A Majesty Palm is a type of tropical tree that originated in Madagascar. It’s considered to be an ‘easy-care’ plant with its elegant, feathery fronds and classic, textural appeal. It can grow both indoors and outdoors and is popular in many regions in North America. Right now, you may be wondering to yourself, ‘what kind of soil does a Majesty Palm need?’
A Majesty Palm tree grows best in fertile soil that retains water yet drains well. The ground in which it’s planted should be well-aerated and loosely packed. If the soil’s too dense, it won’t grow well. In which case, you may need to add some sand, compost, or peat moss to it.
Now that you know the best type of soil for a Majesty Palm let’s take a closer look at this in more detail below.
What Soil is Best for Majesty Palm Trees?
A Majesty Palm is like most palm trees and requires sunlight, water, and well-draining soil to grow. Sand-based soil is often best, as it provides for better aeration. Soil that’s too densely packed will impede development and thus affect the overall health of the palm. Adding extra sand to the soil should help loosen it up.
It’s important to note that Majesty Palm soil should be light with ample amounts of organic matter (such as peat moss or compost) mixed in to allow for proper drainage. For best results, tailor the soil to suit indoor potted palms. This includes adding some leaf mold or shredded bark to the top of the soil in the planter. Slightly acidic soil with a pH level between 5 and 6 is also recommended.
What is the Best Soil Conditions for an Indoor Majesty Palm?
Luckily Majesty Palm’s are slow growers so you can fit one in your home to enjoy. The pot doesn’t need to be the size of a truck either, so that’s a relief! What’s essential for an indoor Majesty Palm is to provide it with the growing conditions it needs to have a long and healthy life. So, this means the soil needs to provide everything necessary for this to happen.
Your unique soil ingredients should include the following:
- Loam
- Peat moss.
- Sand
- A good brand of 14-14-14 fertilizer to kick start the roots in their new pot.
Those four things should bring you growing success with your new palm. Now, it’s time to mix these ingredients. The measurements should be as follows.
- Two-parts sand.
- Two-parts peat moss.
- One-part loam.
Some growers might feel that this is too much peat. However, Majesty Palms do well with this mixture. The only thing that might go wrong with this mixture is that the drainage could be slower than you feel it should be. If that’s the case, then you need one more piece of the puzzle, which is Perlite. Since perlite is a material that won’t change the PH of the soil or add unwanted nutrients, feel free to use as much (or as little) as needed to address the drainage concerns you may have.
And there you have it, your roadmap to success with your beautiful Majesty Palm!
For some great examples of large pots that could support your indoor majesty palm, check out these posts!
17 Extra Large Indoor Planters That Will transform Your Home!
17 Plastic Garden Urns That Will Give Your Garden a Classical Touch
What is the Best Soil Conditions for an Outdoor Majesty Palm?
With your outdoor palm, you want to have soil that drains easily yet stays wet. That can be confusing. In other words, you want damp soil, but you don’t want the palm sitting in a pool of water. Make sense?
Sometimes growing outdoors can provide different challenges from growing indoors, especially if the plant is exposed to outdoor elements like wind, sun, rain, critters, and whatever else you may have in your neck of the woods!
If you follow the soil components specified in the previous section, you should do well, even when growing the plant outdoors. Just remember that the roots should be wet or damp but not swimming in water. This is where the peat moss comes in handy, as it retains moisture very well.
If you use a pot outdoors, please refer to the previous section. If you are planting the palm into the earth, you might have to dig some of the native soil up and replace it with the sand, peat moss and loam. Just make sure you dig quite a way out from the plants stalk, as the roots will spread further than they would if they were in a pot.
How Do You Repot a Majesty Palm?
As your indoor potted Majesty Palm matures, it’ll need to be repotted to accommodate its growth. Proper soil conditions are a must if you want your plant to grow strong and healthy. There are ten basic steps to repotting, which include the following:
- Find a planter or container that’s no more than 2 inches wider than the palm’s current pot.
- Take a coffee filter and place it over the drainage holes in the new planter to prevent any soil from spilling.
- Fill the bottom 2 inches of the planter with potting soil that’s been fertilized and moistened.
- Remove the palm from its original pot by turning it on its side and then pulling the tree out by the base of its truck while pushing the pot in the opposite direction – be sure not to force the tree but rather work it out slowly and carefully.
- Trim any existing roots that appear to be growing out of the drainage holes.
- Gently place the palm into the new planter and add some more soil around the roots – be sure the roots aren’t placed too deep – they should be no more than 2 inches from the top of the pot.
- Add pre-watered/pre-fertilized potting soil around the sides of the tree – pack it in snugly to support the roots but not too tightly that it impedes growth.
- Water the tree until you see liquid seeping out from the drainage holes in the bottom of the planter.
- Place the planter in a sunlit area that receives between 4-6 hours of bright, indirect sunlight each day.
- Continue to monitor your tree’s growth – make sure to water it once or twice a week, allowing the top inch of soil to dry out completely before watering it again.
Enjoy your Majestic Palm!
To summarize, a Majesty Palm needs light, well-draining soil to grow to its full potential. Sand-based soil is preferred and provides for better aeration. Adding organic matter such as peat moss or compost to the soil is essential, as this will promote proper drainage. As they prefer more acidic soil, a pH level somewhere between 5 and 6 is best.