer majesty palms of a smaller size, be prepared to do some trimming, as these palms grow at a rate of about one foot per year.
Can A Majesty Palm Take Full Sun?
Majesty palms can take full sun for a short time. That said, you should try to avoid planting them in spots that receive full sun for the entire day. While the palm will embrace the light, you may notice some of the leaves starting to scorch due to overexposure. Planting your majesty palm requires you to find the balance between a happy palm and burnt palm leaves.
Leaf scorch is a physical condition that befalls any plant or tree that's exposed to too much sunlight for an extended time. Younger plants and trees are more likely to come down with leaf scorch, as they're already enduring the stress of growing.
If you suspect that your majesty palm may have contracted leaf scorch, keep an eye out for the following:
- Yellowing of leaf veins at the height of summer
- Abrupt browning of palm edges and tips
- Leaf curling
Note, too, that leaf scorch tends to affect one side of your majesty palm more so than the other. If one side of your palm is wilting while the other is thriving, it may be time to move the palm indoors.
What Degree Of Light Should A Majesty Palm Receive In Your Garden?
So you know what light level not to expose your majesty palm to. What level of light does it like?
In general, majesty palms grow best when exposed to bright, indirect light. This means that your palm will thrive outdoors when planted in half-shade or an otherwise bright but not overwhelming area. Try to avoid planting your majesty palm entirely in the shade, as the lack of sunlight will stunt its growth and prematurely brown its fronds.
Determining how much sun a particular part of your garden gets will take a bit of observation. Over the course of a day, check the light in your garden on a one-to-two hour basis. You can measure the amount of light each section gets by taking frequent pictures of your garden and comparing them at the end of the day. Do this in all four seasons to see how sun exposure may vary.
If you're planting your majesty palm indoors, then the same rules apply. Try to keep your majesty palm near a large window. This way, it'll be able to take in light for the better part of the day.
How Much Light Does A Majesty Palm Need?
As mentioned, majesty palms prefer to be exposed to indirect light sources. While they can adjust to low-light areas, they'll grow more quickly and more healthily in areas that receive a reasonable amount of light. Whether indoors or outdoors, your majesty palm needs to be in the light for between four and six hours a day. Note that this needs to be indirect light. If your palm is exposed to direct light, then it may start to suffer from leaf scorch. Indirect light, comparatively, won't damage your palm but will allow it to photosynthesize properly.
Should You Use Garden Lights For Your Indoor Palm Tree?
Garden lights are outdoor and indoor tools designed to let you have a little more control over the way your plants and trees grow. These lights work wonders in low-light areas, as they'll help promote healthy plant growth, even as the seasons change.
There are several different types of garden lights available for indoor and outdoor use. Some of your options include:
Battery/Solar-Powered Overhead Lights
This type of light uses a combination of battery power and solar power to provide light directly to one plant. This light provides the most help to your plants when it's used outdoors.
Check out this light on Amazon.
100 Percent Solar Lights
Similarly, the 100 percent solar-powered light pictured here is ideal for providing outdoor, light-loving plants with an extra burst of sunshine. You won't have to worry about replacing any batteries - instead, the sun will be able to help the plant of your choice grow 24/7.
You can find this light on Amazon.
Multi-Head Indoor Plant Lights
If you want your indoor plants to have more exposure to light or light sources, why not use a multi-head indoor plant light? These lights are able to reach several plants at once and will fit nicely on a desk or plant stand.
You can find light fixtures like this one on Amazon.
If you live in a colder city, you may also want to consider investing in a heat lamp.
As you can tell, you've got plenty of garden light fixtures available to you. That said, should you use one of these fixtures on a majesty palm? In general, no. Majesty palms like indirect light best. If you expose your majesty palm to one of these lamps, you may inadvertently scorch some of your palm leaves.
If you live in a darker part of the world, however, a garden light may come in handy while you try to cultivate a majesty palm. Keep the light at least ten feet away from your palm at all times, and do not point your light directly at the palm. That kind of controlled exposure may help you compensate for the lack of light in your area.
Majesty palms are great, versatile plants that can add beauty to your home or landscaping. So long as you plant them in indirect light, they'll grace you with shade and aesthetic variation for several years to come.